Yes! You have the right to go to the repair shop of your choice. Your insurance company cannot require you to go to a particular shop. Your insurance company is required by law to pay the reasonable cost to restore your vehicle to pre-accident condition according to the coverage you purchased. Your insurance coverage you have. Some insurance companies may want you to visit their drive-in claims center before having your car repaired. You can do this, or you may leave your car at Vico's Auto Body Shop Service and ask that the insurance company to inspect the car there.
Absolutely not. You take your car to the shop of your choice. A direct repair facility is a body shop that works directly with your insurance company as a preferred shop by meeting certain requirements. Sometimes your insurance representative will suggest you use their DRP shop, and may even use scare tactics to keep you from using the shop of your choice. This is a bold misuse of their rights as your insurer. Each state has rules that enforce car owners’ rights. If you feel you are being bullied into using your insurance company’s repair shop, there are online resources sponsored by the state to help.
Yes! You have the right to go to the repair shop of your choice. Your insurance company cannot require you to go to a particular shop. Your insurance company is required by law to pay the reasonable cost to restore your vehicle to pre-accident condition according to the coverage you purchased. Your insurance coverage you have. Some insurance companies may want you to visit their drive-in claims center before having your car repaired. You can do this, or you may leave your car at Vico's Auto Body Shop Service and ask that the insurance company to inspect the car there.
Your best bet is to select the shop of your choice to do the repairs and assign them the right to negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. Vico's Auto Body Shop will negotiate with your insurance company with your best interests in mind. Often our involvement improves your chances of negotiating a fair settlement.
Vico's Auto Body Shop will accept direct payment from your insurance company if a commitment in writing is given to us from the insurance company prior to the release of the vehicle. Vico's Auto Body Shop is performing these repairs for you, our customer. The insurance coverage you have does not specifically enter into Vico's Auto Body Shop’s agreement to repair your car. We provide you and your insurance company with an itemized bill for the repairs. Full payment of your repair is expected when you receive, and are satisfied with, your car. If there is a lien holder on your car (such as a financial institution), these lien holders must also endorse the payment check before Vico's Auto Body Shop can accept it. If you have any trouble understanding the process of making a claim for repairs, call us and we will walk you through it.
Yes. However, in our experience it is very rare. Keep in mind that differences in repair estimates
are common. A lower estimate may not include all necessary work. If you’re not sure why one estimate
is different from another you’ve received, please ask us.
When the insured and the insurer fail to agree on the amount of the loss, both parties are entitled
to arbitration. A typical arbitration clause would explain that when the insured and the insurer
fail to agree on the amount of the loss, either party may demand an independent appraisal within 60
days of the date of loss. The insured and the insurer must each select a competent appraiser, and
the appraisers in turn must select a competent and disinterested arbitrator. Should there be a
disagreement as to the amount between the appraisers, they must submit their differences to the
arbitrator. Though this is pretty uncommon, Vico's Auto Body Shop can help you work through an
arbitration if necessary.
No. Only one estimate from the shop of your choice is required of you. Again, you have the right to choose which shop will repair your vehicle and at no additional cost to you. Some insurance companies may want you to visit their drive-in claims center before having your car repaired. You can do this, or you may simply leave your car at our shop and ask that the insurance company inspect the car here.
The deductible is the owner’s portion of the accident in regards to your vehicle. The amount of the deductible is a determined at the time you took out your insurance policy.
If your deductible is not waived, it will be your responsibility to pay us when you pick up your vehicle. If you aren’t sure about your deductible, you can call your agent to find out whether your insurance company has waived your deductible or whether it will be your responsibility.
No. Conspiring to ‘bury the deductible’ is insurance fraud and is against the law. Any honest and reputable repair shop will always say ‘no’. Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance carrier. It generally states that if you have a collision loss, you are responsible for the first portion of repairs (your deductible) Insurance company appraisers know the costs of repairs and cannot be fooled by inflated prices. If an auto body shop agrees to ‘bury the deductible’, it usually means the shop has to take short cuts in making repairs with the owner getting a second rate job, which will depreciate the value of the vehicle at time of trade. Vico's Auto Body Shop Service will not cut corners in any way – we stand behind our work and the good reputation we have built for ourselves in our community.
No appointment is needed. Stop by anytime during our business hours: Monday – Friday from 7:00am to 4:00pm. If you’d like to give us a call to let us know you’re on your way, that’s fine – but is not necessary.
Allow approximately 15 minutes. If there is a substantial damage, or you have an unusual vehicle (like a specialty sports car) it may take up to 30 minutes to inspect your vehicle and write the estimate.
No. An estimate is our educated guess on what it will take to repair your vehicle, but until your insurance appraiser and Vico's Auto Body Shop can perform a full inspection, we cannot possibly know the full extent of the damage or an exact cost of the repair. We have found that it’s best if your appraiser writes the estimate. We will then review the estimate and inspect the car himself. If he feels the estimate is off, he will call your appraiser directly and negotiate on your behalf.
While there is no law requiring you to obtain more than one estimate or appraisal, some customers do. Differences in repair estimates are common. A lower estimate may not include all necessary work. If you’re not sure why one estimate is different from another you’ve received, please ask us!
Yes. A decade or so ago, this was not the case because the technology didn’t exist. That has changed with advances in repair technologies. At Vico's Auto Body Shop, we are experts in Unibody repair and full frame straightening. We have the finest in frame measuring technology and equipment, and the experienced, qualified technicians who know how to use it. Even if the frame is damaged in an accident, we can restore your car to pre-accident condition and preserve its value.
Yes. Vico's Auto Body Shop has made a major investment in the finest paint system available and we
constantly upgrade our technology and equipment to ensure that each vehicle’s paint matches. We take
special pride in our ability to match factory finishesSpies Hecker.com as the final step in the
restoration process.
Modern factory finishes incorporate multiple layers of highly specialized paints. We take advantage
of the latest in computer technology to mix colors from the vehicle’s paint code. We also use the
best acrylic urethane paint available, used in high-end car lines. Want to learn more about the
paint we use? Visit Spies Hecker.
Where the sun’s process of oxidation has altered the color, we match the paint on your car through
tinting and blending techniques to ensure the best finish.
Yes. Your satisfaction is guaranteed, and the repair is backed by a company that’s been in business for over 30 years.
Yes. We can arrange for a rental car to be ready for you when you drop off your car. You can then leave the rental with us when your repair is finished and you come to pick up your car.
The time it will take to repair your vehicle will depend on the severity of the damages. Vico's Auto Body Shop will make the repair in as short a time as possible without compromising our quality standards. When we provide the estimate, we can include an educated guess on how long the repairs will take, and you can call for an update once the repair is under way.
Yes. Unless you agreed to imitation parts when you obtained your policy, you have the right to demand factory original replacement parts. Ask if the repair center will be using genuine manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts, as this is sometimes where shops cut corners. If you have an older vehicle, sometimes the repair part needed is just too costly to buy new. In certain situations we may suggest a used part – but only if the part considered is the best alternative.
QRP (Quality Replacement Part) is a term used in the industry to refer to a part manufactured by someone other than the “Original Equipment Manufacturer” (OEM) of the vehicle in question. Vico's Auto Body Shop has experienced that QRP’s in many cases are inferior in quality and fit. Therefore, we do not recommend their use in some applications. We will advise you of the applications we believe are acceptable.
LKQ (Like kind and Quality), simply put, are used parts. They are auto parts originally manufactured by the builder of your vehicle. The quality and fit will be the same as new parts; they have simply been on another car previously. The use of LKQ parts, when appropriate, can reduce the cost of repairs. At Vico's Auto Body Shop, we inspect used parts for damage and reject any part that won’t pass our high quality standards. However you should understand that they are used and therefore may have minor blemishes. If you expect the appearance of new then you should specify new for your repair.
Parts that wear out and need replacement with time and use (i.e., tires, batteries, and suspension parts) are commonly subject to betterment charges when they are replaced during the repair process. These betterment charges are determined by your insurance company and are pro-rated based on actual miles on your vehicle.
A car is a total loss only when the price of repairs exceeds the insurance company’s determined value of your vehicle. Today most cars are built using Unibody (frame and body as one) construction. Our highly skilled technicians, with the aid of our state-of the-art computer measuring system, can return your vehicle to its original factory specifications. If it is determined that the frame section is bent beyond repair, that section can simply be replaced.
Yes. Just let us know what other work you would like done so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
The vehicle can be washed immediately. We recommend using a mild soap for best results.
Allow approximately 15 minutes. If there is a substantial damage, or you have an unusual vehicle (like a specialty sports car) it may take up to 30 minutes to inspect your vehicle and write the estimate.