If you have damaged your car in an accident, you may be considering what to do next. Whether it's major or minor damage to the body of the car, you are likely to need smash repairs; these are emergency repairs to external and internal car parts.
Your insurance broker will need to approve any repairs that your dealer undertakes so make sure you contact them as soon as possible after your accident. Once the claim has been assessed, the repairs process can begin. There are three repair options available to you.
Cost effective smash repairs
This is the lowest price repair package which ensures that the functionality of the vehicle is restored at the lowest possible cost. The extent of repairs will be kept to the absolute minimum and expenditure on parts will be reduced, this may mean reconditioning or recycling parts when possible. This kind of repair is suitable for older vehicles or in situations when the look of the car is unimportant.
Insurance repairs
In this package, the extent of the repairs will be determined by the budget allocated by your insurer. Obviously, the level of repair will be determined by the nature of your insurance contract. Insurance repairs will usually be carried out using a mixture of new and recycled replacement parts in order to keep within budget. This kind of repair is recommended if you do not wish to pay any extra costs over and above the insurance settlement.
Full repairs
Full repairs will completely restore your vehicle to the condition it was in before the accident. All replacement parts will be ordered new from the manufacturer. Precision equipment will be used to ensure the repair is carried out to the highest specification. Full repairs can include remoulding panels and respraying areas of paintwork. This repair option is suitable if your car is new or especially valuable. However, you should be prepared to pay extra costs above the insurance settlement if you opt for a full repair service.
The extent of the damage, the terms of the insurers settlement and the amount of money available to you are all factors in your decision as to which repair option to go for. In some cases you will want to restore the vehicle to its original pre-accident state (full repair) whereas in others you may wish to go for the cheapest option (cost-effective repairs). Whatever your situation, it is recommended that you do your research and seek out a reliable garage that is registered to carry out smash repairs.
