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A Perfect Solution and Several Things to Consider

Your car has been smashed and you are left without your most important means of getting around. When your mode of transportation has been lost, you may feel vulnerable, even helpless. Instead of attempting to drive a car that is now unsafe, you should have it taken to a collision center. Finding the right body shop isn't a slam dunk, but it is something you should be able to uncover with careful research on your part.

  1. Contact your insurance company. Once you are certain that everyone involved in an accident is safe, then contact your insurance company to begin the claim process. Your insurer will send out an adjuster to your home, a garage or wherever your vehicle is located. Know that just because your car is sitting at a repair center does not mean you have to use that company. The claim agent simply needs access to your car to verify damages and make an estimate for repairs.
  1. Get estimates. Your insurer may want you to get multiple estimates or you can simply choose a collision center recommended by the company. When getting estimates, prices likely will not vary by more than 10 percent in your geographic area. Body shop repair is a highly competitive business and such shops are aware of prices and keep these in line. Still, if you get a price that is substantially lower than the rest, a caution flag should be raised. That lower price may come only because aftermarket parts are used or the technicians may not have the same level of training as what other shops provide.
  1. Learn what types of repairs the shops handle. Todays vehicles may employ advanced technologies in the construction of the same. Some vehicles are unibody, while others are of body-on-frame construction. The repair methods for these types of vehicles vary. With more aluminum-bodied vehicles on the market, other repair methods are also followed. It is important that the body shop be in the position to handle the kinds of repairs your vehicle requires. Anything less and the job may not be done right.
  1. Equipment matters. Not all body shops have the same amounts or levels of equipment. It is important that the right equipment be on hand for the work to be done. Collision shops with comprehensive repair coverage will have everything to repair suspension systems, drivetrains, engines, transmissions and frames. Besides the equipment, the shops technicians must be trained to use it. Ask the shop foreman about the training methods and certification. You should discover that only those workers trained to make the required repairs will work on your vehicle advises Caliber Collision.
  1. The body shop and your insurance company. While your insurer should have provided an accurate estimate of repairs, that isn't always the case. Once the repair process has begun, the collision center may uncover a problem missed by the claim agent. It is at this point you want to have a body shop that can work closely with your insurer to make you whole. Some shops are experts at working with insurers, able to get quick and satisfactory answers for problems that arise during the repair process.
  1. Get a warranty. Likely, your repairs will come with a warranty. That warranty should cover problems that may occur after the fact. Here, you want a lifetime warranty or one that will cover whatever collision repair problems that surface after the fact. As long as you own the car, you should be able to return to the garage to have those problems addressed.

Repair Time

When your car is ready for repairs you may need a rental car to tide you over. Your collision center may have a vehicle on hand or your insurance agent may work with a repair company to ensure that you have the ride that you need.

Posted in Taxi/Limosine/Shuttle Post Date 06/13/2017


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