Why You Shouldn’t Go to a Body Shop After an Accident
You just got into a car accident; although your cars not totaled, it’s not drivable, and now you are stressing over getting it fixed. The tow truck driver might offer you a solution; they tell you they know a body shop that will quickly care for your repairs.
You take it to the body shop, thinking your problems are solved, only to find that they completely totaled your vehicle, and now they are claiming huge damages. By law, you do have three days after receiving an estimate to get your car back from a repair shop, but by then, the damage will already have been done, and you’ll feel like you have no choice but to continue with them.
The problem is that insurance companies are good at investigating; they can look at pictures submitted by the other driver taken at the accident scene. They can look for recordings of the accident or even get sworn testimonies. After they investigate if the insurance company suspects that you are committing fraud, they will deny any liability for the damages.
The body shop still requires payment; even if they don’t start working on your car, the vehicle will be racking up storage fees, which can eventually surpass the costs of the damages. Since the insurance has proof that you are attempting to defraud them, you will be fully responsible for all of the expenses that you were not ready to handle in the first place.
The body shop eventually puts a lien on your vehicle; the storage fees growing by the day, combined with the damages, is now worth more than buying a new car, so you give up and let them have it. A couple of weeks later, they auction it off and recuperate their losses, and the tow truck driver gets his cut, with you being left out to dry.
It does not matter if it’s a tow truck driver, medical facility, or lawyer; you should be careful who you trust your case with; we can connect you to reliable attorneys now. Regardless, you should only take your vehicle to a trusted body shop, and insurance companies usually have their own trusted shops and guarantee those shops’ work.
Why you should go to the insurance company about your damages first:
Most insurance companies have a network of trusted repair shops. Some companies like GEICO even have a lifetime guarantee on repairs, meaning you can ensure your vehicle is taken care of. You also have the option to get a direct payment from the insurance company to fix your car at a shop you trust. However, keep in mind that those shops will need to guarantee the work themselves, which you can always request.
After you speak with them, they will make an appointment to either send an adjuster to look at the vehicle at your house or send you to a shop to estimate the damages. After they have a clear idea of the damages, they will instruct you to take your car to the shop they recommend; Statefarm has their Select Service Shops, All State has their Good Hands Repair Network, GEICO has their Auto Repair Xpress, Progressive Claims Network, and other insurances have their networks of trusted repair shops as well.
You can always be sure of when you take your vehicle to a shop recommended by the insurance company because they will never purposely damage your car to try to claim more extensive damages.
How to avoid body shop scams:
If you are ever in an accident, remember these tips to ensure that your damages are rightfully compensated:
- At the scene of the accident, take lots of pictures of both cars so that you can submit them to the insurance company.
- Beware of Bandit Tow Trucks, which show up at the accident without being called, will have high towing costs, and take your vehicle directly to a suspicious body shop.
- Once a trustworthy towing company picks up your car, make sure they deliver the vehicle to your house.
- Only take your vehicle to repair shops that are ASE certified.
- Make sure the shop gives you a full damage report and not just a written estimate of the cost to repair because they include more detailed information about your repairs.
- Always Google the shop and read the reviews from Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, Google Reviews, and Yelp.
What to do if you are being scammed:
If you are ever in the situation where you left your vehicle in a body shop attempting to defraud your insurance company, you have very few options to get your car back. However, you can STILL denounce the body shop for trying to trick your insurance company by submitting a complaint to the NCIB.
Start Right
Realize anybody can recommend a scammy body shop; it can be a close relative, friend, healthcare provider, or even your lawyer. If any of the latter providers push you to only go to the body shops they recommend, beware as they may be getting a kickback and trying to squeeze every dime out of your case. These providers do not care about your well-being; it is essential to trust your health with the right provider and your case with the right attorney. We can help you connect to trustworthy attorneys who treat you with dignity and never try to involve you in a compromising position.