Body Shop Made a mistake

Had my 01 CR-V repaired front end damage due to accident.

Insurance company authorized $9800.00 for repairs parts and labor, the
vehicle was dismantled so the insurance adjuster could estimate repairs, now
the insurance company has called me and wanted to know who authorized and
additional $4000.00 in parts and labor.

I didn't, and told them all I wanted to know when I talked to the body shop
was, is was the car totaled, is it going to be repaired and when will it be
done.

I feel sorry for the repair shop being out $4K but its not my fault.

Tom

 

Okay, the body shop is not out 4K unless they were over charging. If they
found damage that the insurance adjuster missed, all they have to do is show
that. These places know the rate paid by the adjusters. They are usually
within 2~3 % of one another. If this was set up in the beginning as an
insurance claim, even if you did walk in and tell the body shop to go ahead,
they should have checked with the insurance company first. Their bad.

Do not worry about it, this is between the insurance company and the body
shop.

G-Man

 

This is bound to be some sort of communication glitch. I cannot
imagine a body shop performing repairs that had not been authorized by
the insurance company. In fact, most larger body shops around here
(Austin, Texas) have contractual agreements with the major insurance
companies (I can't remember the technical term) that essentially
authorizes them to go ahead with a repair without getting
authorization. (That sounds to me like a built in conflict of interest
to me, but if the insurance companies are happy with the deal, why
would I object.)

I guess it is just barely conceivable (but unlikely) that a body shop
thought they had such an agreement and went ahead with a repair.

In any case, it dsoes not appear to be your problem, unless the shop
refuses to release the car.




Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

 

This is a correct statement if the body shop is on the insurance carrier's
preferred list of shops. If the client specifically chose the body shop,
then it does muddy up the situation. Here in Calif, an insurance carrier
cannot require you to use the body shop of their choice, however, with
agreements they make to place body shops on their preferred list of shops,
they have much more leaverage to work on the client's behalf. Sounds as if
it may be supplemental work that was required to be done, which the carrier
would pay for regardless. More needs to be known here to make accurate
responses.