It is a norm for insurance companies to have contracts or agreements with a particular vehicle repair shop. They do this so when any of their insured vehicles get involved in a car accident and have damages, they can easily be taken to the body repair shop of their choice.
The insurance company also guarantees the repairs carried out by this body repair shop. Despite the good recommendation these insurance companies give, certain car owners still complain of their car not properly fixed after an insurance claim. What can you do in this same situation?
Car Not Fixed Properly After Insurance Claim
If your car suffered damages and your insurance company referred you to a body repair shop where you ended up not being pleased with the repairs, you should not sign the discharge form. The discharge form is a document that confirms that they did the repairs carried out on a damaged vehicle to the satisfaction of the vehicle owner.
You should have a conversation with the repairer and explain why you are not totally pleased with the repairs carried out on your vehicle. If the repairer disagrees with you, then you can talk about this with your insurance company.
You should be aware that the body repair shop can actually paint certain replacement parts to match your vehicle. Maybe your insurance policy might not cover painting the rest of the vehicle to match the new parts.
It is also possible for your insurance policy to permit second-hand parts to be used when repairing your vehicle. After considering all of these, if you and your insurance company still fail to resolve the quality of repair carried out on your vehicle, it is okay for you to kick off the disputes process.
If your insurance company doesn’t guarantee the work done on your vehicle by an approved or non-approved repairer, then you can try negotiating with the repairer. It is done by filing a complaint against your insurance company. You can also make a formal complaint if this doesn’t resolve the issue.
If this also doesn’t work, then you can proceed to file a complaint with the dispute tribunal in acknowledgment of the fact that the repairs done on your vehicle do not meet up with the Consumer Guarantee Act (CGA).
Under the Consumer Guarantee Act, if a repair is carried out on your vehicle, then the repair must be of an acceptable standard, and the repair should also be done using reasonable care and skill.
Another thing that you should note is that if you refuse to pay the repairer, they might not allow you to leave the workshop with your vehicle until both of you resolve your dispute. The code of practice when an insurance company refers you to a body repair shop to fix your vehicle includes;
Handling complaints regarding the timeliness and quality of work done by the repairer
Accepting responsibility for the quality of materials used and for the quality of work done on a damaged vehicle
If, after taking the dispute to the dispute tribunal and the verdict goes in your favor, then the insurance company is obliged to fix the repairs once again.
If the verdict also goes the way of the insurance company, then you still have the option of taking the insurance company to court, but one fact we always want you to have at the back of your mind is consulting with a legal practitioner before going to court.
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