repairing auto body damage caused by your teen

After getting in an auto collision, there are a few steps that you need to take to get the car damages repaired. If you are looking to get the best service possible out of your insurance coverage, consider the following tips for a successful collision repair. 

Research Your Options

There is a wide difference between auto body shops, in terms of the quality of repairs and the service you'll receive. Your insurance company may not be your best advocate for choosing a repair shop, because they will likely recommend a shop that gives them discounted rates. Instead, visit a few shops and talk with the mechanics yourself; you can often tell what kind of service you'll get by how willing they are to answer your questions and help you through the repair process. 

Get a Thorough Inspection

When you are making a claim to your insurance company, it pays to get a professional inspection. While you may see obvious damage, its hard to tell when small parts are not working properly. More damage may surface over time if you continue to drive the car. 

If you or your inspector does miss some of the damage, it may surface at a later date. If this happens and it's been a reasonable time since you last submitted the claim, you may be able to submit a correction to your claim and get the additional damage fixed under your insurance coverage. This is subject to approval by your insurance appraiser.

Check the Quality of Parts

When you are getting new parts put into your machine, the worst thing you can do is be complacent about the parts going in. Check with your insurance coverage to see what kinds of parts you're entitled to; while you may be eligible for brand new parts, your insurance company might have a default policy of providing used parts. In this case, good communication with your mechanic and your insurance representative is crucial to making sure you get a quality repair. 

Be on the Lookout

Again, it can be difficult to assess all of the damage done in an auto collision. Once you are through the repair process, you should still be on the lookout for additional problems that were missed. If you do find more issues after going through the steps above, you can return to the auto body shop (such as Ohs' Body Shop's Inc) so that they can help you file a new claim with your insurance.