Guide to Collision Repair Estimates

Following a car accident, the idea of finding the right collision repair shop can seem intimidating and overwhelming. Hopefully it’s a process that you don’t have much experience with (unless you work in the collision repair industry).

Remember that you have the right to select your collision repair shop and nobody, even your insurance company, can force you to use a specific shop. It can help to get a few estimates from different repair shops so you can find the right one for you. The following steps can help you with collision repair estimates.

Research and Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re speaking with representatives at the repair shops you’re considering. One sign of a great repair shop is one that is willing to explain what they do and what you’re paying them for. An estimate might take some time to create, but should include a breakdown of repairs, including the costs for parts and labor.

Consider more than the Total Cost

Remember that parts, labor, and overhead costs can vary from shop to shop. Higher costs do not necessarily mean better repairs or better parts. If you’re looking at shops in the same area and you find one that is a lot higher or lower than the others, ask why. Sometimes, different shops use different kinds of repair parts, and the parts you choose to use can affect the cost just as much as the shop’s location or labor charges.

Shops should always use the OEM repair guidelines, be willing to answer your questions, and have a record of good reviews.

Trust the Experts

While the Internet is a useful tool and it can help you find advice to get a great collision repair estimate, it is not an estimating tool. Every make and model has a specific set of  repair procedures created by the manufacturer, and only by following these procedures can an estimate or repair be done correctly. Access to these procedures isn’t free online, so you’ll need to take your car to a repair shop and have it examined by a professional. If possible, take it to more than one so you have something to compare your estimate to.

While your insurance company may have an estimator, they too need to look at your vehicle in order to correctly estimate the cost of repairs. It’s not a process that can be done remotely.

Common Collision Repair Myths

Hopefully, repairing your car beyond general maintenance isn’t something you have to do too often, if at all. Car accidents can be serious, dangerous, and expensive. But, if you do have to repair your vehicle following a collision, these are three common and false ideas floating around that we’d like to clear up before you make any decisions.

Myth #1: You have to use the body shop your insurance company selects.

This is probably the biggest myth in the repair industry, and insurance companies may perpetuate it. You can choose to use a recommended repair shop, and you (and your insurance company) might get a great deal out of that decision. However, you never have to use the repair shop your insurance company recommends.

Legally, you have the right to choose your own repair shop. It doesn’t hurt to ask for suggestions and do some research online. If you want, you can ask your insurance company for suggestions. They may have an agreement with one or more repair shops that dictates certain things about repairs to speed up the process and lower the price for them, which may or may not be in your best interest.

Myth #2: To have your car fixed like new, you have to take it to the dealer.

These days, the dealership isn’t the only place where you can get original parts for your vehicle. Original parts, called OEM (original equipment manufacturer parts) are those made by the same equipment manufacturer who built the parts your vehicle was made with when it was new. Your other option is aftermarket parts, which may be used, or they may be new, but made by a different manufacturer.

Most shops will offer both options, so it is possible that your vehicle can get the same repairs at the dealership and at another body shop.

Myth #3: The insurance company pays for all damages.

This completely depends on your insurance policy. There are many different kinds of policies available to you, and it’s always a good idea to discuss your policy with your insurance company before committing to any repairs.

For example, collision coverage should cover damages caused by a collision, but it won’t cover damages that existed prior to the collision. If your vehicle was damaged for another reason, like vandalism or bad weather, you’ll need comprehensive coverage in your policy, not just collision coverage. In some states, your vehicle damages may be covered by the other party’s insurance policy instead of your own.

The Cost of Repainting a Vehicle after a Collision

After a collision, your car may have suffered dents and scratches, among other things. When it’s been put back together and runs like new, does it look like new? At the very least, does it look (and run) like it did before the accident?

If the answer is no, it may be due to the paint job. Although your car can run safely without a proper paint job, it can be annoying to look at, and it can lead to a faster buildup of rust when the paint isn’t applied properly.

Estimates and Totaled Vehicles

When you take your vehicle to the repair shop, the first thing they’ll do is look at the damage and give you an estimate as to what it will cost to complete all repairs. Estimates aren’t always 100 percent accurate, which is why they’re called estimates, but they should include the cost of repainting the vehicle.

If the cost of the repairs is more than the value of the vehicle, it may be considered totaled. That means that if the cost, including the paint job, of returning the vehicle to its pre-accident condition is higher than its value, your insurance company may recommend not repairing it.

What does insurance pay for?

As always, your insurance company will pay for damage that is covered in your insurance policy, so it’s important to understand your policy. However, the following may give you an idea of what insurance will pay for.

If you want to have your vehicle repainted due to general wear and tear, rust, or peeling, it is unlikely that your insurance will pay for it.

If you are in an at-fault accident and you have collision coverage, your insurance company will likely pay for exterior paint. This may only cover the areas that were damaged, and not the entire vehicle.

If you are not at fault in an accident, the other party’s insurance carrier should pay for damage. If they are not insured or are underinsured, you can either take them to court, pay it yourself, or if you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, that portion of your policy may cover the cost of a paint job.

If your paint is damaged due to non-collision incidents, like weather damage or vandalism, your insurance company may pay for a paint job under a comprehensive package if you included it in your policy.

What is the average cost of repainting a vehicle?

Repainting a vehicle isn’t cheap, especially if you want it done well. Averages range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, so it can significantly change the cost of an estimate

Frame Measuring

There is a lot of advertising out there for new cars! You probably know more about the latest developments in the automotive industry than you think you do when it comes to consumerism. There are also a lot of changes going on deep inside new cars – all the way down to their frames.

But, as vehicles are equipped with more bells and whistles to help keep drivers safe and make cars more luxurious and more automated at the same time, this affects the collision repair industry, from the tools used to repair vehicles to the number of things that need to be checked. Ultimately, this can affect the price you or your insurance company pays to have your vehicle repaired following an accident.

What is a vehicle frame?

The vehicle frame is like its skeleton – it provides strength, stability, and flexibility, depending on the circumstances. Everything from the engine to the axle is held in place by the frame.

In the past, meaning throughout the 20th century, automobile frames were made primarily of steel. It’s strength and durability made it a top choice to hold new cars together. Today, as vehicles are made to be faster, lighter, and safer, new materials have been introduced. In addition to traditional steel, vehicles of the 21st century include aluminum, high strength steel, and carbon fiber.

Why are newer vehicle frames repaired differently than old ones?

There are two main reasons newer vehicles are repaired in a different way than old ones were.

First, newer frames require much more exact measurements than old ones did. Because newer vehicles are engineered to divert force in an accident away from the passenger, they include so many computers and sensors that old vehicles didn’t have, and they are built to meet such exact specifications, it really makes a huge difference if the measurements are off. In the 70s and 80s, measurements could be up to three or four millimeters off and it wouldn’t make a difference. Today, measurements need to be within one millimeter in order for all the parts to fit correctly and work safely.

Second, the materials with which newer vehicle frames are made require different kinds of support and force to mold them back into the correct and more precise shapes that today’s OEMs require.

Back in the 70s and 80s and throughout most of the 90s, vehicle frames were made of steel, which is so strong, it mostly required a lot of force to be put back into place. Today, frames require more support and less strength in certain areas to fit be put back in place. But, this also means they require more precise tools to mold them.