Collision Repair Process

If you’ve been in an accident, regardless of the severity, we’re here to help! It is our job to restore your vehicle back to pre-damage condition. Keep in mind, it is YOUR choice on where to take your vehicle! We work with ALL insurance companies to get you back on the road. No additional cost (excluding your deductible) will be incurred unless YOU request unrelated items in addition to the repair. 

Some exclusions may apply to these steps. For example, if your vehicle is determined to be non-drivable and you have rental coverage, you will be given a rental immediately. 

Step 1: Decide whether your repair will be an insurance claim or not 

• If you will be paying out of pocket for your repair, move on to Step 2!
• If you will be reporting to insurance, make sure to call them first.
• If they tell you to bring it to a shop for an estimate first, inform them you will be taking it to Smitty’s Maintenance Repair & Collision so they can send us any claim information.
• Some insurance companies will send out their adjusters to evaluate your vehicle prior to bringing it to a shop. They will give you a preliminary estimate that is not the final cost but is based on what they can see at that time. Once you receive that paperwork, give us a call to move forward. 
  

Step 3: Schedule Repairs

• Once the estimate is approved, we will call you to get you scheduled for repairs.
• If you have rental on your insurance, we can work with you to set up your rental vehicle at this time.
• Free loaner vehicles are also available on an as-needed basis but are not guaranteed unless requested at scheduling. Use of a loaner may also have additional paperwork and change scheduling availability. 
  
• At this time, we will have you fill out the documents applicable to your repair and order parts listed on the initial estimate.
• Repair Authorization
• Diagnostic Scan
• Rental or Loaner Paperwork 

Step 4: Drop Off and Repair 

• Drop off the vehicle at the time discussed and pick up the rental or loaner if applicable.
• The vehicle is then disassembled and evaluated for additional damage that may not have been seen prior. We contact you with the findings at this point.
• If any additional work is found, we submit a supplement to the insurance company for approval. The work is placed on hold until we hear from them.
• As the repair continues, additional repairs may be needed and would require repeating this step. You will be contacted each time.
  
• ○ Once the supplement is approved, the repair begins.
• If any additional parts are needed, they are ordered and installed as they arrive.
  
• ○ When the vehicle is in reassembly, we contact you to let you know your repair is nearing completion. 
  

Step 5: Finalize & Clean-Up 

Step 6: Pick up 

• All payments must be made at this time as you previously authorized.
• Deductible (if applicable)
• Any out of pocket expenses you authorized 
• A form must be signed (Direction to Pay) to ensure the insurance company pays us the balance for the repair.
• If you had a loaner or rental, those can be dropped off at this time. We inform the rental company for you, they will pick it up from us. 

Step 7: Follow-Up 

• You will receive 2 emails following up about the repair after you leave.
• One is an automated survey that is submitted to us and the insurance company about your experience.
• The other is from our internal customer service representative that will be able to assist you with any specifics regarding your repair. 

Total Loss 

In the unfortunate event your vehicle is determined to be a total loss, your insurance company will be the one to inform you. We are not legally able to make that decision for you or them. They will work out the details of your vehicle value with you directly.

Once you receive this news from the insurance company, call us to get your vehicle removal process started.

• Step 1: Clean out the car and remove the license plate.
• Step 2: Sign the Vehicle Release Form authorizing a salvage yard to take the vehicle.
• Step 3: We handle the rest with the insurance company and the salvage yard. 

Paint Details 

Our paint is a water-born environmentally friendly paint supplied by BASF. Using our high-tech color decoding cameras, we take photos of the paint from multiple locations on the vehicle to ensure an even blend of the new paint to the old. Ensuring the paint job is done properly will take 2-4 steps (sometimes more!) but we make sure it gets done right. The final coat is baked exactly as the original manufacturer does to ensure quality.