I'M NOT SURE MY VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If in doubt, don't drive it. Have it towed directly to Totten’s Body Shop or if you have not yet determined who you want to perform the repairs, have it towed to your residence until that decision is made. Additional damage caused by driving a vehicle after an accident is usually not covered as part of the original loss.
DO I HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR WHERE MY INSURANCE COMPANY TELLS ME TO?
NO, the decision is up to YOU where you choose to have your vehicle repaired. There is an anti-steering law in Michigan that makes it illegal for insurance companies to tell you to take it to a shop of their choice.
DO I HAVE TO GET MULTIPLE COLLISION REPAIR ESTIMATES?
No. Pick the shop you want to repair your vehicle and ask them to write the estimate. You will not need to get another one unless the insurance company paying for the repair also wants to write an estimate.
WHAT IS A DIRECT REPAIR SHOP?
A direct repair facility is a body shop that works directly with your insurance company as a preferred shop. Body shops earn the right to be in preferred shop programs by meeting certain requirements. These include having certified technicians, using the proper equipment, and most importantly, having a record of satisfied customers. When you use a preferred shop, the repair process is streamlined. A preferred shop writes the estimate, orders the parts, and repairs your vehicle without having to wait for an insurance adjuster. Insurance companies constantly monitor their preferred shops to ensure quality repairs.
HOW CAN I GET A RENTAL CAR?
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is conveniently located in our building. Insurance companies will only pay for a rental car if you have that option on your policy. Check your policy and/or call your insurance company to find out if you have rental coverage and what your specific limitations are.
DO I HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE?
The amount of deductible that you will be responsible for is determined by your insurance policy. If you carry standard collision, you will have to pay your deductible regardless of whether you were at fault. If you carry broad collision, and you were not at fault, your insurance company most likely will waive your deductible. Insurance companies determine fault by your account of the accident when you make the claim, and by reviewing the accident report filed with the police department. If you aren't sure about your deductible, you can call your agent and they can tell you whether your insurance company has waived your deductible or whether you will be responsible to pay a deductible when you pick up your vehicle.
WHAT IF YOUR ESTIMATE IS MORE THAN THE ONE FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY?
No problem! Insurance companies know that there might be additional repairs necessary, so they have a system for approving them. And most of the time they will pay us directly, so you don't have to worry about coming up with more money.
WHAT IF DAMAGE IS FOUND DURING THE REPAIR THAT IS NOT ON THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE?
This is very common. The body shop will contact the insurance company and obtain authorization to pay for all supplemental damages.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO FIX MY CAR?
It depends on the amount and the severity of the damage, the type of vehicle, availability of parts, and unseen damage discovered during the repair process. We will always give you our best estimate of the time required when we write your estimate, and will keep you posted regularly during the repair process. An estimated time could be from a few days to over 30 days.
WILL YOU BE ABLE TO MATCH MY PAINT?
Totten’s Body Shop has a state of the art computerized paint mixing system which gives us access to over 100,000 paint formulas so the parts of your vehicle we paint will be undetectable.
If you have another question regarding collision repair, please feel free to call us and we would be glad to answer it for you!
Accidents do not happen very often in someone's life so most people have questions regarding the entire process from start to finish. Totten's Body Shop has helped their customers for over 30 years with the highest level of service and repair work.
Below are the most common auto body repair questions that we are asked.
