Answers to Some Commonly Asked Questions about Smash Repairs for Your Vehicle
Before you take your vehicle in for smash repairs, you want to ensure you've done everything to research the repairs needed and the repair shop you've chosen. Even after doing your due diligence, you may still have some questions about smash repairs for your vehicle. Note a few of those questions here and be sure you go over them with someone at the smash repair shop so you know what to expect and get the repairs done right.
1. Is it required that someone get three quotes before the insurance company will pay for repairs?
In most cases this is not true; usually just one quote is enough for an insurance company, but some policies may specifically state that they need three quotes before they will reimburse a shop for the work. Some policies may also stipulate that you need to use only a licensed shop for repairs rather than simply having a friend manage the job and reimbursing him or her for their work. A smash repair shop can usually answer this question for you as they may be familiar with your insurance carrier and their requirements.
2. Why does a smash repair shop need the name of the other person in the accident?
Getting the names of all persons involved in an accident is actually a courtesy and convenience for you; the smash repair shop can help you with the paperwork involved in your insurance claim and they need this information for those papers. If they ask you to bring in a copy of the accident report and other such paperwork, do that and provide them with as much information as you can so that they can handle as much paperwork for you as possible.
3. Do the airbags need replacing if they've been deployed?
If your car has airbags that deployed during an accident, note that they may not need to be replaced. Airbags can be reset, which is when they are returned to their original position and recharged with the gasses that cause them to deploy. You may need to ask if a smash repair shop can reset the airbags in your car, and if not, you may want to check around for this service rather than assuming they need to be replaced. On the other hand, your airbags may have suffered damage during deployment and replacing them is your only option, but be sure you hear that from more than one repair shop before you have this done.
If you've got further questions about smash repair, contact a representative from a service like ACT Auto Body Works.