Involved in a Collision in Scottsdale? What’s Next?

Great…You’ve been involved in an auto collision in Scottsdale, whether it is your fault or not, you don’t have time to deal with one more thing. In this blog we will attempt to answer common questions about collision repair, the insurance company’s role, Car Fax, and diminished value.

First off, customers not paying for the repair out of pocket should file a claim with the insurance company and get a claim number issued. Assuming the insurance company has accepted liability, you can use this claim number to proceed with collision repair, and rental car expenses.

The insurance company will recommend a collision repair facility or strongly encourage you to go to one of their drive-in claims offices located at one of their contracted auto body shops. Be careful, insurance companies benefit when customers choose one of their preferred shops because it allows them to control repair costs. This could easily mean, certain repairs will be skipped, and parts that should be replaced are repaired. Did you know that contracted auto body shops are encouraged to work quickly, so the insurance company does not have to pay higher rental car bills? “Preferred” collision repair facilities, cooperate in exchange for a large volume of work. Fortunately, Airpark Collision Center does not operate in that fashion. We are confident that most people expect their vehicles to be repaired properly, so that it looks and performs as it did before the accident and if a structural part is significantly compromised, it will be replaced not repaired.

Consumers can go to one of the insurance companies drive-in claim center’s and get an estimate. But, don’t drop your car off until you have done some of your own homework. In order to repair vehicles inexpensively, a participating collision repair shop may have to save money by using poor quality materials or hiring less qualified technicians. Since 2006, Airpark Collision Center has used premium materials and has the highest certifications in the industry.

Airpark Collision Center in Scottsdale works with every insurance company but will not agree to be a “preferred” collision repair shop for all insurance companies. Not being a preferred collision repair facility allows us the freedom, to do the repair correctly and represent the customer.

We encourage customers to stop by Airpark Collision Center for an estimate. You don’t need an appointment. This is your time to ask questions. If you choose to have your repairs done at Airpark Collision Center we will comb through the original estimate during disassembly and see if anything was missed. If repairs or additional parts are needed, we will deal directly with the insurance company to get it approved.

If you need a rental car, Hertz or Enterprise will pick you up at our facility. The rental car company will bill the insurance company directly. If you choose to upgrade your vehicle or you have an insurance policy with limited rental reimbursement you may have some out of pocket expense. Throughout the repair Airpark Collision Center informs the insurance company and rental car company of the status of your vehicle. When your vehicle is ready, the insurance company expects you to return the rental within a timely manner.

During the repair, Airpark Collision Center customers receive a phone or email update every other day. We respect our customers time and want to keep them in the loop. While we work on behalf of our customers, there are some things we cannot do. For example, if repairs are needed and can not be related to the accident/claim we cannot include that in the repair. Doing so would constitute insurance fraud. Customers should understand that insurance adjusters, technicians, and collision repair estimators are similar to CSI, they can easily tell what is related and what is not. Mechanical issues, must also be related to the accident damage in order to be paid by the insurance company. While we promise to represent our customer and do a quality repair, we can not make repairs with out insurance approval. Each repair must be substantiated with photos and solid documentation.

Sometimes we get questions about Car Fax and diminished value. First off, I can guarantee you, we DO NOT report to Car Fax. Some collision centers, with a dealer license may be forced to report. DMV’s/police departments have also been known to report. We do not play a role in diminished value, we simply repair your vehicle to pre-accident condition. Diminished value issues are between client, attorney and insurance company. Airpark Collision Center provides every customer with a itemized list of all parts, body labor, refinish labor and paint materials for their records.

When your vehicle is repaired, it will under go a quality control process, and receive an interior and exterior cleaning. Customers pay their deductible directly to us and can leave their rental car at our facility for their convenience. Our customers drive away pleased and know they have a lifetime warranty on our workmanship.

Airpark Collision Center is now celebrating our 10th year in business, most of our work is through word of mouth and repeat customers. We know auto accidents and collision repair can be stressful, and attempt to handle most issues with the insurance company. We have a pretty simple business philosophy, we operate ethically, deliver high quality work and strong customer service. For more information, check us out online or stop in for an estimate!

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Tina Small has been part of the Airpark Collision Center team since 2006. Working directly with customers, her goal is to share frequent customer questions, and proper methods of collision repair.