What are things to know before the repair?

1. Select a repair facility based solely upon whom you feel comfortable entrusting the vehicle repair and billing process. Ignore insurance company pressure to direct you to a specific repair facility if it is not where you feel most comfortable having your problems resolved. A well-organized, knowledgeable organization will access the appropriate insurance people and ensure they take appropriate actions in a timely manner to facilitate a hassle free experience for you, regardless of which insurance company is paying the bill.

2. Never drive a car that could be unsafe because of damages. Call us at 262-549-4300 and we will tow your vehicle to our facility.

3. Insurance companies may want you to visit their drive-in claims center before having your car repaired. You can do this, or you may leave your car at our shop and ask that the insurance company inspect the car here.

4. There is no law requiring you to obtain more than one estimate or appraisal.

5. Differences in repair estimates are common. Reasons range from differing opinion regarding repair methods, overlooked items or in some rare cases, unscrupulous sales tactics. If you're not sure why one estimate is different from another, please ask, we will explain each estimate in detail so you will understand and make a decision that is best for you.

6. Only consider a shop that is well equipped and demonstrates considerable commitment to training and certification. I-Car and ASE are the most prestigious.

7. Many insurance companies only pay for aftermarket or used parts on their initial estimate. Barely any of them will refuse to pay to replace a part that is substandard. A professional repair facility will evaluate the quality of non-OEM parts early in the repair process and reject them if they are substandard. Provided with proper documentation, almost all insurance companies will then pay for the use of OEM parts. Choosing the wrong shop can result in a failure to go through these efforts or excuses that you would not realize as invalid.

8. Make sure the body shop offers a lifetime warranty. If not, don’t even bother getting an estimate.