Getting Your Car Fixed: Your Insurance vs. Their Insurance — What's Different

When your car needs repairs after an accident, there are two paths:

Path 1: Your insurance (collision coverage) — You pay your deductible, your insurer pays the rest. Fault doesn't matter initially.

Path 2: Their insurance (liability claim) — The at-fault driver's insurer pays everything. No deductible. But they have to accept fault first, which can cause delays.

Brad DeBry sees this constantly: "The insurance company was still trying to decide who was at fault. They were putting her off. So we had her go to her own collision coverage to quickly get into a rental and get moving. Then went back and got the money reimbursed from the other carrier."

Pro tip: If the other driver's insurance is stalling, use your own collision coverage. Get your deductible back later.

Both insurers will push you toward their "preferred" shops. DeBry is clear: "Insurance companies use preferred shops to control their repair costs. You get to choose where you want your car fixed. Don't let the adjuster intimidate you."

"Across the country, there have been lawsuits against some of the biggest insurance companies over how they use these preferred shops."

Your rights: You choose the shop. The insurer must restore your car to pre-loss condition regardless. Get your own estimate from a shop you trust.

The insurance estimator's job is to save the company money. DeBry warns: "They'll look to see if your car has had other claims or repairs. If they can, they'll blame the damage on anything they can find other than your crash."

Be honest about pre-existing damage. But be insistent about damage from this crash. "If you have pictures, video, or anything else to prove the damage wasn't there, use everything you have."

When the shop says done, don't just drive away. DeBry emphasizes: "Be absolutely certain it's fixed the way you want it. Compare panels, compare colors. Look for waves in the panels. Look for the texture of the paint. Check for orange peel."

Check: Panel alignment, paint match in sunlight, panel gaps, mechanical function.

"Most policies and most state laws require the insurance company to put your car back the way it was before the crash. Don't settle for poor repairs."

And remember: if insurance fixed your car instead of totaling it, you likely have a diminished value claim on top of the repairs.