Collision Repair

It’s the Law & Your Rights

BK Custom Coatings is approved by Toyota for the repairs in the Brantford area and is highly recommended by Hogewoning Toyota.

Your Rights as a Toyota (Vehicle) Owner
Unfortunately, accidents do happen. When they do, it’s important to restore your vehicle to its pre-accident condition. If your vehicle can’t be driven, your first challenge is what to do with your vehicle. Fortunately, if your Toyota is within the three-year (60,000 km) basic warranty or you have purchased Roadside Assistance coverage, you simply call 1-888-TOYOTA8 (1-888-869-6828) and an approved towing company will be dispatched free-of-charge. If you are not covered by either of these options, we understand your dilemma, as a courtesy to all Toyota owners, we invite you to call the 1-888-TOYOTA8 number and an approved towing company will be arranged on a customer-pay basis.

Next, contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident. Your insurance company may try to direct you to a particular body shop to obtain an estimate and/or to do the repair. Under no circumstances are you legally obligated to go to this shop. As the vehicle owner and payer of the insurance premium, it is your right to choose the collision repair facility that you would prefer to repair your Toyota.

Make sure your insurance company knows that your expectations as a Toyota owner are that: Your vehicle be restored to its pre-accident condition using Genuine Toyota Collision Parts, and the actual repairs be carried out by a Toyota Certified Collision Centre or a facility referred by your Toyota dealer. Remember: IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHO REPAIRS YOUR VEHICLE!

In an Accident? Know Your Rights!
As motorists, one of the most traumatic events we can endure is a car accident. Even a minor fender bender can leave our hearts racing long after we’ve exchanged information with the other driver. And even when everyone is safe from injuries, the claims and collision repair process is stressful and time-consuming.

Know Your Rights When It Comes to Collision Repair!
The last thing you are probably prepared to worry about is the intricacy of the collision repair. And by “intricacy,” we mean the back-and-forth, give-and-take negotiations that often occur between the insurance company and the body shop. After all, the body shop wants to repair your vehicle while earning enough revenue to stay in business, and the insurer wants to minimize its costs while returning healthy dividends to its shareholders. Where does that leave you? Well, in some cases, watching out for yourself.

This is one scenario where information truly is power, and even though we don’t do collision repair, we assembled our in-house team of auto experts to brief you on your rights when it comes to choosing a body shop and understanding the two basic groups of repair parts.

Which Body Shop Should I Choose?
By law, you have the right to choose any auto body shop you want to complete the repairs on your vehicle. This may seem obvious, but your insurance company or the estimator may encourage you to choose one of the insurer’s preferred shops. The insurance companies have established networks of preferred shops, which are known as “direct repair programs” or DRPs. (Google the term if you want a taste of the controversy.) The insurance company may promise a quicker repair process or offer a better warranty if you use one of their shops. They may casually tell you to take it to “XYZ Shop” and make it seem as if you don’t have a choice. Or they may simply ask if you need a recommendation.

There’s no guarantee choosing one of their shops is in your best interest, and this is one reason many provinces have passed “anti-steering laws” that protect consumer choice. Imagine if you have to negotiate additional funds to cover the repairs. The shop will be caught between pleasing you and conforming to the insurance company’s wishes so as not to lose the influx of referrals from the DRP. To be fair, many body shops participate in DRPs and perform quality repairs. Some also participate and feel pressured to cut corners. (Again, Google the issue if you want more details.) The bottom line is: Know your rights, and choose a shop you trust and are comfortable with.

What Type of Parts Are Used in the Repair?
There are two basic types of collision repair parts. OEM (original equipment manufacturer) body parts are the door skins, hoods, trunk lids and headlight assemblies your car manufacturer originally put on your car. They weren’t made by your car maker but by a top tier, proven suppliers. Non-OEM or aftermarket crash parts are typically made overseas by companies not affiliated with your car maker. In some cases, the quality of the non-OEM parts is there. In some cases, it’s not.

Insurance companies want to use non-OEM parts because they cost less. But many collision repairers question the quality. They have had to finagle too many hoods, fenders and trunk lids over the years to make them fit properly, and they’ve seen cases where the long-term corrosion protection wasn’t the same. As a consumer, you might never notice a visible difference. But you at least have a right to understand the parts debate, especially if you have a newer car. (Google “aftermarket crash parts” for in-depth discussions and videos pitting the quality of non-OEM against OEM.)

The laws vary from place to place, with some laws saying an insurer cannot specify the use of non-OEM parts and a body shop cannot use non-OEM parts, unless the customer is advised in writing. If the insurance company prepares the estimate using non-OEM parts, the estimate must clearly identify each non-OEM part and must include a disclosure statement that reads as follows: “This estimate has been prepared based on the use of crash parts supplied by a source other than the manufacturer of your motor vehicle. Warranties applicable to these replacement parts are provided by the manufacturer or distributor of these parts rather than the manufacturer of your vehicle.”

You can insist on OEM parts and enlist the help of the body shop and your insurance agent to go to bat for you. In some cases, the insurer may agree to OEM parts but require you to pay the difference. If you feel really strongly about the issue, seek out an insurance company that promises to use only OEM replacement parts.