A Consumer is entitled to:
- Select the auto body repair shop to repair auto body damage covered by the insurance company. An insurance company shall not require the repairs to be done at a specific auto body repair shop.
- An itemized written estimate for auto body repairs and upon completion of repairs, a detailed invoice. The estimate and the invoice must include an itemized list of parts and labor along with the total price for the work performed. The estimate and invoice must also identify all parts as new, used, aftermarket, reconditioned or rebuilt.
- Be informed about coverage for towing and storage services.
- Be informed about the extent of coverage if any, for a replacement rental vehicle while a damaged vehicle is being repaired.
- Be informed of where to report suspected fraud or other complaints and concerns about auto body repairs.
- Seek and obtain an independent repair estimate directly from a registered auto body repair shop for repair of a damaged vehicle, even when pursuing an insurance claim for repairing the vehicle. Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights https://www.insurance.ca.gov
No. You are not required by law to obtain more than one estimate
No. According to the Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights, your insurance company cannot require you to go to a specific repair shop.
Insurers have Direct Repair Programs (DRP) in place to keep their costs at a minimum and maximize their profits. It is a way for the insurer to maintain control of the repairs and price fix. DRP shops have contracts with Insurance Companies to gain referrals and do volume work at discounted labor rates. These shops may put the insurers’ best interest over yours, the vehicle owner. Essentially these shops can be called the HMO’s of auto repair.
No, this is not true. We have chosen not to be on any insurance DRP (Direct Repair Program) but we do work with all insurance companies. The shop doing the repair provides the warranty not the insurance company. We work for you our customer, not for the insurance company.
- Workmanship for as long as you own your vehicle. An exception is rust repairs, we cannot guarantee rust repairs.
- BASF-Glasurit 90 Line Paint Materials for as long as you own your vehicle. Paint warranty is voided in 60 days if the following is allowed to occur: use of a mechanical car wash, use of a car cover, use of car wax or foreign materials on paint such as bird droppings, tree sap etc.
- Manufactures parts per the manufacturer.
OEM parts are Original Equipment Manufacturer parts. They are made by the manufacturer of your vehicle and sold at automotive dealerships.
Aftermarket parts are produced by another company other than the vehicles original manufacturer. These parts have been designed for the same purpose as OEM parts but there may be differences in fit, quality, performance and safety.
LKQ parts are “like kind and quality” or used OEM parts made by the vehicles original manufacturer.
Regulations in California state that replacement parts are only permitted if the insurer can guarantee that the parts are equal in kind, quality, safety, fit and performance.
The California Code of Regulations Title 10 Chapter 5 Section 2695.8 (g) states:
(g) No insurer shall require the use of non-original equipment manufacturer replacement crash parts in the repair of an automobile unless:
(1) the parts are at least equal to the original equipment manufacturer parts in terms of kind, quality, safety, fit, and performance;
(2) insurers specifying the use of non-original equipment manufacturer replacement crash parts shall pay the cost of any modifications to the parts which may become necessary to effect the repair; and,
(3) insurers specifying the use of non-original equipment manufacturer replacement crash parts warrant that such parts are of like kind, quality, safety, fit, and performance as original equipment manufacturer replacement crash parts.
Please note that some insurance policies may have an OEM endorsement. Check with your insurance agent or refer to your policy to determine if your Insurance Carrier has the right to use non OEM parts.
We accept: Insurance checks and drafts, personal checks, cash, Visa, Master Card, Discover and American Express.
We have partnered with Easypay Finance which offers 90 days same as cash.
Yes, we use BASF Glasurit 90-Line Waterborne paint. This line of paint is OEM approved and has an extensive data base from around the world that has decades of computerized color formulations to ensure a perfect color match.
A crash course in the insurance language:
- Adjuster: The person who evaluates the damage caused by an accident, and determines the amount to be paid under the policy terms.
- Claim: Notice to an insurance company that a loss has occurred which may be covered under the terms and conditions of the policy.
- Deductible: The amount of the loss that the policyholder is responsible to pay up-front before covered benefits from the insurance company are payable.
- Limits: The maximum amount of benefits the insurance company agrees to pay in the event of a loss.
- Salvage: Damaged policyholder property that is legally signed over to an insurer in a loss settlement.
- Total Loss: Damage to a vehicle to such extent that it cannot be repaired to its condition prior to the loss, or when the cost of repair is more than the total value of said vehicle.
