An auto body repair shop handles collision damage from cosmetic scuffs through to structural work, along with refinishing and the sensor calibration that modern vehicles need afterwards. The visible damage is usually a fraction of the job, because impact energy travels behind the panels.
Two decisions drive most of an estimate. The first is whether each damaged panel is repairedor replaced. Repairing is usually cheaper and often entirely appropriate, but on a panel withstructural involvement or a sensor mounted in it, replacement is frequently the correct call.
The second is the parts specification: original manufacturer, aftermarket, or recycled. Moststandard policies let the insurer specify parts of like kind and quality, so aftermarket may bethe default unless your policy carries an original parts endorsement. We will tell you whichyour estimate assumes rather than leaving it in a code you have to decipher.
Vehicles are engineered to absorb impact by deforming, so damage propagates behind thepanels that took the hit. Brackets crack, absorbers collapse, and mounting points shift in waysthat are simply not visible until the cover comes off. The document recording that additionaldamage is a supplement, and it is part of almost every substantial repair.
An estimate that never changes on a significant repair usually means the vehicle was neverdisassembled before it was written, which is the less reassuring situation of the two. We tellyou when a supplement goes to your insurer and when it is approved, because the wait forauthorization is where a timeline quietly extends without anyone doing anything wrong.
In New York you choose where your car is repaired. An insurer can recommend a shop in its network, but it cannot require you to use one.
| Question | Insurer's network shop | A shop you choose |
|---|---|---|
| Who picks it | Recommended by the insurer | You do |
| Who the shop has an agreement with | The insurer | You, the customer |
| Estimate | Often written under the insurer's program rules | Written by the shop and reviewed by the adjuster |
| Hidden damage found later | Handled within the program | Documented and sent to the adjuster as a supplement |
Source: the New York State Department of Financial Services confirms you keep the right, under the Insurance Law, to choose which shop repairs your car.
Choose an auto body repair shop that gives a written estimate, explains repair versus replacement, and deals with your insurer directly. In New York, the choice of shop is yours.
Often. Dents with undamaged paint can sometimes be repaired without refinishing, while creased or chipped paint needs repair and repainting.
Yes, including Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes and Porsche, as well as everyday cars.