No one wants to be involved in an accident. The experience can be scary, especially if you get injured. After an accident, there are many things you have to take care of. These include medical bills, insurance claims, police reports, etc. Moreover, you will have to get your vehicle fixed.

 

If you know of a reputable auto body shop, you can be sure your vehicle will be repaired within a short time. Here are some things to consider when choosing an auto body shop.

 

Check the Shop's Certifications

You can know whether or not a shop has a good reputation by checking its certifications. Majority of auto shops you will come across do not have manufacturer's certifications. The Shadetree Automotive with manufacturer's certifications means the mechanics are trained to work on specific vehicles. Certification also means the shops have the right tools to work on the manufacturers' specific car models.

 

In some states, there are different industry associations that auto body shops may be members of. Check that the state auto industry associations recognize the shop you want to take your vehicle to. It is also advisable to confirm whether the technicians of the auto body shops have been certified by the national auto associations.

 

Is Warranty Offered?

Auto experts indicate that top auto shops should offer lifetime warranty for their services. A warranty should be offered whether the bill will be paid by the customer or insurance company. "Lifetime" here means over the usable life of the vehicle. Generally, workmanship should be offered with a lifetime warranty. Apart from this, vehicle parts should be subject to the vendor's warranty. If an auto body shop does not offer warranty, this should raise a red flag. To know more about auto repair shop, check out http://www.ehow.com/cars/auto-repair/.

 

Select the Shop You Want

Sometimes, you may want to take your damaged vehicle to the shop that your insurer recommends. However, according to the law, it is not mandatory to take a damaged vehicle to a particular shop that the insurer recommends. You can go to any auto body repair shop. Therefore, do not be coerced by the insurance company to choose a shop you are not comfortable with.

 

Keep in mind that the auto body shop is working for you and not the insurance company. The last thing you want is to take your vehicle to a shop that will take short cuts with your vehicle because it has ties with the insurance company.

 

Licensing of the Shop

Finally, make sure the auto body shop you want to work with is licensed. To confirm the licensing status of the auto body shop, contact your local chamber of commerce office. Visit http://www.shadetreeautomotive.net/mini-service if you have questions.