Frequently Asked Questions |
| [ Insurance ] [ Repairs ] [ Towing ] [ Rental Cars ] [ Glossary ] |
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 Q. I have just been involved in an accident. What
happens next? |
 A. Your very first concern is that every one
involved is uninjured or being attended to. We've compiled this list to help
you with the rest. |
- Call your insurance company and initiate a
claim.
Only you can do this. We would love to handle this for you but
the insurance company will need information that only you can provide. Even if
the accident was not your fault, you should advise your own company. Should
there be problems with the other company, your own company will be in a better
position to help you. We have included some insurance company contact
information on our Resources Page to help you get
started.
- Locate your vehicle.
In some instances, the
police may have had your vehicle towed from the scene of the accident. Once you
know where your vehicle is, we can help you get it towed to our repair
facility. See our Towing section for additional
assistance.
- Get a replacement vehicle if your vehicle is not
driveable.
You will need another vehicle to drive while yours is being
repaired. We have replacement vehicles available. Each situation differs as to
who is responsible for the cost of this vehicle. See our Rental Car section for additional information or call us if
you don't see your question answered
- Get your vehicle inspected to determine the extent of
the damage.
Your vehicle must be inspected before any
repairs can begin. The only exception to this rule is if you are away from home
and temporary repairs can be made to allow you to drive your vehicle safely to
the repair facility of your choice. Advise your insurance company claim
representative if this will be necessary. See our Insurance section for additional information.
- Select a Repair Facility.
You have a choice
when it comes to having your vehicle repaired. You can have your vehicle
repaired anywhere that you want. No one can force you to take your
vehicle anywhere that you don't feel comfortable.
- Authorize repairs.
Because you are financially
responsible for your vehicle, you are the only person who can authorize
any repairs to your vehicle. This is done by signing an authorization with your
repair facility. We will then be able to negotiate the cost of repairs with the
insurance company on your behalf.
- Relax! We'll take care of the rest.
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| Insurance |
| Q. I have ABC insurance. Can I still bring it to
you? |
| A. Absolutely! We work with all insurance companies!
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| Q. My insurance company says that they will guarantee all
the repairs if I bring it to a shop on their list, but I want to have it fixed
at your shop. Can you guarantee the repairs too ? |
| A. Yes we can. We offer a lifetime guarantee on all
insurance company repairs. |
| Q. My insurance company has referred me to a repair
facility. Can they do that? |
| A. Yes, they can, but you don't have to use that
facility if you don't want to. You have the right to have your vehicle repaired
anywhere you want to. |
| Q. I already have an estimate from my insurance company. Do
I need to get more estimates? |
| A. Absolutely not! Just present the estimate from your
insurance company and we will start with that. The initial estimate itemizes
what the insurance company is going to pay for. We will work with your company
to ensure that you are compensated for everything needed to restore your
vehicle to its pre-loss condition. |
| Q. My insurance company sent me a check. What do I do with
it? |
| A. You can just bring that down to us to apply towards
your repair bill. You will only need to endorse it to us and that will save you
a trip to the bank. Please be sure to confirm who the check is made payable to.
In some instances, the check may also be made payable to your lienholder-if so,
they will need to endorse it before we can accept your check. |
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| Repairs |
| Q. How long will it take to fix my vehicle? |
| A. Repair times are based on a multitude of factors.
Things to take into consideration include, but are not limited to, extent of
damage, type of repair, availability of parts, current facility workload,
holidays and week-ends, year and model of vehicle, etc. The repair facility can
only give you an approximate repair time and does its best to anticipate any
unforeseen occurrences. |
| Q. Will my vehicle look as good as it did before the
accident? |
| A. Of course it will! We will see to it that your
vehicle is restored to its pre-accident condition. |
| Q. What happens if there is more damage found after
the initial estimate? I already have a check from my insurance company. Is that
all I will get? |
| A. No. The insurance company's responsibility to
you is to restore your vehicle to pre-loss condition. With today's
vehicle design, hidden damage is common. It is virtually impossible to view all
damage during the initial inspection. The technician must remove all damaged
components to determine the proper process needed to restore your vehicle. The
insurance company is aware of this and refers to it as Supplemental Damage.
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| Q. And who pays for this Supplemental Damage? |
| A. As long as this damage is confirmed to be related
to the current loss, most insurance companies will make arrangements to pay the
repair facility directly. Check with your insurance company and repair
facility to make sure an acceptable arrangement can be made. Remember,
you are ultimately responsible for payment. |
| Q. My vehicle has a broken window. Can you take care of that? |
| A. Absolutely! We handle all types of glass replacement including windshields. Just give us a call. |
| Q. My insurance company says that I can save some money if I have a rock chip in my windshield repaired instead of replacing the entire piece of glass. Can you take of that too?
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| A. Absolutely! We can handle that repair for you. |
| Q. What types of vehicles do you work on? My vehicle is not a common model. |
| A. Bring it in! We work on all makes and models, foreign and domestic. |
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| Towing |
| Q. My vehicle needs to be towed. Who should I call?
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| A. You may call any towing company that you feel
comfortable with. We have included a list of towing companies that we use in
our Resources section. Click here to view that
list. If you are a member of AAA, they may be the most cost-effective
choice for you. |
| Q. My vehicle is sitting in a tow yard. Do I have to pay
the tow yard before my vehicle can be towed to you to be repaired? |
| A. No you don't. We can take care of that for you and
submit the charge to your insurance company as part of your claim. |
| Q. So you can just go get it from the tow yard? |
| A. You must first contact the tow yard to authorize the
release of the vehicle to us. For your own protection, most tow yards will not
hand your vehicle over to anyone who just shows up with a truck and pays your
bill. |
| Q. Will my insurance company pay for this second tow?
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| A. You will need to confirm it with them. Most policies
include a second tow when it comes from a tow yard to your repair facility of
choice. Your insurance company will not pay for multiple tows of your vehicle
unless it is justified for the repairs. For example, they will not pay to have
the vehicle towed from shop to shop to get estimates for cost of repairs. |
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| Rental Cars |
| Q. What am I supposed to drive while you are repairing my
vehicle? |
| A. We have a small fleet of rental vehicles available
for our customers to drive while their vehicles are being repaired. Check with
your insurance company to see if you are covered for the expense of these
vehicles. You are also welcome to rent a vehicle from the local car rental
company. Click here for contact
information. |
| Q. My insurance policy says that I have rental car
reimbursement. What does that mean? |
| A. That means that if you need to rent a vehicle in the
event of a collision, they will reimburse you a set amount towards that cost.
Most policies specify that you are entitled to a comparative vehicle.
This means that if you currently drive an economy vehicle they will not fully
reimburse you for a luxury vehicle. Each policy is different so check with your
agent or insurance claim representative to confirm the specific details of your
policy. |
| Q. If I rent a vehicle from you does that mean I have to
pay you first and wait for my insurance company to reimburse me? |
| A. That will depend on your insurance company. Some
companies will accept a direct billing for your rental vehicle. We are happy to
bill your insurance company directly if they agree. |
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| Glossary of Common
Terms |
| Insured* - The policyholder - the person(s) protected in
case of a loss or claim |
| Claimant* - The first or third party. That is any person who
asserts right of recovery |
| Estimate - Also referred to as an appraisal - to produce a
statement of the approximate cost of repairs |
| Supplement - Additional amount needed to complete
repairs |
| Unibody - Structure of most late model automobiles-high
strength steel welded into a single unit |
| Rental Reimbursement - Insurance policy rider covering
expense of renting a vehicle due to a collision |
| Claims Representative - Person at insurance company
responsible for the processing of your claim |
| Field Appraiser - Insurance representative that assesses
damage to vehicles involved in collisions |
| *Definitions provided by the
California Department of Insurance -
Click here for more |
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Did we answer your question? Need more
information?
Don't hesitate to call us today at (760) 789-9777 or
click here to
email us! |
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