Insurance Steering and Collision Repair

Factory Collision Restoration Offering Solutions To Car Insurance Steering and Collision Repair

Written by: FCR Inc.

When you are involved in an accident, you immediately direct your claims to the insurance company in attempt to get your vehicle fully repaired. Once your claim is filled, the insurance company directs you to take your vehicle to a specific repair shop of their choice. This is called car steering as well as car repair bullying. It is an act of directing a claimant to a specific repair shop which will abide by insurance company’s guidelines.

Why do they Steer?

The main reason why many insurance companies conduct car insurance steering is mainly to cut repair costs. This is through the use of aftermarket car parts and discounts. The chosen collision repair company on the other hand has to make a profit from the discounted rate. Therefore, they perform poor and unsafe repair.

Other reasons for steering include;

1. Controlling the number of days your vehicle will take to get repaired.
2. Controlling repair shops to use aftermarket vehicle parts which are poor quality and unsafe.
3. It enables them to offer the repair shops volumes of work with strict orders and guidelines.

To understand if you are being steered, most of the time the insurance company tells you that it will take time to get your car repaired. Sometimes they tell you that the shop is not in their list. Insurance companies are required to negotiate with a registered collision repair shop you have chosen on the cost to repair your vehicle without giving guidelines on how to repair it.

Steps to Take

If your vehicle is involved in an accident, it is your solemn responsibility to have it repaired by a repair shop that has no contract with an insurance company. It is illegal for an insurance company to direct you to their own collision repair shops. Once you take your car to the repair shop of your choice, you can authorize them to contact your insurance company on your behalf where they will carry out the negotiations on repair costs.

How to Avoid Being Steered

To avoid car insurance steering, it is important to understand your rights after an accident.

In Massachusetts, you have the absolute right to select the collision repair shop of your choice to make repairs. No insurance company or independent agent or representative or staff member of an insurance company or appraiser can legally refer you to or away from any specific repair shop or require that repairs be made by a specific repair shop or individual.

Let us repeat that… No insurance company or independent agent or representative or staff member of an insurance company or appraiser can legally refer you to or away from any specific repair shop or require that repairs be made by a specific repair shop or individual. Nor can they require you to have your vehicle inspected at their drive-in claims center.

If you request it, your insurer must inspect the damage to your vehicle at your chosen collision repair shop. (Reg 212 CMR 2:04(c) and MGL 26 8G)

1. You have the right to have your vehicle towed to any location that you choose.
2. You must notify your insurance company before repairs begin.
3. You do not have to go to a drive-in claims center. Your insurer must inspect the vehicle at any location you choose.
4. You do not need to get two or three appraisals.
5. Your insurance company is responsible for payment to restore your vehicle to pre-accident condition.
6. Your insurer must negotiate in good faith with the shop of your choice.
7. The registered repair shop you choose can provide an estimate of damage and assist you with the processing of your claim to ensure safe and proper repairs are made to your vehicle
8. We hope you will choose F.C.R

Bring your car to Factory Collision Restoration – FCR Inc.

At F.C.R, we do not enter into contracts with insurance companies as we understand that steering is illegal in America. Once you report the claim through our office, our staff will contact your car insurance company where we will then begin to negotiate on repair costs on your behalf.

At Factory Collision Restoration, we are dedicated to offering a helping hand. First and foremost, we ensure your vehicle is restored back to its pre-accident, factory condition! Secondly, we shall protect one of your major financial investments, your car!

We are an independent auto collision repair facility with over 30 years of experience working only for your best interest and on your behalf, we ensure your vehicle is safe and well repaired to it’s factory condition!

Contract repair shops may compromise quality and safety of your vehicle. Here at Factory Collision, we are specialized in body collision repair work. Our experts are well skilled in painting, frame design, panel fit, interior repair and replacement among other services. We have a team of craftsmen who are skilled in metal straightening, panel fabrication and finishing detail.

At Factory Collision, we do not accept any insurance company to manage our parts or give us guidelines on how to repair your vehicle. We strictly follow manufacturers’ recommended procedures, along with I-CAR, and paint manufacturers procedures. Our factory collision way of operation is to independently repair your vehicle back to its pre-accident form. We efficiently and effectively retain your vehicle’s value and safeguard important safety standards. Just give us a call and we shall be there at your service.

Don’t be another victim of car insurance bullying. It’s YOUR CAR, YOUR CHOICE!