Insurance Estimates

insurance estimates

Insurance Estimates

Insurance exists to facilitate payment in the event of loss. However, given the immense size and power of the insurance industry, they often try to shift things in their favor and put downward pressure on providers (doctors, body shops, body shops, etc.). We’ve all heard stories of insurance companies ending up in court for denying or underpaying claims. The stories are real and we are forced to play their game every day, which we do quite well.

 

When you initiate a claim with your insurance provider, they will send you to a location to meet with an adjuster for the initial estimate. We have kept track of initial estimates this year and found almost to an exact measure, initial estimates are half the actual cost of repairs. So if they wrote you a $3500 check after deductible, while that may seem like a lot, we can almost guarantee the true cost for repairs is around $7000-$8000.

Why does this matter to you? Multiple reasons you probably aren’t thinking about or considering.

For one, not all PDR techs are of the same skill level. In order to employ the highest quality techs, you have to pay them commiserate with their skill level, and PDR is a skill set that takes years to develop. Would you do your job somewhere for half what you are getting paid now? Probably not, and since our techs are paid a percentage of the final estimate, it’s important to make sure we get every dollar necessary for each repair.

insurance estimates

Next, you’ll probably notice when you take your vehicle in for the initial estimate, the estimate is preformed outside or without a PDR light or both. Proper estimates can only be done indoors, on a clean car, under a PDR light. Anything short of that will result in an inaccurate estimate, which will only lead to shortcuts and your car being returned to you with a cut rate repair.

Parts, R&I hours, body shop and paint labor hours, total dent counts, ignoring specialized repair conditions, multiple stage paint jobs…there is a long list of things insurance companies leave off estimates to save money. The sad part is in doing this they often create a situation where one doesn’t need to exist. They also make a habit of giving the impression to policyholders that “if you just take this check to a shop of your choice they will fix your car for the amount written on the check”…which couldn’t be further from the truth as we file supplements on 99% of cars that come into the shop.

When you bring your car to All Star PDR, we will make sure your insurance company pays every dollar necessary to have your car repaired correctly. You have the benefit of one of the top hail adjusters in the country on your side fighting for everything you deserve for being a good paying customer.

Schedule your FREE auto hail damage inspection NOW by clicking here.