| In any major metropolis, traffic is often horrendous, | | | | parts is very likely to result in a "repaired" auto that |
| and this is certainly true during peak hours of the | | | | is more likely to not work properly, can even be |
| day. A car accident in any major city might take | | | | hazardous to drive, and in a worst case circumstance |
| place during peak hours, or for that matter, any time | | | | could be the indirect (or direct) cause of an accident, |
| of day. Now everyone is well aware that a car | | | | possibly a fatal one |
| accident will at the minimum result in damage to | | | | But why might your insurance agent choose to steer |
| property, and at worst, can lead to loss of life. | | | | you to a repair shop that uses aftermarket |
| Fortunately, in quite a few accidents the damage is | | | | components? In a word, PROFITS - since it means |
| chiefly to the cars involved, and personal injury is | | | | the repairs will cost less, and that the insurance |
| minimal. | | | | carrier pays out smaller claims. Hence your insurance |
| In the event you find yourself involved in an | | | | company will be saving money to be able to increase |
| automobile accident, you may count yourself lucky if | | | | their income, at the expense of compromising the |
| no (or minimum) personal injury is involved, but | | | | value of your vehicle, and perchance your safety and |
| nevertheless, you will want to get hold of your | | | | that of your family members! |
| insurance agent to turn in a claim for damage to your | | | | As a result the chance exists that, because lesser |
| automobile. But it might come as a shock to you to | | | | auto components were utilized, the auto "fixed" by |
| find out that the advice you get from your agent | | | | an auto repair shop could possibly be involved in |
| may well be unreliable, and we will examine the | | | | another car accident as a direct result of inferior |
| reason why. | | | | repairs done for the purpose of bolstering insurance |
| We will start our explanation by discussing something | | | | company profits! Whenever you happen to be |
| called a "Direct Repair Program." Insurance companies | | | | involved in a car accident, turn in a claim, but your |
| have a "network" of repair shops with whom they | | | | agent desires you to visit a body shop of HIS choice |
| have written agreements. In our scenario, the body | | | | as opposed to one of yours, listen for the following: |
| shop is under agreement to restore the insurance | | | | "It's going to cost you more to go there " - "Should |
| company's customers' cars. The insurance company is | | | | you go to that shop we will not guarantee the |
| in return, required to recommend that body shop to | | | | repairs" - "When you go there we can not give you a |
| their customers in need of vehicle repairs. | | | | rental car" - "They won't go along with our appraiser" |
| The body shop is required, under the agreement, to | | | | - "We cannot work with that shop " - "We keep a |
| write all quotes working with "aftermarket" auto | | | | listing of preferred shops and that shop isn't on it" - |
| parts - that is, components manufactured by a | | | | "You'll have to wait longer for our adjustor to |
| company other than the original producer or their | | | | evaluate the damage" - "If you go to our shop we'll |
| vendor. But that's not all - the shop is normally | | | | pay them directly and it will be faster" |
| required to bear culpability for auto repairs, and | | | | All of these assertions are deceitful. Do NOT fall for |
| should a lawsuit result, they must indemnify the | | | | them! If you do, the end result may be a solution |
| insurance provider. | | | | that triggers another possibly more serious, or even |
| Now here is precisely why this kind of arrangement is | | | | deadly automobile accident down the road. You have |
| bothersome: the automobile parts the body shop is | | | | the right, if not the duty, to take your vehicle to a |
| required to make use of under this contract, while | | | | repair shop that places safety above insurance |
| less pricey, are also of lesser quality versus parts | | | | company profits! |
| that originally came with the auto. Using aftermarket | | | | |