Your Insurance App May Leave You Shortchanged

Whether it’s for navigation, tracking the weather, or getting up-to-the-minute updates from social media on what your friends and family are having for dinner, it seems “there’s an app for that” for any number of activities on smartphones.

One of these, which may seem convenient and tempting to use, is a photo-estimating app from several insurance companies used to document collision damage. Some of these companies quickly cut a check to the insured. No muss, no fuss, right? But before you use one, beware there are a number of reasons that using one may leave you shortchanged when it comes time to accurately repair your collision-damaged vehicle. To get a free, accurate estimate for what is required to correctly repair your vehicle, stop by Spirit West Motor Carriage.

Our Estimators Know What to Look for to Write an Accurate Estimate

Spirit West Motor Carriage estimators are trained to look for not only the damage that is obvious but what damage is usually associated with what can be seen. Of course, we can write only the damage we can see before disassembly, but we can more accurately assess the scope of the repair. Can that dent be repaired in four hours or eight? Some damage is difficult to see even with a professional photograph in ideal lighting, and do you trust the opinion of the professional who’s repaired a similar dent? Or would you prefer to listen to the opinion of a “desk reviewer,” someone who’s working over email 1,000 miles away for the insurance company?

The Insurance Company Hopes You Take the Money and Run

Have you ever bought something at the store that required you to mail in a rebate? Why do you think it is that the manufacturer or store doesn’t simply offer a coupon at the time of purchase—or put it on sale? It’s simple, actually. It’s figured out how many people forget to turn in the rebate, or turn it in late, or just figure it’s not worth the hassle. So instead of having to rebate 10 percent of the purchase price, the company only turns over 5 percent, or 7 percent, or whatever it is.

With estimating apps, the more complex the damage is, the more damage there is that can be missed, and the easier it is to fudge the amount of the damage on the low side. The insurance company hopes you will accept the amount that’s on the estimate and never have that minor collision damage repaired. After all, that money can go toward a new TV or a night on the town, right?
But keep in mind when you go to turn in your leased vehicle or trade it in, it’s time to pay the piper. Do you really want to come up with the difference in what you were paid versus what it costs to properly repair the damage?

What if I’ve Already Used an App, Taken the Money, and Now Want a Proper Repair?

If you already used a smartphone app and accepted the payment from the insurance company, come talk to us, anyway. We most likely can help you by writing a thorough estimate and turning in a supplement for the proper amount needed to repair your vehicle.

Spirit West Motor Carriage Auto Body Repair stands ready to assist with all your auto collision repair needs. Contact us at 636.394.1712 Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., or stop by our convenient location at 610 Park Lane, Manchester, MO 63021.