After an accident, it's common for an insurance company to point you toward one of its "preferred" or "direct repair" shops. It can sound like a requirement. It isn't.
California law protects your right to choose. An insurer can't require you to have your car repaired at a specific shop as a condition of paying your claim. They can recommend one, but the decision belongs to you, the vehicle owner.
Why does it matter? A preferred-shop arrangement exists between the shop and the insurer. That doesn't make those shops bad — but it does mean it's worth choosing a shop you trust to put the quality of your repair first.
Using your right is simple. When you open your claim, tell your adjuster which shop you've chosen. Bring the car in for an estimate, give the shop your claim number, and the shop will send its estimate to your insurer and work out the details, including supplements for hidden damage found during the repair.
A few questions are worth asking any shop: Do they write detailed estimates with photos? Do they work directly with your adjuster? How do they handle hidden damage? Will they explain the repair in a language you're comfortable with?
At Auto PRO Collision the answer to all of those is yes — in English or Spanish. We've been repairing cars for 25 years, and we take 50% off your deductible on qualifying collision repairs. Call (916) 675-7776 to get started.