These are some of the most often used word tracks used by insurance personel to deceive consumers. Remember their goal is to negotiate for the lowest claim settlement. Insurance steering is illegal but because most consumers to not know their right they are easily mislead.
“You will have to pay more if you go to the shop of your choice.” Insurers make this statement to intimidate you. The insurer has to pay to have all accident-related repairs completed.
“We won’t warranty the repair if you go there.” Ask the insurer for a copy of this “warranty” and who will do the re-repairs, remember insurers don’t repair anything, so they can’t do warranty repairs.
“If you go to our network shop, we will warranty the repairs for as long as you own the car.” Insurers don’t repair cars, so how can the company do a warranty repair?
“We can’t give you a rental if you use them.” If you have rental on your policy, take advantage of it. If you are a claimant hit by someone else, the responsible party owes you for the loss of use of YOUR vehicle.
“They won’t agree with our appraiser.” Don’t let an appraiser mislead you into thinking they are repair professionals. Never give up your rights on a claim; you should NEVER let any repair shop negotiate and settle your claim. Very often, shops that “agree” with appraisers are trying to remain friendly with the insurance companies. YOU are the customer! Not the insurance company.
“We have had a hard time with that shop/We can’t work with that shop.” Typically means the shop is reputable to the point that it refuses to cut corners and keep information from you, the vehicle owner. These are the shops consumers should “prefer.”
“They are not on our preferred list.” A shop has signed an agreement to pre-negotiate your repairs by giving the insurer discounts and agreeing to look out for them, instead of the customer.
“If you go to a non-preferred shop, your repair will be delayed waiting for our adjuster to inspect the vehicle.” Delays are the insurer’s issue and should not be your problem. Most state insurance regulations state insurers must respond within a reasonable amount of time.
“If you go to our shop, we can pay them directly, and it will be faster.” Why would you want them to pay the shop? It is your money; the check should be written to you!
Don’t be fooled! These phrases and others like them are used to control you through intimidation and fear. Read your policy and always remember:
It’s YOUR CAR! YOUR CHOICE!
For more information regarding the insurer’s tactics, please visit:
Word tracks
- That’s just a recommendation to sell more parts.
- Industry-standard
- Only shop in town
- That’s an included operation
- You’re the only one
- Everyone else is blending clear
- You aren’t a mechanic shop; we don’t pay for mechanical time.
- I can’t pay for that. That will affect my Christmas Bonus!
- When something goes sideways because a shop works off the insurance estimate, “well, you’re the repair professional, not us, so it’s no longer our problem.”
- If you want more hours, do more with the time you’re given—work harder.
- We don’t pay a markup on a sublet.
- Take half a total apart. “We only pay max tear down 3 hrs”.
- We will forward the bill to the customer “progressive on a total loss bill”.
- I’ve never heard of that before
- What makes you think it needs to be scanned
- Shops don’t blend
- We are going to stop sending you cars if you keep wanting to fix all the damage
- We don’t guarantee their work
- Cost of doing business
- Fluff!
- They’re all totals to you
- No other insurance pays for it…
- We don’t feel like we owe for…
- Other shops in your area don’t charge for that.
- I will get fired If I put that on the estimate.
- I’ll get fired if I pay for all the repairs
- Insurance writes the estimate, Not the shop! As we cut the check
- Insurance standards
- I know what I’m doing. I used to own a body shop or do paint and body.
- Case by case
- I don’t care about procedure pages.
- Researching OEM procedures are part of doing business.
- Why should I have to pay you guys to look up how to fix a car?
- Market labor rate.
- Why do you guys always want to be paid for everything you do?
- I know how you guys write everything.
- That’s not a total.
- What do you want, that car to total?
- I used to own a shop; that’s how I know what you are charging for should be a cost of doing business.”
- Your technician broke those clips…they weren’t damaged in the accident, so that’s on you.
- Does it need to be scanned? No, as long as you sign a liability release!
- We don’t pay Astech.
- I found a cheaper option on that part you will have to change the price usually a week out and often not even.
- We don’t agree the quarter needs to be replaced but will do it for the cost.
- Materials are part of your cost of doing business.
- Washing the car before or after the repair is part of the repair, so we do not owe it for it.
- We did a labor rate survey, and you’re out of the market, but we are not going to show it to you.
- If there are no lights on in the dash, it does not need to be scanned.
- We do not owe for delays.
- We do not owe to test fit parts.
- We do not owe to match the color.
- We do not owe for blending the color.
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