“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”
(Matthew 5:8)
It depends upon your agreement with your insurance company (your policy). Some insurance policies specify that we are to use only factory parts, while others specify that we can only use aftermarket or used parts. We always follow your insurance company’s guidelines. If you instruct us to use only factory parts, but your insurance policy dictates that the insurance company will only pay for aftermarket parts, we will use factory parts, but you will have to pay the difference in cost. Whatever parts we use, we guarantee all our work for as long as you own the vehicle. We will always do a top quality repair! We’ve been doing this since 1956!!
At the accident scene, should your vehicle not be safe to drive, advise the police officer you would like to have your vehicle towed to Carstar Douglas Auto Body & Paint, direct from the scene of the accident. Not to be towed to a “tow yard” storage facility. This will be a savings of time and cost, to you and your insurance company. Only having to tow your vehicle once saves time and money.
OEM stands for “Original Equipment Manufacturer” and is used to describe parts made by or for the manufacturer of your vehicle. So OEM Ford parts come from Ford, Mercedes parts from Mercedes and so on.
Aftermarket (A/M) is used to describe parts that are produced by some manufacturer other than the one who originally made your car. Some aftermarket parts carry certification that helps ensure the basic quality of the part. Aftermarket parts are usually less expensive than new OEM, but for some applications may be a better choice than used OEM parts. While it is not the practice of Carstar Douglas Auto Body, some repairers and insurers list these parts as “Quality Replaced Parts.”
“LKQ” stands for “like, kind and quality.” Most of us are more familiar with the other term for this category which is “Used Parts.” The term “LKQ” should more precisely define a sub-category of used parts that are just like the ones on your vehicle before the loss.
No, you do not have to accept used parts. Most customer oriented insurance companies will only suggest used parts (“LKQ”) when there is agreement from all parties; generally used parts are suggested when there needs to be a savings to justify the repairs. The insurance company’s obligation is to restore your vehicle to “pre-loss” condition – not better than it was and no worse prior to the loss.
You can always take it to Carstar Douglas Auto Body . The insurance company can not tell you where to repair your vehicle, they can only make a suggestion.
No, you do not need to get multiple estimates; you only need to notify your insurance representative as to where you will be having your repairs done. It is the state law that you may use the shop of your choice. Your insurance company will work hand in hand with your choice of shop to insure you receive the service and quality repairs you have come to expect.
But what happens if the insurance company’s estimate is lower than the one I get from Carstar Douglas Auto Body ? Insurance companies are generally willing to pay for a proper repair. The insurance company appraiser may include only the most obvious damage in their estimate. At Carstar Douglas Auto Body , we try to write as thorough an estimate as possible. Just bring the insurance estimate in with you and we can go over any differences. If necessary, we’ll notify the insurance company of the changes we need to make. Generally this just takes a phone call for any “supplement repairs.
Today’s vehicles are very complex; so it can be difficult to see all the damage during the initial inspection. Therefore, finding additional damage has become very common; estimates written without a thorough disassembly of the vehicle, often have additional “hidden” damages.
If additional damage is found, it is documented and discussed with you and the insurance company. The insurance company may, or may not, want to come see the damage. These supplemental charges are itemized, authorized and billed along with the rest of the repairs.
If the insurance representative wants to come see the additional damage, the repair process could be delayed from 2 – 5 business days. Be mindful that any additional parts found to be damaged will have to be authorized for purchase, then ordered, which can lead to another delay (based on availability.)
A deductible is like a ”co-pay” on health insurance. It is a portion of the repair bill that is not covered by your insurance policy. The amount is determined by your insurance policy and is first set when you first purchase your insurance policy.
Deductibles are commonly $100, $250, $500 and $1,000. The higher your deductible amount, the lower your insurance premium.
Your deductible is paid directly to Carstar Douglas Auto Body when your repairs are complete. The insurance company pays us for the work performed minus your deductible.
No. Neither can any other honest repair facility. Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance carrier. It specifically outlines what is covered by insurance and what is going to be your financial responsibility. Falsely manipulating an insurance claim to advance one party’s interest is unethical and it is illegal. There may be legitimate ways to reduce your cost. Carstar Douglas Auto Body does offer coupons to members of specific credit unions , while the coupon will not cover the entire deductible, it can be used towards any repair.
Call us for more details. Be wary of a repair shop that offers to “cover your deductible.” This is Insurance Fraud.
Collision insurance and comprehensive insurance may vary. Generally, collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle caused by a collision with another object. Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your automobile from incidents such as vandalism, theft or glass breakage. It is generally a good idea to periodically review your policy and ask your insurance agent what exclusions are in your policy. Also if you have car rental coverage.
Your rates may or may not go up depending on who is at fault, and the type of loss; also your driving history may influence a rate increase. Your insurance agent or customer service representative can assist you in determining the impact of a given claim on your own policy premium.
Almost all colors can be matched by creating an illusion. Carstar Douglas Auto Body employs highly skilled paint professionals who are factory trained using state of the art computer equipment to assure colors are matched to manufacturer’s standards.
Carstar Douglas Auto Body the following steps to ensure your satisfaction with the color match.
Before dropping off your vehicle, we recommend that you remove your personal belongings or anything you deem valuable. Our insurance covers damage to your vehicle as a result of fire, theft, or even employee error, but it only covers the vehicle and its factory installed parts. Consequently, we do not assume liability for other items that you choose to leave in your vehicle.
Even though our team is comprised of very honest people, some have been with us for over 10 years. They often remove interior parts to gain access to the damaged area, or to protect the interior from damage.
One misplaced item can cause a lot of hard feelings and we value your good opinion.
Carstar Douglas Auto Body’s skilled technician’s are trained to repair all makes and models of vehicles, foreign and domestic. We also have technicians who specialize in certain makes of vehicles; having factory certified technicians for European vehicles and also specially trained technicians for Asian and Domestic vehicles.
Carstar Douglas Auto Body warrants every repair we do. We offer fast, honest, and quality repairs that are guaranteed! At Carstar Douglas Auto Body we believe in the “invisible” repair; we repair our vehicles to meet or exceed all manufacturer repair standards. This allows us to offer our WRITTEN LIFETIME GUARANTEE.
If you are filing an insurance claim with your insurance company , you will be responsible for the price of your deductible and in some cases betterment charges. If you are going through the other parties insurance you should incur no out of pocket charges. If you are paying for the repairs yourself, an estimate will be provided to you for the requested repairs and for a agreed amount of cost, prior to the repair.
After we have the opportunity to asses the damage on your vehicle, we will explain the repair process and necessary time to complete these repairs.
Carstar Douglas Auto Body is Pasadena’s premier auto repair facility since 1956. We specialize in Insurance Claims Handling so your claim is expedited in the most efficient manner. Carstar Douglas Auto Body warrants every repair we do. We offer fast, honest, quality repairs that are guaranteed in writing! At Carstar Douglas Auto Body we pride ourselves in ensuring that all of our collision technicians are certified with continuing education. Our technicians are certified in:
Yes. We can coordinate a rental agency to pick you up at Carstar Douglas Auto Body when you drop off your vehicle for repairs.
