progressive claim for car repair

[fac]

As in my previous thread, my car was parked and was hit my another car.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2554692

I was not at fault and their insurance, progressive, finally agreed to repair my car.

My car is a toyota, but progressive sent me to its network of repair shops. I was told the shop will give me an estimate, I can either leave the car to repair and drive off with a rental, or the shop will give me a check for the repair. If I choose, I can bring the car to another shop and if the cost of repair were higher, then the two repair shops will talk.

Has anyone ever sent their car to be repaired by Progressive's network of repair shops? I know Progressive just has contract with them.

 

[Shmily1]

All the time. We have Progressive and they are great!! The work is guaranteed as long as it's done at one of thier network shops. DD19 got her car back from one last week. At the shop we took her car to, you can't tell it was hit. I also got hit and run in May and this same shop fixed my car. When DD was 17, I had special ordered her a Mustang and before it had 2000 miles on it, she hit a deer. It was over $6000 in damage and when they got finished with it, you couldn't tell it was ever wrecked.

 

[cheap traveler]

The #1 thing to remember is if you leave your car at that shop, they work for PROGRESSIVE, they DO NOT work for you. If you take the car to a shop of your choice, they will get a fair amount to repair the car, and they work FOR YOU.

What does this mean for you, the vehicle owner? It means that you get decent parts put on your car, almost all repair shops warranty their repairs (its the law in NY, possibly where you are too), and Progressive doesn't get away with paying way too little for repairs.

These "direct repair" shops are the #1 reason honest, hard working, small shops can't stay in business - they allow a rediculously low labor rate, give big discounts on parts, and do crappy work.

Can you tell I own a repair shop??

 

[seashoreCM]

Life from Progressive (ding) (radio commercial)

How long does the "network" shop guarantee the repair?
How convenient is the network shop to where you are (live or work)?
Do they give a loaner as opposed to rent you a substitute car?

In the old days you got two or three estimates and the insurance company wrote you out a check close to if not the lowest.

Some time ago I took two cars to Maaco (a body shop chain). One was accident damaged although the adjuster did not suggest Maaco. The other just needed "rehab" and got a repainting. The color did not "quite" match although not too noticeably on the accident damaged car only a part of which was repainted. A few years later the headlight lens (only one car needed one) that was an off brand turned yellowish. The body work, which was filler (Bondo) as opposed to a new fender) lasted at least six years after which another accident in the same place (never repaired) cracked it up.

Hmmm. When you choose a "non-network" shop and the two shops and the insurance company "will talk", is there a chance that the shop you chose starts working for the insurance company instead of for you?

 

[Shmily1]

The #1 thing to remember is if you leave your car at that shop, they work for PROGRESSIVE, they DO NOT work for you. If you take the car to a shop of your choice, they will get a fair amount to repair the car, and they work FOR YOU.

What does this mean for you, the vehicle owner? It means that you get decent parts put on your car, almost all repair shops warranty their repairs (its the law in NY, possibly where you are too), and Progressive doesn't get away with paying way too little for repairs.

These "direct repair" shops are the #1 reason honest, hard working, small shops can't stay in business - they allow a rediculously low labor rate, give big discounts on parts, and do crappy work.

Can you tell I own a repair shop??

That may be the case where you are, but it's not here. The person that owns the shop here actually called me to tell me the Progressive man was going to call and request that I pick up the car before the over the top stripes were finished and I told him that I would not pick it up until it was completely ready. He told me thank you so much for that because he didn't want it leaving until it was finished. Ford had sent the wrong color stripes. I work directly with the guy at the shop way more than the guy at Progressive. Needless to say, he seems to be honest and hard-working too.