5 THINGS YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY
MAY SAY AFTER AN ACCIDENT
After an accident, you look to your insurance provider for advice. Unfortunately, the advice they give you is not always in your best interest.
1. “THAT SHOP ISN’T IN OUR PREFERRED NETWORK”
Insurance companies use the word “preferred” to describe shops that have entered into a contractual agreement with them in exchange for referrals.
Describing these insurance network, or “Direct Repair Program” shops as “preferred” suggests that they are selected for superior quality. In reality, insurance company profits are the priority with these shops.
Preferred shops have been found to use cheaper parts, and to skip procedures that are needed to keep your vehicle safe. Don’t choose a shop that insurance companies prefer. Choose a shop that prefers your interests, over your insurance company.
2. “IF YOU TAKE IT TO THAT SHOP, WE CAN’T GUARANTEE THEIR WORK”
This is a common, and blatantly misleading statement. In our experience, it is the shop that provides the warranty on the work, not the insurance company. At JBS Collision, we provide a lifetime guarantee on all of the work we perform, regardless of the insurance company.
3. “THE CHARGES AT THAT SHOP ARE HIGHER AND YOU MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIFFERENCE “
99.9% of the time, the initial insurance estimate on repairs is inadequate. When our factory trained and certified technicians perform an in-depth analysis of the damage, they prove what is necessary to properly and safely repair your vehicle. This is part of the process and insurers will DELAY, DENY, and DEFEND their inadequate cost estimate to try to save money. JBS Collision will provide you and the insurer with all supporting documentation to justify a safe and proper repair.
4. “CLAIMS TAKE LONGER TO SETTLE AT THAT SHOP.”
In our experience delays in the claims process result from a strategy employed by insurance companies to delay and deny justified claims. Sometimes, they will even say “If you use that shop, we can’t get someone out for several days, but if you use our preferred shop we’ll have someone there start on it right away.”
This is just another tactic insurance companies use to skirt anti-steering laws, and pressure policyholders to a network shop that will use cheap parts and skip procedures.
5. “THEY’RE CHARGING FOR PARTS AND PROCEDURES THAT AREN’T NECESSARY.”
When you hear this statement, be aware that insurers are just trying to avoid fulfilling their obligation to you, the policyholder, to restore your vehicle back to pre-accident condition. The worst part about this is that using inferior parts and skipping procedures has been proven to compromise the safety of your vehicle, to say nothing about the loss of resale value.
Preferred shops will often bow to insurance company pressures to use interior parts, whereas our factory-trained and certified technicians insist on repairs that fully restore the safety systems of your car.
Insurance companies use these statements to intimidate you. They want to scare you into going to a shop that cares more about their profits than they do about your best interests.
DELAY DENY DEFEND
Now that you understand the motivations behind these statements, you’re better equipped to make the right choices after an accident. If you have any questions, or would like to know more please call us at 410.643.9555.
