Can your insurance company choose your body shop in California?

What California law says

Section 758.5 of the California Insurance Code sets the ground rules for how insurers deal with repair shops after a claim:

• An insurer may not require that your car be repaired at a specific shop.
• An insurer may suggest a shop only if you ask for a referral, or after you have been told in writing that you have the right to choose.
• If an insurer does recommend a shop, it must also pay to restore the car to its pre-loss condition, within the terms of your policy, and send you a written notice of your right to choose within five days.
• Once you have chosen a shop, the insurer may not suggest that you move the car somewhere else.
• If your policy names a preferred shop and you choose a different one, the insurer cannot lower what it pays based on the preferred shop's prices.

Your Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights

California regulations (10 CCR § 2695.85) require insurers to give you a written Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights when you apply for a policy, when it is issued, and after you report an accident. It lists six rights:

1. You may choose the auto body shop that repairs your car.
2. You are entitled to an itemized written estimate, and a detailed invoice when the repair is finished that says whether parts are new, used, aftermarket, reconditioned or rebuilt.
3. You must be told what your policy covers for towing and storage.
4. You must be told what your policy covers for a rental car while yours is being repaired.
5. You must be told where to report suspected fraud or other complaints about auto body repair.
6. You may get an independent estimate from a registered repair shop, even while your claim is open.

What to tell your insurance company

When you report the claim, or when the adjuster calls, tell them which shop you have chosen. One sentence is enough:

“I'd like my car repaired at Eurocraft Auto Collision Center, 18541 Valley Blvd, La Puente, (626) 998-9001.”

If the repair costs more than the first estimate

The first estimate is often written before the car is taken apart, so it only covers damage that can be seen from the outside. Once damaged parts are removed, the shop may find more: bent brackets, cracked mounts, damage behind the bumper.

When that happens, the shop photographs and documents what it found and sends the insurer a supplement — a request to add those items to the claim. The insurer reviews it before that work goes ahead. A supplement is a normal part of collision repair, not a sign that something went wrong.

Where to get help

If you believe an insurer is steering you to a shop or not handling your claim properly, you can contact the California Department of Insurance consumer hotline at (800) 927-4357, or file a complaint at insurance.ca.gov.