When making a claim with your insurance carrier or the adverse at-fault insurance carrier, you may be given the option to have repairs done at one of their “preferred provider” body or repair shops. If not, consider asking the adjuster. Using a body shop or other repair facility which is on the insurance company’s preferred provider list may streamline the repair process. Here are some of the advantages:
- Prescreened repair shops may include a lengthy or lifetime guarantee on all work performed. For example, if you are not pleased with a paint job because it begins to peel after a few months or your air conditioning later shows damage not discovered at the initial inspection, preferred shops may be required to repair at no charge or coordinate the additional approval from the insurance company.
- You may be able to get your equipment in for repairs quicker at a preferred shop than a shop which is unknown to you and the insurance company. This may also save your time in constantly following up to see when the work is going to be commenced and completed.
- If you are out of town when the accident occurs and you have repairs done at a nearby preferred shop rather than towing your equipment home, your downtime may be less. Preferred repair shops typically work to provide the best service as quickly as possible. This helps to get you back on the road, reducing your downtime and out of pocket expenses.
- A preferred repair shop and the insurance company who recommended them usually have a good working relationship. Because of this relationship, there’s a better chance the repair estimate will be precise and the insurance company will approve the estimate. If any additional work is needed, it might be approved simply by the body shop informing the insurance company of the approval needed. There’s a trust factor between preferred providers and insurance companies ….if the shop indicates that the work is necessary and related, then it is often approved. This means there’s less you have to do and worry about.
- If you have your repairs done at a preferred shop and then need related work done while on the road and can’t get back to the original shop, you may be able to have your equipment inspected at a preferred shop at your new location.
- Often, you don’t have to worry about payment when using a preferred provider. In many cases, the repair draft is sent electronically between the repair shop and the insurance company and payment is made directly.
While going to a preferred shop is not a guarantee of faster and better service, it is something to consider when deciding which shop should repair your equipment.