Tuesday 30 June 2015

Advantages of Direct Repair Programs

Your car crashed and you need someone to fix it quickly. Your first instinct might be to call the nearest repair shop. However, consider shops that offer Direct Repair Programs, or DRPs, as they might offer greater benefits than getting your car repaired through other auto shops.

First, what is a Direct Repair Program? In the DRP, a collision shop enters a contract with an auto insurance company. When you are in an accident and you contact your insurance company or that of the at-fault driver, it will refer you to their network of repair shops. In some cases, a collision shop must meet the mandated service levels of the insurance company in order to remain in the DRP network. Such standards may include the quality of repairs, customer service and overall time it took to complete the repairs.

You should always have the option to work with an auto shop outside of an insurance company's DRP. However, there are some significant benefits to the vehicle owner if he or she chooses a shop through DRP.

The biggest advantage is that you do not have to handle the details. There is less paperwork, less phone calls, less time investment, which means less stress for you. The insurance company handles everything, while you and the auto shop still have control over the specific provisions of the repair. So all you have to do is drop off your vehicle, pick up a rental car, and pick up your vehicle after repairs. This usually also means free storage and free towing.

Because the insurance company takes care of the bulk of the process, the estimate for your repair will be approved more quickly. Also, once approved, the repair itself may take less time, because a shop does not have to wait for parts to arrive while the insurance adjuster re-evaluates an accident. Not only that, your quote may be lower because the partnership between the insurance companies and the auto body shops allows them to cut processing costs and offer more competitive rates. This also helps the insurers to save costs when pricing future insurance rates for the vehicle owner.

Other advantages include a limited time warranty offered on your vehicle's repair, rent cars available on-site at the auto shop, and guarantees offered by the insurance company for any work done at a Direct Repair Program shop.

One body repair shop can have multiple contracts with various insurance companies. Check whether a location near you is in partnership with your insurance for maximum convenience. For more information on a car accident repair service in Raleigh visit the website.

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