April 19, 2024
When your car breaks down or if you’re involved in an accident, it can pay to know about auto body repair processes and terminology. This knowledge will not only help you understand the potential costs, but it can also help you set realistic expectations for your car’s auto body repair. In order to help you better understand this technical field, we’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about general knowledge for autobody work.
Collision repair is an all-encompassing term relating to any automotive repair or restoration that is done to restore an affected – or potentially affected – automotive structure, life safety, or cosmetic component. Since collision repair is such a broad term, the extent of how long it will take to repair your car can vary. If you have severe interior damage, it may take longer to repair when compared to a minor dent on your car’s exterior. At Friendship Paint & Body Body, we will always give you an estimate of just how long your car’s collision repair will take after we’ve given a proper inspection.
Our process for collision repair includes:
Friendship Paint & Body Shop offers collision repair services such as automotive bodywork, car frame repair, car paint refinishing, glass replacement, and automotive welding. Automotive bodywork is a broad term that can range from having scratches or dents removed to a complete overhaul of your car’s structural integrity.
The amount of insurance covering your car’s repair will depend on a few factors. The main factor is whether the damage was caused by you or the other driver. If you find yourself in an accident, and the accident was your fault, most insurance providers won’t cover the expenses. If it wasn’t your fault, then insurance providers may cover some, if not all, of the damage, depending on your insurance plan.
If we find any new damage after the initial inspection of your vehicle, any claims for additional or hidden damage must be approved by the auto insurance company first, just like the first estimate for repairs. The insurance agent may want to know what’s going on and double-check that the covered accident is to blame for the newly discovered damage. It can then decide whether or not the agency should cover the new damage. We at Friendship Paint & Body Shop have experience working with all types of insurance providers and will be able to assist in any way that we can.
Insurance companies are bound by their contract with their policyholder to return the vehicle to “pre-loss condition.” “Pre-loss condition” is a term used by insurance companies to describe the condition of a vehicle prior to a collision or some other circumstance. It is the insurance company’s responsibility to compensate the vehicle owner to be able to restore the damaged vehicle to pre-loss condition.
A car that has been declared a total loss after an accident is known as a “totaled car.” This usually indicates that the item is beyond repair and should be thrown away. Generally speaking, the threshold is somewhere between 70% and 75% of the damage done. Except for the value of scrap metal or salvageable parts, the vehicle is written off as a total loss. We can tell you if you’re pre-owned car was in an accident.
Having your vehicle need to be fixed can be a really difficult and stressful time, with so much new information being thrown your way. Friendship Auto & Paint in Stone Mountain, Snellville, and Marietta, GA was established to help make the automotive repair industry as transparent as it should be. We are upfront with our pricing, with no hidden fees, and will work with you and your insurance provider to get you mobile again. If you’re in need of automotive repair, give us a call at any of our convenient locations, and we’ll schedule an appointment to have one of our expert repairmen evaluate your vehicle today!