If you live in an area recently hit by a hail storm severe enough to cause dent damage to your vehicle, this is a common question if you carry comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle and want the hail damage repaired. Superior Dent Solutions is an auto hail repair shop located in Austin, TX, and we are NOT a DRP—a direct repair provider. What does this mean?
Direct Repair Provider VS Independent Repair Shop
Direct repair shops are auto body shops or paintless dent repair shops that are contracted with your insurance company in order to be placed on their “DRP” list.
Why would an auto body or paintless dent repair shop want to be a DRP?
When an insurance company partners with a shop, the insurance company sends the shop business. This cuts back on the shop’s advertising dollars and ensures a steady flow of business.
What is the difference between a DRP and an independent local auto body/paintless dent repair shop?
Insurance companies usually choose big box repair shops/franchise shops to partner with for a few reasons.
- One reason is because they have multiple locations in multiple cities.
- Secondly, they are usually corporate-owned, and the business model is primarily based on quantity, not quality.
- DRPs often use aftermarket parts instead of original manufacturer (OEM) parts. These parts are mass-produced to work on a myriad of vehicles. As a result, they tend to be of lower quality and rarely fit as well as they should.
- Finally, labor is cheaper.
Some common DRP shops in the Austin area are Gerber Collision Center, Caliber Collision, Austin Body Works, Crash Champions, Maxwell Ford, and Jeffs Auto Body Repair.
Common Steering Tactics Insurance Company Use
Insurance companies will do everything in their power to send you to one of their DRP shops, they will even employ scare tactics to make you believe that you have no other option. This is all very illegal.
The insurance company sends you to a specific shop for an initial adjuster estimate.
Once you get there and they give you the estimate, the shop tries to tell you that you have to get your repairs done there. They will tell you whatever they can to make you believe THEY are your only option. Insurance companies get very busy with claims when a big hail storm hits your area. Sometimes, they will send their customers to their “Direct Repair Facilities” instead of sending out an adjuster. When they do this, it is an easy way to get you into their pocket.
Remember, DRP shops work for the insurance company to get the best deal so they can pay out less, make as many repairs as possible quickly, and keep a tight grip on the entire hail repair process.
Common scare tactics used in this scenario:
- Insurance won’t cover the repairs if you don’t use them.
- You won’t get a lifetime warranty if you go elsewhere.
- “This is just the process.”
When you file your claim, they start the steering process.
This is when you are most vulnerable. You are already flustered and not sure what your next steps are. Remember, the auto hail repair shop you use to repair your vehicle is your choice. It is called steering, no matter what your insurance company, insurance adjuster, or DRP shop tells you.
For example, this comes directly from State Farm’s website.
“You can choose any shop you like to repair your vehicle’s damage. But if you go with a shop that’s in the State Farm® Select Service network, you could save time and effort.”
Common scare tactics used in this scenario:
- Insurance won’t cover the repairs if you don’t use them.
- You won’t get a lifetime warranty if you go elsewhere.
- They provide the highest quality and most experience.
- This will make the process faster.
Insurance companies know it’s illegal but steering is still a common practice.
Insurance companies call DRPs many names, but they are still DRPs.
Each insurance company has its unique way of convincing you to use one of its preferred shops. They call them many different things, but in the end, they are all just shops that have agreed to get more business in return for a discounted cost.
State Farm = State Farm Select Service®
AllState = Good Hands Repair Network
Liberty Mutual = Guaranteed Repair Network Shop
Farmers = Guaranteed Repair Shops
Esurance = E Star Repair Facility
Know Your Rights
You choose who repairs your vehicle, not the insurance company.
Conclusion: Independent shops work for you. DRPs work for the insurance company.
Research before hiring any auto body shop or paintless dent repair shop.
