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Step 9: Getting Your Vehicle Repaired
Pay attention to the work being done on your vehicle, and be aware that improperly repaired vehicles can be unsafe to drive. Stay informed to avoid future expenses.
Remember to clean out your vehicle before sending it to the repair shop. Garbage can get in the way of the repair process, but it’s also just good manners. You should also take any important possessions and documents you keep in your vehicle, such as spare house keys or insurance and registration papers.
If your insurance company approves the estimate, you can have your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice. Usually, your insurance company will have preferred shops. It is often easier to use one of these as it puts the responsibility of making sure that satisfactory work is done on your insurer.
Want to know more about the repair process?
Risk is everywhere – loss can even happen when your vehicle is being repaired after a collision. Organized insurance fraud can include criminal leaders; “bad actor” towing companies; medical clinics with little interest in medicine; and auto repair shops in the business of defrauding insurers. Be on the lookout for
- A repair shop that intentionally causes damage to a vehicle after a collision.
- A shop that bills an insurer for damage that occurred before the collision took place.
- A reasonable verbal repair estimate and final bills that far exceed the estimate.
- A mechanic who leaves the estimated amount blank when you sign a repair authorization (they can then secretly fill in an inflated amount).
- A shop padding bills by “repairing” mechanical problems and damage that don’t exist.
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