Expert: Charlie Barone - 11/9/2009

Question
Hi my question is my car will be going to a local body shop that I trust and I have requested a tear down to determine if their was any damage beyond what the insurance adjuster visually saw should I request the insurance company to pay for that and if they find additional damage from the accident then what? they sent me a check but I have not cashed it yet for repairs but what if it is not enough? how do I request the additional work to be done as well and what if they find some engine damage since my accident was a front end crash. do i need to have a mechanic look at it as well.

Answer
Mike,

Any body shop worth its salt will know how to handle this situation. Insurance claims are always underwritten at first, so there are almost always supplements to the original sheet. Just hold that check, authorize the work to be done and work with your body shop. They'll know exactly what to do and will seek authorization from you and coordinate the work with the insurance company.

The tear down is part of the job, as all operations are referred to as remove and replace or remove and reinstall, so the removal half of the labor will compensate the shop for their work on this end of the repair.

Be sure to speak with the shop doing the repairs, as they are the ones you are paying for the work and are responsible for the outcome of the repairs. Any substitutions, alterations from their estimate should be made clear.

As far as mechanical damage goes, the shop can sublet the any work required to a dealer or a mechanical shop for diagnosis and/or repair.

Charlie