FAQ | Body Shop Barboursville

No, unless your policy states otherwise. You have the right to obtain an estimate from the repair shop of your choice. No one can force you to spend your valuable time running around shopping for repairs.

No one can force you to go to a certain repair shop, unless it is explicitly stated in your policy. Only you have the right to make this decision.

In general, no. Usually it will suffice for you to call your insurance and tell them where an appraiser can examine your vehicle.

Simply stated, if your insurance company is paying for repairs to your vehicle, you are considered the insured. If another insurance company is paying for the damage, you are the claimant. In most cases, the party at fault’s insurance pays the bill.

If your insurance carrier is paying the bill, the answer is maybe. It depends if you have a rental rider on your policy. It is extremely important you know the answer to this question. Call your agent to obtain an answer to this and any other questions you may have about your policy. The rental rider is very inexpensive, and a very good dollar value. Whether you have a rental rider on your policy or not, we can help you obtain arental vehicle at the very best prices possible.

You are. You may direct your insurance to pay the bill in your behalf. The contract to repair is between you and the repair shop. The contract of loss reimbursement is also between you and your insurance company. Remember, you, not the insurance company, are the customer.

In general, the repair shop. However, if you decide to take your vehicle to a “preferred” or “direct repair shop”, request your insurance company to implements its “elects to repair clause”. This may force the insurance company to be responsible for the quality of repairs, among other things. Please check your policy with your agent regarding this clause.

Aftermarket parts are parts made by someone other than the manufacturer of your vehicle. In many cases, they are called “quality replacement parts” or “competitive parts”. They are also called “imitation” and “offshore” parts. They are typically priced considerably less than OEM parts, which are engineered, designed and built for your car by the car manufacturer.

The answer to this question varies depending on who is answering. In general, insurance companies view aftermarket crash parts as a viable and cost effective way to repair your car. Of course, the car manufactures claim them to be inferior to OEM parts. Most collision repair experts would agree with the vehicle manufacturer, but may agree there is a still a place in collision repair for such parts. That is, in the case of older, yet still very functional cars, that otherwise would be an economic total loss. They can provide an alternative to used parts. The place of aftermarket parts usage is highly controversial. We do not guarantee aftermarket parts beyond the warranty afforded us by the distributor.

Used parts go by a few other names. They are called LKQ, meaning “like kind and quality”, “recycled parts”, “salvage parts” just to name a few. Used parts should only be purchased from licensed salvage dealers who provide the proper documentation to the repair shop regarding the history of the vehicle the parts are removed from. They also provide an alternative method of repair, and have their place in the collision repair industry.

The answer is very similar to the one about aftermarket parts. Used, or salvage parts, often are cost effective. They also provide an alternative to aftermarket parts. In some cases, used components can be purchased as an assembly, reducing the amount of cutting and welding that must be performed, actually benefiting the vehicle. Most repair experts would agree that used parts have a place in the collision industry. The controversy arises when deciding just where is that place.

It is our understanding that many policies have been written with provisions to use both aftermarket and/or used parts in the repair of your vehicle. The conditions for use vary from company to company. In most cases, age and mileage are the deciding factors. They’re a lot less than you may be thinking, too. This is an item of your policy that should be reviewed before you are in need of your insurance company. In many cases, it’s 12 months or 12,000 miles.

In most cases, if your insurance company refuses your demand for new, OEM parts based on the terms and conditions of your policy, you have the option of paying the difference for such parts.

In many cases, yes. In general their claims policy doesn’t improve just because you are the claimant. Your options are quite well defined. You can call your insurance company and invoke your policy, or you can authorize repairs using new parts, pay the bill, and then sue the party that hit you. We suggest contacting an attorney if you chose the latter. Remember, though, if you let your insurance company handle the claim, the terms and conditions of your policy may not be any better than the other company.

No, just as all collision repair shops are not the same, all insurance companies are not the same. It is our recommendation that you do the necessary research for both an insurance company and collision repair shop prior to needing the services of either.

Estimating, or damage analysis, is still rather subjective. Although almost all body shops and insurance companies subscribe to a computer data base of information with respect to new, OEM replacement part prices and labor operation times for the replacement and painting of these parts. But there is still a multitude of items not included in the database, which are necessary to restore your vehicle to its pre-accident condition. Also, conditions at the time an estimate is written (such as weather, is the vehicle clean, etc.) effect the accuracy of this initial appraisal. In many cases, there is hidden damage and/or secondary damage not always clearly visible upon initial inspection. Therefore, in all but the simplest of cases, there are supplements to most initial damage appraisals. Such supplements, properly documented, are the responsibility of the insurance company paying the bill.

Yes. We have a secure 24-hour key drop. It is well lit at night and quite easy to find on the front of our building.