AUTOMOTIVE & COLLISION

3445 Main, Springfield, Oregon 97478 Phone (541) 726-8453 Fax (541) 746-7085

INSURE YOUR SATISFACTION

Common Insurance Misconceptions
And Insurance Terms Our Customers Often Ask About

Finding a new automobile insurance company is a major purchasing decision, which should require some research. We usually find that most consumers do not really know how their insurance company´s claims are processed until they have an accident. It can be devastating for a person to pay years of auto insurance premiums only to be dissatisfied with their coverage.

Dealing with auto insurance processing is a part of A Street Automotive´s business and as such we get many questions from our customers about insurance. The following is a list of common insurance misconceptions and insurance terms our customers often ask about.

Rental Car Coverage: Many auto insurance policies do not cover rental cars unless the consumer specifically asks for it. Speak up or you will not be covered.
Towing: Most policies do not cover towing unless it also specifically requested. The extent of towing coverage can usually be adjusted according to needs.
Deductibles: Most policies have a deductible. The deductible is the amount of "out of pocket" money that the consumer must pay the repair facility at the time that they pick up their vehicle. The amount of your deductible will vary according to how expensive your premiums are. Remember, your deductible applies only to your own vehicle. It is a common misconception that the cost of the deductible can be waived or buried into the repair by the collision repair facility. It should be common sense that the cost of the deductible must be deleted from the repair process in some way. If the deductible is buried the profit margin on even the best collision job is not great enough to cover the deductible. At A Street we are only interested in dealing with customers up front, meeting their needs and delivering total quality. If a repair facility offers to waive or bury a deductible be careful. This type of shop must be cutting corners somewhere on the repair to cover their profit margin.
Used Parts: Insurance estimates use the code L.K.Q. which means like kind quality, which indicates used parts. In some circumstances good quality used parts are fine. If you have questions about used parts check with your insurance company.
After Market Parts: After market parts are new parts which are not produced by the original manufacturer of your vehicle. Most after market parts are produced overseas. In some cases after market parts are appropriate. We prefer O.E.M. (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts if allowed.
Betterment: This is the term used when a part such as a tire or a battery must be replaced with a new one. Most batteries or tires have a certain amount of wear on them. In some cases the insurance adjuster will measure the wear on the original tire or battery and have the customer pay a percentage of the difference.
Appearance Allowance: This is the term used when the customer agrees to not have a small blemish repaired. In return, the insurance company will return to the customer a cost percentage of that damaged item. When consumers purchase their insurance policy it is important to ask the right questions to alleviate future frustrations. They call insurance payments premiums so be sure to get premium service.

AUTOMOTIVE & COLLISION

COLLISION-BODY-PAINT SHOP

INSURE YOUR SATISFACTION

Common Insurance MisconceptionsAnd Insurance Terms Our Customers Often Ask About

Common Insurance Misconceptions
And Insurance Terms Our Customers Often Ask About