Getting the Right Service Or Collision Estimate Without Getting Ripped Off
By Joe Kent
The first step to getting a decent estimate on a vehicle after a collision would be to first contact your insurance company. In some cases, your insurance company may have specific collision centers that they know will offer honest estimates, or could help point you in the right direction of other resources to help steer you in the right direction. Seeking out the insurance company's input first will also be important since they may have very specific requirements for what type of collision center you can get service from.
Once you have a list of approved collision centers or service shops, you can reach out to them and begin gathering actual estimates. You can then decide on which one fits your need the best, whether it's based on price alone, location, or on expected quality of work, or based on certifications.
A collision center estimate may include items that the insurance company will not pay for, such as removing fuel or wheel alignment. Find out what items are not included and ask the collision center to remove such items from the estimate to give a better indication of what you'll actually need to pay for.
When getting an estimate, try to plan for worst case scenario. Request that the estimate also include any extras or other items that could potentially come up during the repair so that you can plan for worst case, and hopefully be happily surprised when you receive the final bill if it's lower than expected.
Once you have the collision center estimate, Richmond's body shop Richmond VA reminds customers to submit it to the insurance company for approval, prior to giving to go ahead for work to begin. This is because a the insurance company may require that you fill out additional forms and get additional inspections first. Since the insurance company may be paying for much for the work, its important you get everything checked off before service on the vehicle begins.
Some online estimates may also be available online. Check with collision centers or dealers in your area to see if that is offered.
Joe is a writer for TK Carsites, an automotive website design and marketing firm in Orange, CA, that specializes in working with car dealers.
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