Repair Shops

After your accident, your insurance company may recommend a garage to do the repairs. The advantage of using one of your insurance company’s preferred repair shops is that they guarantee the repairs.

Your Rights: Regardless of which shop your insurance company suggests, you have the right to choose where you wish to get your vehicle repaired. This is the law. The advantage of using a repair shop of your choice is that they can act as a mediator if you're unhappy with the adjuster's assessment of which repairs need to be done.

Repair Job: Before you authorize any repairs, be sure to show your insurance company the estimate. Insurance companies will restore your

vehicle to the same condition that it was in prior to the accident. Previous damage is not covered. A fraudulent attempt to get the insurance company to pay for damage unrelated to the accident could cause them to deny payment of your claim. Adjusters have high tech ways of determining previous damage not caused by the accident, and you could be charged with fraud.

Original Equipment: As a rule, if the vehicle is less than 2 years old, you should get the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) part. Older vehicles will be repaired using after-market parts or used parts. The OEM part comes from the original manufacturer, the after-market part is produced by a separate company. It's like getting a brand name verses a no name product. Once the vehicle is fixed, by law you will get a minimum warranty of 3 months, or 5,000 km, whichever comes first.

Generally though, you should receive a 2-year warranty on parts. You should investigate this when you are calling around for estimates.

Before driving away, check the appearance of the repaired area close-up and at a distance. Examine the paint for color match, texture and over-spray, take a test drive to check mechanical repairs, and check that the vehicle is clean. If you are not satisfied, mention your concerns immediately.