Rhodes Auto Body Repair

Looking for an Insurance provider?  How do you choose? Coverage? Costs? Customer Service?  When choosing your next insurance company remember that the statistics show you will have an accident every seven years.  How do you want to be treated when your car is damaged?  Use this link to get the real story on some of the nations largest insurance companies.

When choosing a repair shop always ask questions.  Check with neighbors, friends and relatives for recommendations.  NEVER allow yourself to be bullied by your insurance company or the person who hit you into using a shop they choose.  Insurance companies have preferred shops for one reason, cost savings.  To an insurance company quality and safety are a distant second to cost.  Why else would the insurance want to use non-factory parts that have not been tested for crash safety on the second most expensive purchase you make?  Make sure the shop you choose follows your wishes not those of the insurance company, it’s your car.

What is the true cost of a used tire?  Lets say you pay $20 for a used tire and $10 to mount the tire.  Assume you drive on that tire for a couple of months and no problems.  The next day while driving on the highway that tire blows out and destroys your bumper and fender.  Towing costs $175, new tire $100.  The repairs to the car cost$1500 of which the insurance pays all except your deductible, if you have full coverage. Now assume your deductible is the average of $500.  What did that used tire really cost?   Dont forget your insurance rates will likely go up as well (you did make a claim), leaving you with a monthly reminder of the cost of the used tire.  Unfortunately this is a scenario that is played out all to often, please remember the true cost of a used tire is far higher than the cost of a whole set(4) of tires and the peace of mind that comes with them.

When you have been in an accident many of us will call our insurance to report the claim.  The insurance company will then try to direct you to a shop for an estimate.  At this point you the vehicle owner need to understand you have rights.  The insurance cannot force you to use a certain shop, this is called steering and is illegal in many states.  That does not stop most insurance companies they will tell you that “they do not guarantee the work of another shop”, “you will have to pay the difference” or ” you will have to wait to have an appraiser come to the shop”.  All these are designed to get you to go to a shop they choose.  Why?  Simple they get a discount on parts, labor or both.  But the biggest reason is so they can direct the repairer on how to repair the vehicle for the lowest cost, note i did not say how to fix it the correct way. Many of these shops, not all, will do what ever makes the insurance company happy because they will steer more work to them.  Choose wisely when picking your repair shop