the 12-step collision repair process

Assess Damage / Customer Authorization The body shop inspects the damage to your car and creates a plan to restore it, including parts and labor operations. This is the basis for the insurance company's approval of payment and repairs. The customer authorizes the body shop to make the itemized repairs to the car.

Secure Insurance Approval The insurance company, after verifying that they are liable for the cost of repairs, will assess what needs to be done to restore the car. They may work from the body shop's estimate or inspect the car to write their own appraisal.

Order and Receive Parts The shop orders the specific parts needed to repair your car and checks them in when they arrive.

Arrange Rental Car The shop can help you make arrangements for a rental car. If you are a claimant, the insurance company is responsible for paying for this. If your insurance company is paying for the repairs, check with your agent to see if your policy covers a rental car. If you will need to pay for a rental car out of your own pocket, the body shop may be able to help you get special rates.

Disasemble Car The shop will remove the damaged parts from your car to determine if there is any damage (called a supplement) that was not visible or identified at the time of the first damage assessment. If additional damage is found (frequently the case), steps 2 and 3 will need to be repeated with respect to the supplement.

Complete Body Repairs The shop makes repairs to the body of the car noted in the damage assessment, including frame and structural repairs and sheet metal repairs. The backside and edges of new sheet metal parts need to be painted before they can be put on your car. These parts are now installed on the car body. The painting process includes priming and sanding surfaces, protective masking, tinting the paint to match, painting, and polishing. Between these steps, the shop needs to allow time for drying and curing.

Reassemble Vehicle After painting, the lights and trim are installed and fitted.

Sublet and Quality Control Any sub-contracted work (wheel alignment, glass work, etc.) is completed at this point, along with a thorough quality inspection of all the work that has been done.

Clean For Delivery Most shops will clean the car to remove the dust that accumulates during the repair process. Body shops have special procedures they use in cleaning a car because they are working around freshly painted surfaces.

Finalize Repair Billing A final audit of costs incurred is completed and communicated to the insurance company paying for the repair, if there is one. In most cases, significant changes in the repair will have been previously communicated both to you and the insurance company.

Arrange For Payment Prior to releasing your car, most shops will require that all payment arrangements have been verified, including checks from the insurance company and relevant deductibles.

Pick Up Your Car The shop should walk you through the completed repairs or give you the opportunity to review the repairs and the final bill. You pay any required deductible, turn in the rental car, and take your car.

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