You can read or download the complete “What to do after an auto accident” information sheet from the Provincial Government’s website here:

http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/insurance/info_consumer_auto_collision.html#tips

Getting your vehicle repaired

Check with your agent or broker to confirm the type of coverage you have.

If the damage to the vehicle is covered by your insurance, the following steps will assist you.

1.  Submitting your claim

If you are claiming from your own insurance company, ask the company for a proof of loss claim form. Complete, sign, and submit this form to the company as soon as possible to avoid delay in settling your claim.

2.  Repair cost estimate

  • Before your vehicle can be repaired, you and your insurer need to know how much the repairs will cost.
  • Your insurance company may accept the repair shop’s estimate of the damage, or may want to appraise the damage to the vehicle. The company has the right to initially assess the damages to your vehicle and estimate the cost to repair them. Because the quality and extent of the repairs will affect the value of your vehicle, you may wish to be present if the insurer’s appraiser meets with the body shop manager to discuss the repair job.
  • If your vehicle is drivable, take your vehicle and a copy of the insurance company’s appraisal to the repair shop of your choice.
  • If the vehicle is not drivable, or it was towed from the collision scene, contact your insurance company so that suitable arrangements can be made.
  • Only one estimate is required. However, you may decide to get more than one, in order to compare prices and opinions about the extent of repairs. If you do get a second estimate and it is different, find out why. Be aware that the lowest price is not always the best deal.  Look for a shop that has a reputation for high-quality work and a written guarantee.

An estimate of costs should specify:

  • what repairs are being done,
  • whether parts are being repaired or replaced,
  • whether new or second-hand parts are being used, and
  • whether parts from the original manufacturer or generic parts are being used. If the body shop plans to use generic parts, compare the warranty provided to that offered on parts from the original manufacturer.

3.  Choosing a repair shop

  • You have the right to have your vehicle’s damage estimated and repaired at the auto body shop of your choice.  When you select the shop, the responsibility for a satisfactory repair job rests with you, not the insurer.  Any dispute about the quality of the repair or the collision shop’s guarantee or warranty is a contractual matter between you and the repair shop. So, it is in your best interest to shop carefully for a body shop. Once you have chosen a shop, notify your insurance company.
  • You have the right to choose a service provider even if you have an adjuster.

4.  If your insurer recommends a repair shop

  • An insurance company cannot require that your vehicle be repaired at a specific repair shop.  However, an insurance company can recommend that the damage be estimated and repaired at a specific repair shop.
  • When an insurance company states or implies that they guarantee repairs if you take your vehicle to a shop they choose ask about the details of that guarantee and ask to see the written guarantee.  Often, an insurance company’s guarantee is actually the shop’s guarantee, and the responsibility for a satisfactory repair job will remain a contractual matter between you and the shop – just as if you had chosen the shop.

5.  If your insurer repairs or replaces your vehicle

  • In some cases, your insurer may, by giving you a formal notice in writing, exercise its right to repair your vehicle.  In such a case, your insurer may assume complete control of the repair process and have the vehicle repaired where they choose.  By doing so, your insurance company assumes final responsibility for a satisfactory repair job and must restore the damaged vehicle to its condition prior to the collision with no additional cost, other than stated in the policy or as otherwise allowed by law.
  • The insurance company has the legal option to repair or replace your vehicle. If the company takes this option, it must give you written notice within seven days after receiving your Notice of Loss and Proof of Claim Form. In this case, the company is responsible for insuring the quality of either the repairs or the replacement.

6.  Dealing with the repair shop

  • Find out who sets the repair standards such as who decides whether the repair has been properly completed. Find out who will re-do the work if you are unsatisfied with the repair.
  • The shop will ask you to sign a work order authorizing the repairs. Make sure it specifies all the details outlined in the estimate. Any changes or additions to the job and the related costs should be written on the work order. Your signature on the work order means that you are ultimately responsible for the invoiced costs.
  • Make sure that your insurance company agrees to pay for all repairs before you have the work completed.  Find out how your insurer handles supplemental repairs just in case the repair shop finds more damage to your vehicle that was not at the original estimate. You might need to submit an official receipt from the repair shop with your insurance claim.
  • Once the repairs are done, check them over. You may decide to have an independent party look at them. If you are not satisfied with the repairs, discuss the problem with the body shop manager.  If the problem isn’t resolved, notify your insurance company.
  • There are several methods of paying the bill. You are responsible for paying the amount of the deductible, as noted in your insurance contract. The insurance company may forward to you the rest of the money to pay the body shop. Or the insurance company may pay the shop directly. A third possibility is the insurance company may send a cheque jointly paid to you and the body shop.
  • Once the shop has been paid, or when the insurance company has confirmed it will pay on your behalf, you can take your vehicle home.

    You can read or download the complete “What to do after an auto accident” information sheet from the Provincial Government’s website here:

    http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/insurance/info_consumer_auto_collision.html#tips