Auto insurance question?

You certainly can use anyone you want, however, if the shop does a job that is poor, you will not have the insurer there to guarantee that repair. If the place that is cheaper is an "approved" auto body shop according to your insurer, than you will not only get a better deal and pocket the difference but will have recourse if their repair is not done properly. As others have said here, you dont even have to get it repaired at all and can still keep the money you were paid. The result wouild be that if you have a subsequent loss on your car, they will lower the value of your vehicle by the amount of unrepaired damage. You do have flexibility here but be very careful that the cheaper place has a good reputation and is a approved repair facility according to the insurer. Most insurers have a list they can send you which lists all shops in your area that they will stand behind. Good luck and I hope that you can keep some extra money for yourself!

1

Since drivers' licenses are state-issued, this is a state matter, although the Federal Government can influence the states by threatening to withhold Federal Highway Funds (the way they did to get every state to raise the drinking age to 21). In short, there is a philosophical difference here. Driving is a priviledge granted by the State and when driving, one has a responsibility not only to himself, but to others on the road. Making auto insurance mandatory can be seen as a cost of enjoying this priviledge, part of a citizens obligations for th overall safety of others. Health care is a personal issue. Requiring a person to purchase a product for his own personal use seems to many like requiring all citizens to buy auto insurance....whether they drive or not. Somewill argue that the requirement will bring down the costs associated with the uninsured getting care in emergency rooms and so on, but the same could be said for mandatory auto insurance. Imagine how premiums would go down if all non-drivers were forced to buy policies as well. So again, there is a philosophical issue beyond the "will it bring down costs" question.

It depends. Look at the check, is it made out to you, or to you and the shop? If the shop is on the check then you need to go there at least for them to sign off, but it is unlikely that they will because if you later sue the insurance company over the accident or the repair, by signing they are saying that they did the repairs and that there were no additional hidden damages.

If you are the claimant, the other drivers insurance is paying, then you likely have a check with only your name. That company assumes that since you submitted that one estimate that you trust that shop and that they expect no additional damage.

Get it repaired where you like if the check is made out to you alone, but remember, you get what you pay for.

I once received a check from my insurance for my body repair. they did not give me nearly enough money to have it repaired. so I shopped around and I found a repair shop who did the work for less than the amount of my check. so, not only did i get my car repaired but I had enough money left over to buy an airconditioner for my bedroom.

depends on how your insurance company wrote the check to you.

If they made the check payable to you and the repair shop (i.e. Pay to the Order of John Doe and Bill's Auto Repair) then you have to get it fixed at Bill's Auto repair.

If they made it payable just to you, then you can do anything you want. Get it fixed elsewhere, fix it yourself, don't fix it at all.

Hiya:

It's your car. Do what you want with it. You don't even have to get it repaired if you don't want to.

The insurance company is not going to be checking up on you or whether or not you got your car repaired. They don't owe to repair your car....they owe for the damage to your car so...you're good if you want to go somewhere else for the repairs or even if you skip the repairs all together.

Goodluck!

~jifr!

I agree with one of the respondent. If you have car or motor insurance, the company takes care of it and you are guaranteed good service. I believe it is a must for every car owner to secure an insurance policy because it takes care of future incidental costs.

You don't even have to have the car repaired if you don't want to.

You can go to any shop you like.

You can use whomever you want once you received the check!