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What should
I do when I get into an accident?
Should I file an insurance claim
or pay out of pocket for my repair?
What do I do if my car cannot be
driven?
How long
do estimates (appraisals) take?
How do
I make an appointment for repair?
What happens
if you find additional damage once my repair has
begun?
How long
will my repair take?
Will my
car ever be the same as it was before the accident?
Do
you have a rental/loaner service?
What should I do when I get into an accident?
IF THE DAMAGE IS SIGNIFICANT - Be certain to
collect the other driver’s information including
license, registration and proof of insurance.
You are required to file a Motor Vehicle Crash
Operator Report within five (5) days if the damage
to your vehicle exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000),
or if there are any injuries. These forms are
available at any area police department. Make
three copies and forward a copy to each of the
following:
- the police station in the
community where the incident occurred;
- the Registry of Motor Vehicles
Crash Records
PO Box 199100
Boston, MA 02119-9100
- your insurance agent. Your
claim report will be used by your insurance
carrier to determine liability.
IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO USE INSURANCE - You may
come directly to the shop for a damage estimate.
Should I file an insurance claim or pay out of
pocket for my repair?
Insurance deductibles range between $300 to
$1000 with the average being $500. If the cost
of the repair falls within this range and you
know you are responsible for paying the deductible,
you may wish to avoid any surcharges and pay out
of pocket. Insurance companies also discourage
clients from filing what are considered insignificant
or “nuisance” claims. If the estimate
exceeds the deductible, you’ll need to decide
whether or not to file an insurance claim.
We recommend using insurance when the damage
is significantly over the deductible. Your insurance
appraiser can document only visible damage when
writing the initial estimate. Any additional damage
discovered during the repair process will require
the appraiser to come back to the shop to write
a supplement. This additional amount would be
paid to the shop directly by your insurance provider
under a “direction to pay” authorized
by you.
If you choose to pay out of pocket, we would
write a more comprehensive estimate before starting
the repair. We would also obtain your approval
for any additional work that might be needed.
What do I do if my car cannot be driven?
If your car is disabled, call us and we will
bring it to the shop on our flatbed truck. Let
your insurance company know that their damage
appraiser can view the car at the shop.
How long do estimates (appraisals) take?
Estimates are scheduled by appointment and usually
take about ten to fifteen minutes. There is no
charge unless your vehicle requires considerable
disassembly in order to write an accurate estimate.
How do I make an appointment for repair?
If you have received your appraisal from your
insurance company, you may bring it to our shop
or fax it to us at (781) 643-5951. Please be sure
to include a daytime telephone number so we can
call you to schedule a check-in date. If you will
be using our estimate instead, please let us know.
What happens if you find additional damage once
my repair has begun?
Additional damage is frequently uncovered during
the repair process. This results in our requesting
a “supplement” from the insurance
company. Once called, the appraiser has three
(3) days to come back to the shop to view the
additional damage, plus two more days to write
a supplemental appraisal. We will work closely
with this individual to ensure that all additional
collision repair needs are satisfied.
How long will my repair take?
That depends upon the type of work to be done.
A bumper replacement usually can be done fairly
quickly, but extensive damage could take weeks.
Our goal is to repair your vehicle as expeditiously
as possible, however some delays are unavoidable
and out of our control. These delays include (but
are not limited to) the timely response of your
insurance appraiser and the availability of parts.
Will my car ever be the same as it was
before the accident?
We strive to restore your vehicle to its pre-loss
condition. In doing so, we take special care and
use only products of the highest quality to ensure
that we more than meet industry standards.
e not only guarantee the color match to your
satisfaction, most often our paint process is
superior to the original factory paint. Parts
are subject to the manufacturer’s warranty
which is usually for one year. We, however, warranty
our workmanship for the life of the vehicle.
Do you have a rental/loaner service?
We work closely with the local Enterprise Rent-A-Car
office. Their staff will meet you at our shop
with a rental, or give you a lift to their office
to process the paperwork. When your car is ready,
you may leave the rental here and they will pick
it up. They will also work closely with your insurance
company and bill them directly. Even if you’re
not using insurance, they will still take good
care of you!
If you have any additional questions that are
not addressed here, please contact us at: info@hansonandtilton.com.
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