Q. How can I check the status of my vehicle?
A. Call 757-673-2340.


Q. What are the hours that I can pick up my vehicle?
A. Mon-Fri 7:30am-6:00pm and Sat 8:00am-1:00pm.


Q. What is my warranty?
A. Your repairs are warranted for as long as you own the vehicle.


Q. Where do I get my rental vehicle?
A. Call Enterprise 638-0911.


Q. Can I get maintenance on my vehicle while it is in the shop?
A. Yes. Just let us know what needs to be done and we will send it to service when we are finished with the repairs.


Q. Can I choose my own repair shop?
A. Yes. Provided the repair shop is licensed, your insurer has to try to reach an agreed price with the shop of your choice. If your company cannot reach an "agreed price", they will provide you with the names of licensed shops that can do the repairs for the price the company has determined.


Q. Does my insurance company have to use new parts to repair my car?
A. No. The contract of insurance only obligates the insurance company to restore your vehicle to the same condition it was in before the loss. Sometimes this requires the use of OEM parts and sometimes aftermarket parts can be used.


Q. Do I have to accept non-OEM parts?
A. No. The final choice is yours but if the insurer wants to use non-OEM parts and you decide to use OEM parts, you will have to pay the difference in cost.


Q. Do I have to pay a deductible?
A. When you bought your policy, you chose a deductible for your physical damage coverages. You are responsible for this amount if a claim occurs. Your insurer will deduct that amount from the settlement of your claim.


Q. When and who do I pay my deductible to?
A. If a deductible is required, it is collected at our shop when the repairs are complete.


Q. When will the repairs to my vehicle be complete?
A. Because of the many steps involved in collision repair it is difficult to estimate the amount of time it will take to complete. Completion time is dependent on insurance approval, parts availability, and compensating for any supplements that may not be included in the original estimate. These are only some of the steps involved in the repair of your vehicle, and each step may occur in its own timeframe, making it impossible to determine an exact completion date. Your advisor can estimate the amount of time that it will take to repair your vehicle, but please remember that this is only an estimate.


Q. What if my vehicle has frame damage?
A. Most cars today are built using unibody construction, meaning that the frame and body of the car are welded together. That means that usually, when your car is involved in a collision, it will have some type of movement to the unibody. With our specialized equipment, we are able to straighten or replace the damaged part to within factory approved specs.


Q. How long, after repairs, should I wait before washing my vehicle?
A. After the completion of vehicle repairs, you are welcome to hand wash your vehicle as soon as you'd like, but we do not recommend waxing or taking the vehicle through an automated car wash.


Definitions of Commonly Used Terms:


Betterment: Term used in the insurance industry when a part such as a tire is replaced, and the insurance company pays for the unworn part and the customer pays for the amount that was worn.

Blending/Blnd: The gradual shading of paint from one panel to the next to assure color consistency.

Deductible: A dollar amount, specified in most insurance policies, beyond which insurance protection begins. The insured assumes the loss up to the limit of the deductible.

Frame Alignment: Procedure by which the frame of a vehicle that has been damaged in an accident is restored to the manufacturer's specifications.

Non-OEM: All parts that are considered Aftermarket, Economy, and Salvage that are not made by the original manufacturer.

OEM: Original equipment manufacturer. Usually refers to replacement parts for a vehicle that were made by the same manufacturer as the car, rather than replacement parts made elsewhere.

Recycled Parts: Parts of a vehicle that have been used, and are bought from a recycler.

Related Prior Damage: Damage to the vehicle that occurred prior to the current loss. When prior damage exists, the estimator determines an amount to be deducted from the cost to repair or replace the damaged part since the part was not in original condition when the current loss occurred.

R&I (Remove and Install)/R&R (Remove and Replace): Refers to a flat rate labor for the removal and reinstallation of the same or new part or assembly.

Supplement: A supplement is created if a change or addition must be made to an estimate where a final print has been produced.

Unrelated Prior Damage: Damage to a part of the vehicle that was present prior to the current loss.