The Fair Deals for Car Collision Repair Estimates
by JOE KENT
When you car needs service or has been involved in a collision, it can be an anxiety filled process to repair the damage. The price of a collision estimate varies significantly depending on where you get an estimate from, and your insurance company will likely be involved in the process as well. But either way it could be costly, and it��s important to do some research to figure out how to go about getting the best deal possible on an estimate.
The first step to getting a decent estimate on a vehicle after a collision would be to first contact your insurance company. In some cases, your insurance company may have specific collision centers that they know will offer honest estimates, or could help point you in the right direction of other resources to help steer you in the right direction. Seeking out the insurance company's input first will also be important since they may have very specific requirements for what type of collision centers you can get service from.
Once you have a list of approved collision centers or service shops, you can reach out to them and begin gathering actual estimates. You can then decide on which one fits your need the best, whether it's based on price alone, location, or on expected quality of work, or based on certifications.
A collision center estimate may include items that the insurance company will not pay for, such as removing fuel or wheel alignment. Richmond's auto shop Richmond VA reminds customers to find out what items are not included and ask the collision center to remove such items from the estimate to give a better indication of what you'll actually need to pay for.
When getting an estimate, try to plan for worst case scenario. Request that the estimate also include any extras or other items that could potentially come up during the repair so that you can plan for worst case, and hopefully be happily surprised when you receive the final bill if it's lower than expected.
Once you have the collision center estimate, make sure to submit it to the insurance company for approval, prior to giving to go ahead for work to begin. This is because a the insurance company may require that you fill out additional forms and get additional inspections first. Since the insurance company may be paying for much for the workHealth Fitness Articles, its important you get everything checked off before service on the vehicle begins.
Joe is a writer for TK Carsites, an automotive website design and marketing firm in Orange, CA, that specializes in working with car dealers nationwide.
