net addict
Wednesday, 15 March 2006, 10:04 am
QUOTE
The handshake between most shops and the insurance companies is quite interesting.
The same holds true with Hospitals and insurance companies!
Everybody gets charged the same, but insurance companies are given huge discounts.
If you don't have insurance, you get no discount!
unlike medical insurance, you are owed for the claim, no matter if you have the car repaired.
For instance, if you decline to have heart surgery, you do not get a check for the amount that the surgery would of cost!
In direct pay repair situations, the shop is giving concessions to the insurance company, subsidising the insurance companies profits! Now how do you think they might make up these concessions? No matter how much your trust the body shop, or your agent's referal, I strongly recommend a Post Repair Inspection, on all completed repairs.
Everyone has heard about Carfax, and how previously wrecked vehciles could be (and usually are)worth less money, you would hate to find out your vehcile is worth ALOT less at trade in, and in some states you can actually claim this gap in value through a claim for DIMINISHED VALUE! Either repair related or simply due to the fact it was in the wreck and is different then when the vehicle came from the factory! An item like a poor color match that you might not notice, could easily be detected by a sales manager of a new car lot...and also many states have disclosure laws, in which you must tell the truth about the vehicles histroy, resulting in less cash for your trade or that used car you are trying to sell!
Here is a great link for insruance consumers, ran by a retired insurance adjuster, very helpful info:
http://www.ican2000.com/