What to do after an Accident?
Ensure your vehicle is roadworthy before you drive it again. For example, check that the lights still work, there is no dangerous bodywork that may injure other road users and there are no leaking fluids.
Choosing your repairer
Remember it is your vehicle and you can choose who repairs it. Many Insurers have networks of their ‘Approved’ repairers. They may try and convince you to have your car repaired where they choose. This is for their convenience only, not yours!
Don’t be unduly influenced by insurers suggestions of delays and extra costs if you don’t do as they say. You are entitled to consider the benefits of dealing with the garage of your choice. Remember you are not obliged to have your car repaired at an insurance nominated garage.
Insurance excess
Your policy excess is the amount that you must pay towards the repair bill. You will need to pay this to ourselves when the repair is completed. For third party claims, you may be able to reclaim this back from the third party if the accident was not your fault.
Total loss
Your insurer may choose to ‘write off’ your vehicle making it a total loss. This could occur when the repair cost is very high in comparison to vehicle market value. If this happens they will pay you the money and keep the vehicle to dispose of as they see fit.
Estimating and Assessment Procedure
Only one estimate is required. We will submit this to the insurer, with all cost of parts, labour and materials. An Insurance Assessor may need to inspect the damage, if that is the case, we will
contact you to arrange a convenient time with you. Once authorisation is received from your Insurer,we will contact you to book your vehicle in for repairs…
Proper repair of collision damage is critical to the safety and performance of your vehicle. Our certified team of auto collision experts will bring your vehicle back to pre-accident condition.
Having an accident can often be a very traumatic experience no matter how big or small the damage is. Here at Graham Hill Smash Repairs our aim is to make the whole process as stress free as possible for you.
Having completed an estimate on your vehicle, all you have to do then is provide us with your insurance details (or the third parties insurance details) and we will do the rest. If you require a car we can arrange this for you and if it is a non fault accident , we can even arrange for you to be put in a like for like vehicle whilst yours is being repaired. We will keep you informed throughout the repairs and aim to get your vehicle back on the road as soon as possible.
Upon completion of the repairs, your Insurance company may require you to pay an ‘Excess’, this is payable to ourselves, A collection note is signed, and you are then able to drive your car away whilst we will finalise everything with the Insurance Company.
If you’ve had an accident make just one call to our Smash Repair Centre in Smeaton Grange and we’ll help you take the first steps towards getting your vehicle repaired and back on the road. We can notify and liaise with your insurance company, arrange alternative transport and quickly organize for repair estimates to be carried out.