April 13, 2018  |    217 Comments


If you have car insurance you may be pressed by your insurance company to choose specific auto body shops in Reno NV. Furthermore, you are probably wondering what your options are. Do you have to choose the preferred auto body shop Reno? What happens if you don’t? What are the benefits?

A1 Body Shop has all the info you need to make the best decision that benefits you the most.
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A little background

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First, it is important to understand that certain insurance companies and body shops in Reno NV have agreements that mutually benefits both of them.

Essentially, insurance companies will direct their client’s work to the repair shop if the repair shop allows the insurance companies to dictate the parts used. These contracted repair shops are often times referred to as “preferred” repair shops. A preferred repair shop benefits from this arrangement because it means they’ll receive more work.

The insurance company benefits from the control they gain over the whole process, allowing them to choose parts and labor (generally to save themselves some money).

As you can guess, this arrangement can lead to some not-so-happy views. It is not uncommon to find people who view the type of work done through these arrangements as below par. This perception of low quality work comes from a small number of cases that have taken off through news outlets.

Does that mean that all work done by repair shops contracted by insurance companies is bad? Well, no. What you get depends on the repair shop’s quality of work from the body shops in Reno NV and the insurance company. More on that later.

Do I have to use the recommended repair shop?

The short answer, no.

You don’t have to bring your car to the preferred repair shop. It is your right as a customer to be able to choose who works on your car. After all, this is why it’s called a “preferred” repair shop. There are many body shops in Reno NV to choose from. 

How do I tell if I should go with the contracted repair shop or not?

reno auto body shop

If you asked people with a negative opinion towards contracted repair shops, they would tell you it’s if preferred repair shops use aftermarket parts instead of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts.

Aftermarket parts are simply car parts that are not made by the original manufacturer. You must be thinking, well that means they are cheaper in price. Depending on the part and the manufacturer, they might be.

Unfortunately to many people, cheap price means cheap quality. Years ago this would absolutely be the case, but aftermarket parts have significantly increased in quality, to the point where they rival or exceed the quality of OEM parts.

Try to find out the aftermarket parts your contracted repair shop uses. From there, determine if the manufacturer of the aftermarket parts is known for high quality or low quality.

Another thing to consider is the repair shop itself. Reputable body shops in Reno NV will always offer some kind of lifetime warranty, sometimes regardless of who is paying the bill.

Before deciding which body shops in Reno NV is right for you, ask these questions to yourself:

  • Does the shop provide a lifetime warranty?
  • Do they have experience working on your type of car?
  • How long have they been in business?
  • Have they worked with your insurance company before?
  • Do they use aftermarket or OEM parts?
  • If they use aftermarket parts, which brands do they use?
  • What do online reviews say about the repair shop?
  • Are there options that look better?

If your answers are not good, you may be better off finding a different repair shop.

Remember, as a customer you should always do research to determine if the repair shop has a history of good work.

A1 Body Shop – Your Auto Body Shop Reno

A1 Body Shop is the number one Reno auto body shop.  With over 40 years of experience in vehicle, trailer, and RV body repair, A1 is committed to providing Nevadans with exceptional customer service. Contact us today for auto body repair, RV service, and trailer repair.

Contact A1 Body Shop Today

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