FYI The Auto Insurance Claims Process
Step 1 Report Your Auto Accident
The first step in the claims process is to report your auto accident directly to your insurance company. When phoning in the loss, you should have your policy number, as well as all the information on the parties and other vehicles involved in the auto accident.
If the damage to either vehicle involved in the accident was over $1,000 or if any person was injured, you should file a
Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Crash Operator Report *
.
You should retain a copy of the crash report for your own records
and
then mail copies of completed report to:
- The local Police Department in the city or town
where the accident occurred - Your Insurance Company
- The Registry of Motor Vehicles Crash Records Dept.
Step 2 Obtain a Motor Vehicle Damage Appraisal
Once you have reported your claim, you will want to have a licensed auto damage appraiser look at your vehicle and estimate the damages incurred.
If your vehicle is driveable, your insurance company may direct you to take it to a Drive-In Appraisal Center or ask to come to your home or place of work to inspect the damage. Alternatively, you may also ask your insurance company to send their appraiser to DBA Auto Body, Inc. to view your auto collision damage. This way, their appraiser can meet with one of our licensed appraisers and go over the damage together.
If your car is not driveable, please call and ask us to send a tow truck to get your vehicle and bring it to DBA Auto Body, Inc. Your towing coverage will cover up to 2 tow bills related to your accident.
Step 3 Schedule Your Collision Repairs at DBA Auto Body, Inc.
If your vehicle is not being seen here, please call DBA Auto Body, Inc. to schedule your repair date as soon as your vehicle has been appraised. When you drop off your vehicle we will ask you to sign two documents:
Information Request & Authorization to
Repair *
The Direction to Pay allows your insurance company to pay us directly for the cost of your repairs. Signing a Direction to Pay also enables us to release your vehicle as soon as your repairs are completed -- so you don't have to wait to receive a "check in the mail" from your insurance company. We also negotiate insurance supplements directly with your insurance company and we accept this negotiated amount as payment in full for your repair bill.
Step 4 Arrange for Your Rental
If you need a rental car for the duration of your repairs, we will be happy to set it up for you. Our rental partner offers a convenient pick-up and drop-off your rental vehicle right here at our shop. Please be advised that our rental partner has also agreed to offer you a very reasonable daily rate in the event that you dont have rental coverage on your insurance policy. We often see customers who wish they had opted for rental coverage on their auto insurance policy so we recommend that you consider adding rental coverage in the future; which pays for itself even if you use it only once every several years.
Step 5 - Pay for Your Auto Body Damage Repair
If your vehicle is repairable, payment is normally sent out within 7-12 business days from the date you reported the accident. If you signed a Direction to Pay with DBA Auto Body, Inc. your insurance company will send a check directly to us, less any deductible you may owe if you were at fault in the accident.
If the payment exceeds $500.00, and there is a lien holder on your vehicle, the check will likely be made payable to yourself and the lien holder. If you have signed a Direction to Pay with DBA Auto Body, Inc. you need not worry about the check being made payable to the lien holder.
If you receive a direct payment check from your insurance company, we ask that you retain the check and bring it with you to pay for your auto collision repairs. If you choose to deposit the direct payment check, we ask you to bring a bank check for the same amount to pay for your repairs. For your convenience, you may use a credit card to pay for your deductible. We accept both MasterCard and Visa.
Step 6 Pick up your Vehicle and Drive Home
We will be in touch with you throughout your repair process to advise you of the status of your repairs.
When your car is ready for pickup you will be pleased to find that it has been cleaned inside and out.
We pride ourselves in doing only the finest repairs.
The best compliment our customers can give us is a positive referral.
Thank you for choosing DBA Auto Body, Inc.
for your auto body and collision repair needs.
We are conveniently located only minutes from most Rte 1 Norwood (Automile) Dealerships and thirty minutes from downtown Boston.
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