Frequently Asked Questions

Claim numbers are issued by your insurance company when you report the accident to them. If you have the claim number before coming in for an estimate, please bring it with you to speed up the claim process.

No. A car is a total loss only when the price of the repairs exceeds a certain percentage of the insurance company’s determined value of your vehicle. Most vehicles 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 a frame section is damaged beyond repair, that section can be replaced.

Today’s modern factory finishes incorporate multiple layers of highly specialized paints. We have made a major investment in the finest paint system available and constantly upgrade our skills and equipment to ensure that each vehicle’s paint matches. We take special pride in our ability to match factory finishes as the final step in the accident restoration process.

Yes. Simply let your service advisor know what other work you would like done so that they can make the necessary arrangements. 

Since every repair is unique, we can not give an exact time frame until we look at the vehicle and create a repair plan. However, your service advisor will be able to update you once the repair plan is written.

Yes, we are happy to provide customers with a ride home around the local area. We want each customer’s visit to be a positive experience and will work diligently toward that goal. As such, we provide pickup and drop off service. 

If you require this service, please speak with your service advisor ahead of time.

If you need a rental vehicle, your insurance company will set up a reservation with their preferred rental agency. Insurance companies will only pay for a rental vehicle if you have elected that rider on your insurance policy, or if you are a third party claimant. Check your policy and/or call your insurance agent to find out if you have rental coverage on your policy and what specific limitations are on the policy.

The two closest rental agencies to our facility are Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Bay City or Hertz Rent A Car in Freeland.

We understand that accidents never happen at opportune times. If you need a vehicle and do not have a rental vehicle rider on your insurance policy, we offer complimentary loaner vehicles for our customers. We currently have a fleet of seven loaner vehicles that are available for customer use.

Since there are a limited number of loaner vehicles, they do tend to be in constant use. Because of this, if you need a loaner vehicle from us, your scheduled repair date may be scheduled farther out. For this reason, we recommend all of our customers keep a vehicle rental rider on their insurance policy.

Once the repairs are completed to your vehicle, your service advisor will notify you that your vehicle is ready for pick up. If you are ever curious as to the status of your vehicle, please feel free to email or call your service advisor.

Absolutely. We take great pride in our craftsmanship. We offer a written lifetime warranty on all repairs that we complete.

It depends on what your insurance policy states. The amount that you will owe is determined by your insurance policy and how you have your coverage set up. Typically there are two deductible types that will come into play during collision repair, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage. Which deductible applies will be determined by your policy’s language, however, comprehensive coverage is typically thought of as “acts of God.”

Your deductible payment is due to us at the end of the repairs at the time of delivery. If you are unsure of your deductible, you can call your insurance agent and inquire about what you will owe.

We currently only accept cash or checks as forms of payment. We do not accept credit or debit cards. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Parts that wear out and need routine maintenance and replacement with time and use (ie tires, batteries, 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. 

* Please note that in addition to your deductible, if any, you will be responsible for paying any betterment charges at the time of vehicle delivery.

Due to the paint system we use, you can take your vehicle through the car wash immediately after leaving our facility. In fact, we clean and wash your vehicle before you pick it up.

There is only one rule for newly painted panels and that is:

Do not wax or polish your vehicle for 90 days from the date of pick up. This includes spray-on waxes and sealants commonly found in automatic car washes. If you are going through an automatic car wash, please make sure the option you select does not include any wax or sealant.