(reprinted from August 2024)
When a car crash puts you in a tailspin it’s important to know your rights, especially when it comes to filing an insurance claim.
Not only is your vehicle one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, it also carries your most valuable possessions – your loved ones. That’s why it’s so important to choose a collision repair center that truly has your best interests in mind. Unfortunately, some insurance companies will have you believe they know best and if you don’t follow their advice, they may not pay.
There is a term for that kind of behavior, and it’s called “steering.”
Steering occurs when an insurance company, representative, or claims system attempts to convince a consumer to use a particular repair facility or vendor. In Minnesota, steering is illegal.
“By state law, you can take your vehicle to the shop of your choice,” said Mike Zieska of MCP Collision and Glass in Annandale.
That’s the message Zieska and other Minnesota collision centers want to get across.
“We want to inform customers of their rights and that it’s their choice,” he said.
He added that not every insurance company plays this game. He works with many local insurance agents who do have their customers’ best interests at heart. A trusted, local insurance agency can be a great resource when it comes to choosing a collision repair center which will make for a smoother collision repair experience,” he said.
But ultimately, it’s the collision centers, not insurance companies, that are liable for your repairs, so it is in their best interest to repair your vehicle to pre-accident condition. The problem is some insurance companies are refusing to pay for certain repairs that collision centers like MCP know are integral to your safety and the value of your vehicle.
The results are subpar repairs, or if there is a potential liability issue collision centers just bite the bullet and make the needed repairs anyway without full compensation.
That’s leading to a greater shortage of collision centers to serve customers and in turn leads to longer wait times to get your vehicle repaired.
The key to fixing the problem is customer involvement. If an insurance company says they won’t pay, the customer needs to call and ask why?
“We are working diligently to get everything repaired on their car correctly, and sometimes we need to get the customer involved,” Zieska said. “Customer involvement goes a long way in helping to ensure a safe and complete repair.”
Be in the know
When questioning an insurance company, it’s best if the customer knows what kinds of repairs are needed on their -vehicle and why. A trusted collision center should be able to explain why a certain repair is required and describe all the safety checks and calibrations needed to make a complete and safe collision repair.
“Remember that you the consumer are the one authorizing repair; the insurance company is paying the bill based on your insurance coverage. Your collision repair center will help you to understand what is being repaired and why and will let you know if the insurance company is trying to underpay on your claim,” said Linden Wicklund, Executive Director of Alliance Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota.
By law insurers must inform those filing a claim of their legal right to choose a repair shop with the understanding that their policy will cover the reasonable costs of repairing their vehicle to its pre-accident condition no matter where repairs are made. Consumers can ask for a referral from the insurance company, but after they have selected a repair shop, the insurer must cease all efforts to influence their choice. If they don’t, they are guilty of steering.
According to Wicklund, the following are some indications that you are being steered:
– You told your insurance company which shop you selected, and they stated they likely would not pay for all repairs at that shop but would pay for all repairs at a shop the insurance company selected.
– Your insurance company leads you to believe you could only use one of their recommended shops or parts suppliers.
– On the mobile app from some insurance companies, you could only move forward with processing the claim by using a shop from their drop-down list.
If you feel you are being steered, or elements of your claim have been unlawfully denied you should report it to the Minnesota Department of Commerce Insurance Division at https://mn.gov/commerce/consumer/file-a-complaint/
When choosing a collision center, beware of shops that are more focused on making an insurance company’s referral list than customer satisfaction and safety. Technology should also be considered. For instance, a windshield replacement can require recalibration for the adaptive cruise control and pedestrian detection to work as the manufacturer intended.
Additionally, lane centering, lane lock, blind spot detection and automatic braking or collision avoidance can be affected by the repair process. If you have these systems and you don’t see calibration on your estimate, ask why.
It comes down to finding a shop that has the equipment and training to repair your vehicle to pre-accident condition and maintain your vehicle’s safety and value, Zieska said.
Shopping locally is another option to consider when looking for a collision center. By working with companies within your own community you are working with the same people you meet in your neighborhood grocery store, see in your favorite restaurant or at a community event and as such will be more dedicated to completing a quality repair.
“These are our friends and neighbors, we want to be able to look them in the eye and ask how they were treated, and if they were happy with the quality of repairs on their vehicle,” Zieska said.By finding a trusted collision center, local insurance agent and understanding the repair process, the better prepared consumers will be to work with the insurance companies and have a smoother, easier repair experience.
There are laws that benefit the consumer, but only if the consumer understands their rights.