Estimates typically take between 20-30 minutes.
Here’s how the estimate process at Barron Collision Center. We:
Inspection of visible damage
Documenting visible damage (written)
Documenting visible damage (pictures)
Entering all information into estimating system
Receive your estimate
Select YOUR choice of which shop you’d like the repairs done at
Insurance companies will try to push or coerce their customers to a shop in their Direct Repair Program, which is a partnership with a specific shop and an insurance companies. In the State of Wisconsin you have the right to choose where you would like the repairs done at. It is ILLEGAL for an insurance company to force you or make you believe that you must have the repairs done at a specific shop. We advise customers to NOT select a DRP shop or a shop recommended by insurance, even if it’s not our shop.
Shops in a DRP program (Direct Repair Program) work with insurance to cut costs on repairs and parts, usually leading to less quality parts and less quality repairs to save the insurance company money. We work for YOU, not your insurance company. We’re dedicated to providing the highest quality repairs and parts possible.
Having your insurance company complete an estimate first will usually streamline the repair process. Shops are required to “match” an insurance company’s estimate in order to begin working on the vehicle, even if the insurance estimate is lower than the initial estimate.
Picture-Only estimates provided by insurance typically leave out much of the damage an in-person inspection can find and add to the estimate.