FAQs
If you have a question that is not answered here, please feel free to ask us! You can call at 715-356-3889, stop by or send us a message by visiting the Contact Us page. We will do whatever we can to help you get the answers you need.
| Q: |
Am I required to get more than one estimate for my vehicle? |
| A: |
No. You are only required to get one estimate for your insurance company. However, they will most likely have their own adjuster inspect the damage and will need to come to an agreed price with the shop of your choice. |
| Q: |
Should I use the insurance company's photo estimation program? |
| A: |
This is a very unreliable way to obtain a proper estimate and compensation for your damages. We recommend taking your vehicle to a body shop of your choice for a proper estimate. There are often hidden damages that an experienced estimator can find that will not be included in an estimate done by photos of the outside of the vehicle only. |
| Q: |
Do I have the right to select the shop of my choice to do the repairs? |
| A: |
Yes! YOU decide where to have your vehicle repaired. Sometimes insurance companies try to "steer" a customer to one of their DRP (Direct Repair Program) preferred shops for repairs. This is illegal! These insurance company preferred shops make up a network that is similar to a medical HMO. When these preferred shops are used, the insurance company may receive labor concessions, require lower labor rates, or insist on the use of inferior parts to save money. These HMO type networks ultimately lower the cost of the repair to the insurance company only, not the vehicle owner. Quality Paint & Body is not a DRP shop for ANY insurer. We feel that you deserve the best and safest possible repair, not the cheapest. We will not sacrifice quality for a quick repair and we will not cut corners to satisfy any insurance company guidelines. |
| Q: |
Why is the insurance company estimate different than the one you gave me? Am I required to pay the difference? |
| A: |
An insurance company will most likely adjust any estimate written by a shop not participating in their Direct Repair Programs. Their adjusted estimates are written based on the insurance company's guidelines which may include a lower labor rate, less labor time for the repairs and include the use of aftermarket or used parts. We will negotiate with them to get the best repair possible for your vehicle. If you have any questions about an estimate or any differences in them, please feel free to contact us. |
| Q: |
What are "aftermarket", "LKQ", or "recycled" parts? |
| A: |
Aftermarket parts are made by someone other than the original manufacturer (Ford, GM, Dodge, etc.) of your vehicle. LKQ (Like Kind & Quality) are mostly recycled or "used" parts. Insurance companies like to specify these parts on their estimates because they are less expensive, and they will often only pay for these kinds of parts. We write almost all our estimates with OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts to ensure your vehicle is brought back to its pre-accident condition. We will do whatever we can to get you OEM parts whenever possible. The insurer is required, by law, to notify the you if "non-original manufacturer replacement parts" (i.e. aftermarket) are intended to be used in the repair of the vehicle. Consumers need to be more informed. They need to read their insurance policies, especially the section referencing OEM vs. aftermarket parts, and they need to ensure that a collision repair is done accurately with the highest quality replacement parts. Knowledge is power! Understanding the type of auto insurance you have is also important because that dictates the type of parts that can be used to repair your vehicle from a collision. |
| Q: |
Can you work my deductible into my estimate? Can I put damage unrelated to my current claim into my estimate? |
| A: |
No.These things are considered insurance fraud and we cannot do this. |
