subject: Repairing Car Body Damage [print this page] Repairing Car Body Damage Repairing Car Body Damage
Having had car body damage on my vehicle repaired before I now how frustrating it can be from acquiring quotes to contacting the insurance company and finally having the work done. In this article I will try and show some short cuts that will hopefully make your life a lot easier when it comes to having the car body damage repaired.
When you have had the misfortune of having car body damage the first thing you should do is to check your insurance policy. The reason for this is that if you have protected no claims and your insurance excess is around the 200 mark then it will most certainly be better for you to take the car straight to the cars named body shop where they will repair the body damage and your insurance premiums will not be affected for the following year.
But if you don't have the luxury of a protected no claims bonus then you should try and have the car body damage repaired independently, for if you put the repair through your insurance you will have to pay your excess and your following years premiums will go up dramatically.
Having your body damage repaired independently can give you a headache, so here are some pointers that might help you in your time of need.
1) If the damage is slight like a bumper scratch, bumper scuff, small dent, alloy wheel scuff, stone chip, key scratch, cracked bumper or seat burn you should look into a mobile car body repair service or smart repair service as they are also known. They are cheaper than body shops and come to your home or place of work to carry out the repair. There are some mobile car body repair companies out there where you can email them a photo of the body damage to get a quote so you don't have to leave the comfort of your own home.
2) If the damage to your vehicle is severe like a crash repair, large accident damage, replacement of a panel, multiple panels's resprayed or full body resprays then you will need the services of an accident repair centre or body shop service. Again the same with the smart repair companies you can email some with photos in order to receive quote. Some independent body shops will give better deals than the larger chain body shops but shop around, tiresome as it may seem it's your money loss if you don't. Also be aware that body shops will keep your car for some times multiple weeks in order to carry out the body repair, so be sure to ask them first how long they will have your vehicle and do they supply you with a lease car instead.
Hopefully the information provided above will help you have an easier time when it comes to having your car body damage repaired.
