There are many advantages to using an independent body shop over an insurance approved repairer.

Firstly, most people assume that they do not have access to a loan vehicle if they use an independent repair centre like CARS of Grimsby. At CARS, we offer hybrid courtesy vehicles to our customers whilst their vehicles are being repaired.

An independent repair centre like CARS usually attracts customers based on referrals, recommendations and other reviews. Conversely, insurance approved repairers have an endless stream of vehicles to repair, automatically passed to them via insurers and other work providers. Therefore, they do not have to worry so much about reviews based on quality and customer service.

Additionally, just because a repair centre is not insurance approved, does not mean they don’t adhere to high repair standards. When searching for an independent repairer, we would always advise doing due diligence. Here are some questions you could ask:

• Will the estimator be using manufacturer repair methods to create the estimate?
• How long will the repairs be guaranteed for?
• Does the brand of paint used carry a manufacturer warranty?
• Does the repair centre have a complaints procedure?

If you are obtaining estimates from various garages, ask each estimator to explain the repair process to you. This should give you a good idea of who is the most thorough and has the most knowledge.

It is also important to find out whether your chosen repairer will be using new and genuine parts to repair your vehicle. It is worth checking your insurance policy documents as a lot of insurance approved repairers are contracted to use non-genuine and second-hand parts where possible. The benefit of using a high-quality independent repairer (like CARS) is having the peace of mind that your vehicle will be repaired using new and genuine parts. Again, it is important to carry out your due diligence.

An extremely important factor when choosing your repairer, is to ensure that they are equipped to repair vehicles with up-to-date technology. This includes, but is not limited to, recalibrating cameras, lasers and other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Visit our ADAS blog for more information.

Using a local accident repair centre like CARS also means you can revisit us if anything were to go wrong, or if you have any further concerns in the future.  

We always recommend phoning CARS prior to phoning your insurance company to ensure you receive high-quality customer service and credible advice tailored to your individual circumstances.