City Body’s Frequently Asked Questions

The first thing you should do after an accident is ensure that everyone involved is okay, and nobody is in need of medical attention. If medical attention is needed, of course you should first call an ambulance. Depending on where the accident happened, you may want to notify the police, which is up to the local state law. 

After that, you’ll want to exchange insurance information with the other driver, as well as your name, address, and phone number. This will allow any repair work or medical needs to be covered, depending on who is found to be at fault in the accident. Because of this, it is always the best idea to contact your insurance agent to see what steps should be taken. 

It all comes down to what your insurance company decides to do. Once they’ve evaluated all of the damages, they have three options. They can pay for your vehicle to be repaired, replaced, or reimburse you for your car’s actual cash value. The latter is whatever the car would’ve sold for when you got in the accident. Typically this is reserved for whenever your car is totaled, or is beyond what would be possible to to be repaired. Additionally, this might occur when repair costs exceeds the amount of actual cash value. Your insurance company may also total your car if the damages are equal to 80% of the actual cash value, and hidden damages are found after the repairs have begun. 

There are a few different certifications that you’ll want to look for within an auto body shop.The two main ones are I-CAR and Automotive Service Excellence, also known as ASE. Additional certifications may also be applicable, depending on where the shop is located. This will also tell you that all of their technicians are properly trained and certified. 

When neither of the two individuals involved in a collision or car accident are found to be at fault, this will fall under no-fault insurance. In this case, both parties will be compensated by their own insurance company, regardless of whose fault it was. 

It’s important to know the difference between the two when you are purchasing insurance. The breakdown is pretty simple. 

Collision physical damage coverage is the direct result of your car having an accident or collision, for instance. This is when your car comes into contact with another vehicle or an object, such as if you hit a car in a parking lot. Any damages that occur to your car will be paid under the collision coverage. 

Comprehensive coverage would cover all other physical damages, such as if there’s a natural incident such as hale. Your car would be covered under comprehensive coverage in those instances. 

Yes you are, provided the repair shop is licensed. Your insurance will then attempt to reach an agreed price with the shop. In the cases where an agreed price cannot be met, they will then provide you with a list of repair shops that can meet the needs of your vehicle. 

Yes they will. If you are unfamiliar with any repair shops in the area, your insurance company will provide a qualified shop that is logistically convenient to where you currently are.

No. Your insurance company is only required to have your vehicle restored to the same working condition it was before the accident. This could be with either original equipment or even some after-market parts that are made by another manufacturer. 

You do not have to accept the parts that are made by another manufactuer. However, if there is a price difference, you may have to pay whatever it is. 

This is dependent on the insurance policy that you purchased. The higher the amount of your deductible will mean the lower the cost of your physical damage coverage. This will be deducted from the settlement amount of your claim.