ALT-1 How to Choose an Auto Body Repair Shop
You've had the accident, you've called your insurance agent, now what? You have to get your car repaired. Choosing an auto body repair shop can be a daunting task. However, if you approach it well informed and with caution, your results can be terrific. Your car can even look better than before you had the accident with a fresh new paint job and no little scratches or dings.
When speaking to your insurance agent, they will undoubtedly give you the name of one or two shops for you to call. Similar to doctors that have agreements with HMOs, these auto body repair shops typically have an agreement with your insurance company to perform the work at certain price levels. But, unlike an HMO, you do not have to go to the auto body repair shop that your insurance agent chooses. You can choose whichever shop you feel will provide the best work. Sometimes, this will be the auto body repair shop that your insurance company chooses because they usually have the auto repair shops agree to guarantee their work for the life of the vehicle. This will save the insurance company on future repairs due to shoddy workmanship.
The absolute best way to choose an auto body repair shop is to ask around. Do you know someone who was recently in an accident and required work done on their car? They may be able to give you a good referral or tell you who to stay away from. Knowing which auto body repair shop to avoid is as important as knowing which shop to go to. You can also ask your mechanic. He has probably seen a lot of internal damage on cars and has heard both horror stories and praise for the body shops in your area. If you trust him to perform good work on your car, then you can probably trust him to give you a good name of reputable body shop. Don't forget to check the better business bureau. Even if the body shop is not a member of the better business bureau they can help you choose the right shop. If a business has a complaint against them, they will show up in their system. Visit www.bbb.com and enter the name of the body shop. If nothing comes of your search it probably means that the business is not a member of the better business bureau and they have not had any complaints against them.
Lastly, go and visit the body shops. Do they have a clean and secure work area? Do they have any certificates to back up their training and ability? Do they have any before and after shots for you to review? Immediately following your accident, you just want to get your car repaired and get back to your normal life. But, when it comes to auto body repair, you want to take a moment to get informed and choose the right body shop. You will be looking to resell your car one day and a quick fix will not help that resell value.
