Insurance Question Regarding Body Shop

quote:

---

Why are the body shops and insurance companies working together like that?

---

That's standard. If there's hidden damage after repair begins, body shop contacts insurance company directly and gets supplements approved.

quote:

---

Now the body shop wants the exact same about the insurance company paid me instead of the original quote.

---

This is bs sounds like.

quote:

---

Daughter's car got backed into doing some damage. Luckily the guy that hit her had insurance. His insurance wired by $2,500 for the repairs. Separately I got an estimate for the work and it was $2,000. Both insurance company and body shop insist on talking to one another about it. Now the body shop wants the exact same about the insurance company paid me instead of the original quote.

Why are the body shops and insurance companies working together like that? I'm not looking to pocket the money, but seems like the remainder should just go back to the insurance company to be fai

---

Translation: I was going to rip off the insurance company for $500 but now I'm mad because the body shop is going to rip them off for the same amount instead.

There are tons of variables in your question and no one can tell you what is going on without more info. But I’ll give you the most common issues.

If the body shop worked off the at fault carriers estimate then that is what they are owed (vs private pay). If they didn’t know about the other carrier, completed the work, and then found out about the carrier and decided to change their rate then that’s some BS.

Another issue is that some shops might have assumed a $500 deductible and have it as a line item on your preliminary. Since you weren’t at fault and going through the at fault carrier you shouldn’t be out of pocket for your deductible. Look on their preliminary and see if there is a line item for -$500 on the shops 1st estimate.

Have the shop to provide you their full estimate/repair bill. Compare that to the one you got from them for your preliminary estimate/quote. And then compare it to the one the at fault carrier sent you. That will find your difference. Look at the labor rate, hours, and parts price.

Another issue that people do realize is supplements. Your shop very likely had a supplement. They contact the at fault carrier to request a supplement and the at fault carrier says “we already paid $2500 to the customer so you need to get the extra $500 from the customer” and then you run into the issue you are at now.

if I were you I would keep it. I’d tell the shop owner that the $500 is for the diminution value of your automobile that will show up when you try to sell it.