If you’ve been involved in an accident, the first thing you should do is make sure everyone involved is safe. But what do you do with your vehicle after that? Garber Collision Center in Rochester is here to help. These are eight things you should know about having your vehicle repaired after an accident.
1.You Have the Right to Go to the Repair Shop of Your Choice
When you’re working with your car insurance after an accident, they may provide a list of repair shops to bring your vehicle to. But by law, they cannot require that you go to any particular shop to receive your insurance payout. You always have the freedom to choose whichever collision center you would like to use.
When you’re looking for an auto body shop to repair your vehicle, here are a few things to consider. The shop you choose should offer:
- Free, quick estimates
- I-CAR Gold Class or ASE-certified service technicians
- A lifetime warranty on all repairs
- Meticulous attention to detail and quality control
- A computerized paint-matching system
Garber Collision Center offers all of this and more, so you can trust your vehicle is in good hands when you bring it to us for repairs.
2. There Is No Law Requiring You to Obtain More Than One Estimate
The first step to getting your vehicle repaired following an accident is to get an estimate for the work that needs to be done. Luckily, there is no law requiring you to get multiple estimates before repair work can begin, so you won’t have to spend your time hopping around to different shops. At Garber Collision Center in Rochester, we have insurance estimators available right on site, so we can get an estimate to your insurance company as soon as possible.
We work with your insurance company to ensure everything on your estimate is covered, so you won’t have to act as the middleman between the body shop and your insurance company. We’ll take care of the entire estimate process for you.
3. Differences In Repair Estimates Are Common
Of course, you are more than welcome to get multiple estimates from different shops, but keep in mind that there might be variations between them. That’s because different repair shops might not include labor or the smaller finishing details in their estimates that will ensure your vehicle is looking as good as new. It’s important to remember the lowest price doesn’t always yield the best results.
When you receive an estimate from Garber Collision Center in Rochester, you can trust that it will include all the parts and labor necessary to return your vehicle to like-new condition following an accident, so there’s no hidden charges at the end. We’ll also document and note any damage that’s unrelated to your accident and offer a separate quote, so you can decide if you would like those issues fixed as well.
4. Insurance Procedures and Practices Can Be Confusing
Trying to untangle insurance policy language can be confusing. You might find yourself wondering things like “What’s the difference between collision and comprehensive coverage?” or “Do I have no-fault insurance?” At Garber Collision Center in Rochester, we can help you untangle all the legal jargon in your insurance policy and make it easy to understand. Every policy and every accident is different, but there’s a few key things you should know.
Fault Vs. No Fault Insurance
All automotive insurance falls into one of two categories depending on which state you live in: fault or no-fault insurance.
- At-Fault States: In states with at-fault insurance policies, compensation is paid out by the insurance of whoever was determined to be responsible for the accident. If you cause the accident, your insurance pays. If the other driver is determined to be the cause, their insurance pays. This is the most common type of insurance system and is used in more than half of states.
- No-Fault States: If you live in a no-fault insurance state, you can only seek compensation for vehicle damage or lost wages from your own insurance, no matter who is found to be at fault. The advantage of no-fault insurance is that reimbursement and repairs are performed faster than with an at-fault system, because there’s no going back and forth with the other driver’s insurance to prove who was responsible for the accident.
New York is a no-fault insurance state, so you’ll only have to work with your own insurance when you’ve been involved in an accident.
Collision Coverage Vs. Comprehension Coverage
Whether you live in an at-fault or no-fault insurance state, your insurance policy will include two types of coverage: collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.
Collision coverage is the part of the policy that pays for your vehicle’s repairs if it was damaged in a collision with another vehicle or object, such as a tree, a fence, or even a house. This coverage also covers if your vehicle is involved in a single-car rollover or has damage from something in the roadway like a pothole.
Comprehensive coverage includes damage that isn’t related to a collision, including theft, natural disaster or weather, fire, animals, and more. For example, if your vehicle gets scratched up from a hailstorm or a tree falling on it, the repairs would be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Drivers who finance or lease their vehicle are required to have both collision and comprehensive coverage as part of the terms of their lease or loan. However, it’s important to know that neither coverage covers the other driver’s vehicle or medical bills if you’re at fault for the accident – that’s what your liability insurance is for. Even in no-fault states like New York, liability insurance is required to cover property damage, serious injury to others, and accidents that happen out of state.
At Garber Collision Center in Rochester, we can help you untangle all the confusing language in your insurance policy. Our team will show you what is and isn’t covered, if you have any deductibles due, and will handle all the communication with your insurance provider for you.
5. Always Have Your Vehicle Repaired By Professionals
Your vehicle plays an important role in your day-to-day life, making it possible for you to get to work, your kid’s school, the grocery store, and everywhere in-between. That’s why you should always ensure it’s being handled by certified experts when you bring it to a body shop following an accident.
When you’re choosing a body shop to bring your vehicle to, make sure the one you choose is an I-CAR Gold Class Certified collision center. Having this certification shows the body shop is committed to embracing industry-leading technology and investing in continuous collision repair training. The ideal body shop will also have ASE-certified service technicians.
Garber Collision Center in Rochester is proud to be an I-CAR Gold Class Certified body shop. We are also an active member of the New York State Automotive Collision Technicians Association and an associate member of the Greater Rochester Auto Body Craftsmen Guild, Inc. When you bring your damaged vehicle to Garber Collision Center for repairs, you can trust it’s in good hands.
6. Ask If The Shop Provides A Repair Warranty
Your vehicle is a big investment, one you put a lot of money into. That’s why it’s important to get it repaired as soon as possible following an accident. But before the repair work is done, it’s important to ask the repair shop if they warranty their work. The last thing you want once you get your car back is for the repaired part to fail and you have to argue with the repair shop to get it fixed.
At Garber Collision Center in Rochester, we stand behind the quality of our work. That’s why every repair we perform is backed by a written lifetime warranty, so you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your vehicle is covered. We also always use Original Equipment Manufacturer parts when possible, ensuring your vehicle is returned to you in optimal condition.
7. There Are Several Steps to the Repair Process
When your vehicle needs to be repaired following an accident, it only makes sense that you would want it back as soon as possible. However, there are several steps to the repair process and your vehicle won’t be fixed overnight. Knowing what to expect after you drop your vehicle off though can make the wait feel less agonizing.
Most body shops, including Garber Collision Center, will follow this roadmap:
- Drop your vehicle off: Your vehicle is brought to your body shop of choice, either by towing it or driving it right to the lot if possible.
- Get a rental car: If you’ll need a rental car while yours is out of commission, the shop can assist you in getting a loaner vehicle.
- Get an estimate: Your vehicle’s damage will be assessed and an initial estimate will be compiled of what it will cost to restore your vehicle to its pre-accident condition.
- Insurance Approval: Once an estimate has been created, it will be sent to your insurance provider for approval. Work on your vehicle can’t begin until your insurance approves the estimate.
- Disassembly: Certified technicians will disassembly the damaged parts of your vehicle and create a blueprint that will be used for the repairs.
- Order Parts: Once the blueprint has been made, parts can be ordered. At Garber Collision Center, we use Original Equipment Manufacturer parts whenever possible to ensure the highest-quality repairs.
- Repairs: While waiting for ordered parts to arrive, the body shop team can begin repairing the structural and mechanical damage done to your vehicle.
- Painting: At Garber Collision Center in Rochester, we use a computerized paint-matching system to identify your vehicle’s exact shade and finish to create a seamless coat of paint.
- Reassembly: After the parts have all been painted the correct shade, the body shop team will put your vehicle back together.
- Detailing: At Garber Collision Center, we detail your vehicle once it’s done being repaired to ensure it’s returned to you in optimal condition.
- Final Inspection: The team will do one last inspection to examine the repair work and ensure it meets the highest standards of quality.
- Delivery: Once your vehicle is all set, the shop will contact you to come pick it up!
When you pick up your vehicle from Garber Collision Center in Rochester, we’ll review all the work that was performed on your vehicle with you to ensure it’s up to your satisfaction. We’ll also review your written lifetime warranty with you, so you can have peace of mind when you drive your restored vehicle off the lot.
8. Never Drive A Car That Could Be Unsafe
Sometimes the damage from an accident may seem minor and you may be tempted to just keep driving it around instead of getting it repaired. However, vehicle damage isn’t always apparent to the untrained eye and things may be worse beneath the surface than they initially appeared. That damage could be compromising the safety of you and your passengers, especially if it’s involved in another accident before you can repair it.
What you may think is just minor damage to your vehicle’s bumper could be hiding major structural damage that prevents your vehicle’s crumble zones from reacting properly, leaving you at risk for major injury. Even a small crack in the windshield can compromise its integrity and cause the roof to collapse during a rollover accident. That’s why you should never drive a vehicle that’s been in an accident until you can have it checked by a body shop to determine if it’s safe.
Let Garber Collision Center Handle Your Body Shop Needs
As an I-CAR Gold Class Certified facility, Garber Collision Center in Rochester is well equipped to take care of your vehicle following an accident. Our expert team can answer any questions you have, work with your insurance for you, and will have your vehicle returned in like-new condition as soon as possible following an accident. Give us a call at (585) 252-5822 to get the process started or schedule an appointment online today.