Cincinnati is a major city in the State of Ohio, located on the Ohio River with a population of around 1/3 million (1.6 million in the metropolitan area). Being a city of this size, it’s a given that you will get a great deal of car traffic (particularly during peak traffic hours) and so it’s not really unusual for there to be car accidents in Cincinnati. At any time there’s no shortage of automobile owners searching for a Cincinnati body shop. so they can get their auto restored after a vehicle accident.
So let’s say a person has been involved in a car accident – just how does he go about picking a Cincinnati body shop? Well, since those involved in a Cincinnati car accident will be speaking with their insurance company representative, in most cases they are going to patronize the repair shop advised by their insurance company representative.
When you turn in a claim, your agent will suggest a repair shop where you can take your car for vehicle repairs. But although going to a recommended shop may seem like a great convenience to the client, it isn’t really a good idea! Let’s talk about why that is.
When your insurance representative steers you toward a Cincinnati auto body shop, it’s going to be a auto body shop within his company’s “direct repair program.” This is a contractual agreement between a auto insurance firm and a auto body shop. The shop is under agreement to make vehicle repairs to clients sent them by the company. The insurance company must, under the agreement, steer their customers to the member repair shop.
In addition, the repair shop will estimate the expense of car repairs using aftermarket car parts. And the auto body repair shop can also be required to shoulder all liability for car repairs and indemnify the insurance firm from any lawsuit the client might bring.
Now you might be thinking “So the Cincinnati shops in the program must write estimates using aftermarket auto parts. “So what if they’re making use of aftermarket parts?” What you are about to learn may well come as a shock to you.
Car parts are called OEM (Original equipment manufacturer’s) if produced by the vehicle maker or his vendor, and those that aren’t are called aftermarket car parts. They are usually manufactured in Taiwan.
Since these auto parts are less expensive than factory made car parts, they are more cost-effective and make it less costly to fix your car, which means that the insurer pays less when settling your claim. But sadly, this is a case of “you get what you pay for” as the aftermarket parts are nearly always of second-rate quality. They are more inclined to fail, resulting in even more repair work being needed, and in a worst case scenario, can mean that the “restored” vehicle is unsafe to operate!
Knowing that they must use substandard components in order to save the insurer money, why would a Cincinnati body shop willingly enter into the insurance company’s direct repair program in the first place? The answer is simple: they don’t want to be forced out of business! Because it’s a matter of the survival of their business. What happens if they refuse to sign, is that the insurance companies will steer their customers to other collision shops.
Suppose you need vehicle repairs and would rather patronize a Cincinnati body shop that does not have a binding agreement with your insurer. You may be in store for some sneaky tricks on the part of your insurer. One trick up their sleeve is to put off sending out their adjustor for up to a couple of weeks or longer.
So does this make your life harder? Sure. But compare that to having your car repaired in a fashion that’s substandard, or possibly dangerous!
In summary, when you find yourself in need of a body shop, know your legal rights! If the shop your insurance company representative recommends is using aftermarket parts, find another shop. And when you hear you insurance representative making statements like “If you use our repair shop we will pay them directly and it will be faster, “We’ve had trouble with that shop”, or “They are not on our preferred list” don’t believe it – these are intended to discourage you from getting your car fixed in a manner that may be more costly (for the insurer) but will result in a better repair job, and possibly a safer car.