The collision shop and our insurance companies.

Lately I have been hearing “we can’t blend that vehicle, it’s a borderline write off” and I think to myself two things. One, if it’s that close to a write off then write it off. Secondly, if I butt match the door and don’t blend the fender and the quarter panel, then the customer may not be happy with the paint job as it may not be a perfect match. Some insurance companies are better than others at giving time to blend adjacent panels, but some only give “color tint” or do not give time at all. The collision repair technician has inside information on these facts but the average consumer has no clue. Also, some insurance companies will not replace your vehicles genuine parts with new genuine parts. They will try and use aftermarket parts and if no aftermarket parts are available, then they will go with new genuine parts, or if the price of a new part is cheaper than a remanufactured bumper or jobber fender, they will go with the cheaper part.

Consumers need to know what goes on when their vehicle is involved in an accident. You as a consumer need to ask many questions when your vehicle becomes involved in a collision. As a painter in the collision industry, I want to make the repairs to your vehicle look better then new. I want the color I apply to match perfectly; I want the clear coat to look like glass. I want no dust in your vehicle and I want to see a smile on your face when you pick up your vehicle from the repair shop.

Please do yourself a favour when you apply to get insurance, ask questions to your agent. Make sure you completely understand what you are getting and what you do not get with your policy. The most common thing I see is “loss of use” in your policy. Loss of use lets you use a rental car when your car becomes involved in a collision. Find out what your deductible will be if you are ever in an accident. I see many folks with the misconception that the insurance company covers all costs of your collision. Some folks just do not have five hundred dollars to cover the cost of the deductible. Please spend the time at your agents office and understand where you money is going.