Things to Consider When Doing a No-Insurance Repair

Getting your vehicle repaired is always a hassle, but sometimes it’s very necessary. There may be a number of reasons you’re looking into doing a repair without using insurance to cover the costs. Perhaps you don’t have insurance, or the repair isn’t covered. Maybe you simply don’t want to use your insurance to cover the damage in order to avoid making a claim that may affect your coverage. Whatever the reason, when you’re considering a no-insurance repair, make sure you have these bases covered.

Pay Attention to the Full Scope of Repairs

You should always pay attention to the scope of repairs presented to you when you bring your vehicle in for an estimate, but when you’re not using insurance it’s extra important. Ensure that your autobody shop isn’t adding in anything unnecessary or glossing over things that are important. Don’t be afraid to go line item by line item on what’s proposed.

Can it Happen in Stages?

If you’re strapped for cash but know something needs to be repaired now, ask if there is any way to break up the repairs into stages. If possible, take care of the critical items now and circle back when you’ve had time to save a little more money to take care of the remainder.

Be Picky

When you use your insurance for repairs, there are often guidelines in place as to what specific parts must be replaced using OEM parts and what can be replaced using other third-party parts. When you’re not using insurance to complete a repair, those guidelines aren’t in place. You may consider doing some research on which parts its recommended be replaced by OEM parts for your vehicle before signing off on the repairs.

Ask About Repair Options

If the repairs are necessary and you can’t count on insurance to help, but the number on the estimate boggles your mind, consider asking your auto repair shop about options. There can be different levels of repair from good to best, designed to fit your budget. Shops should be able to provide you with options to make sure you can drive safely without diving headfirst into a mountain of debt.

Working with an auto repair shop on your vehicle when you’re not using insurance can be tricky. But if you’re working with a team you trust, and a team that has extensive experience in executing no-insurance repairs with the same level of care and dedication as they do all of their repairs, you have nothing to worry about. If you’re not sure what that team is for you, give us a call today.