Certified Collision Center

Auto insurance doesn’t have to be confusing! Policies have various requirements depending on your situation, but auto insurance basics are easy to understand with a little research. Today we’re going to look at one of the most common questions people have when picking auto insurance: “What’s the different between collision and comprehensive insurance, and do I need to buy a policy that has this type of coverage?”

Collision Insurance

Collisions insurance covers damage primarily related to accidents. This type of policy covers damage that others may do to your car (accidentally running into you, backing into your car, etc.) as well as damage you may do to your car in accidents you cause in similar situations. It also covers damage done even when someone else isn’t involved, such as accidentally hitting a tree or mailbox.

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance covers a variety of other events that can cause damage to your car, but aren’t related to accidents – or, at least, don’t have clear liability. That includes weather damage from hail or wind and nature-related damage like rat nests or crashes into an animal. It also includes rare events like fires that damage your car, objects that fall on your car, and nearby explosions that damage your car. Perhaps most importantly, comprehensive insurance covers theft and theft-related damage to your car, making it a very popular option in areas that have higher levels of car theft or vandalism.

Insurance Requirements

Collision and comprehensive auto insurance are typically sold together, either bundled with a general liability plan, or sold separately as a potential add-on. However, you can usually add them individually if you only want one, depending on your policy and your needs. States generally don’t require collision and comprehensive insurance, only basic liability policies.

However, lenders are an entirely different matter. If you take out an auto loan to purchase a vehicle, then your lender will probably require that you also get collision and comprehensive insurance, to better protect the investment the lender has made in giving you a loan. The same is also true of leasing a car: Leasing company will almost always require you to get collision and comprehensive insurance.

If you own your car, then it’s your decision whether or not to get these extra types of insurance. Costs can be significantly higher: In some states, policies with collision and comprehensive are twice as expensive as policies without them! However, the extra cost may be worthwhile if it covers important repairs to a newer vehicle. If you have an old car – especially one that has seen better days – then this type of insurance is rarely worth the added cost to your policy. The exception is if you absolutely need a car for your livelihood and are worried about theft in your area.

Nothing is more annoying than a dent in a new car – and the decisions you have to make afterward. Whether it’s a minor ding from a shopping cart or dents from a hailstorm, you have to decide if it’s worth it to pay for the repair…and if the result will look like right.

Fortunately, there’s a repair technology that can help with exactly this situation, and it’s called paintless dent repair (PDR). This is a process of apply pressure from inside the car panel as well as suction from outside, and it offers several advantages for small repairs!

Save Money on Paint

Locating and applying the right color of paint to your car can be an expensive process, especially for unusual colors. Painteless dent removal, when done correctly, will remove the dent and buff out any remaining marks without the need to use new paint. This can significantly lower the costs of repairs, which can really add up if you are dealing with multiple dents at the same time.

Speedier Repairs

Without the need to hunt down the right paint – or apply the necessary coats and wait for them to dry – PDR is very time efficient. Minor repairs can be done in a day! There’s no need to go without your vehicle for weeks at a time…which is much more convenient for the customer. Also, successful PDR restores the strength of the panel so there’s less change of damage in the future.

A Better Option for Unique Situations

If you have a luxury car, it may have a more unique paint job that could be difficult to replicate. Or maybe you’ve done some personal detailing on your beloved car that no one else could really repair. Paintless dent repair can help repair cars like these without the need to repaint, essentially restoring original quality. Likewise, if you have an older car then you don’t have to worry about the paint color not really matching between of sun damage and wear.

Environmental Benefits

No paints, glues or sealants are required when PDR go according to plan. This makes the process much better for the environment – and safer for the specialists working on your car, too!

Professional Recommendations

Not sure if paintless dent removal is a possible solution for your car damage? Ask the experts! Auto body shop mechanics that do PDR can examine the dents on your car and let you know just what repairs will look like, and how much they will cost. In some cases, some dents may be eligible for PDR while others (especially dents where pain has chipped off or the paint surface has cracked) will not be eligible. Professionals can explain this to you and give you a variety of repair options, reflected in your estimate, so you can make the best choices for your vehicle.

Your car is under attack! At least, its paint job is. You’re surrounded by elements that can do damage to your car’s paint. However, they are fairly easy to combat if you know what to do. Here are 5 elements that pose a danger to your car’s paint.

1. The Sun

There’s a reason people selling used cars boast about the ones that are garage-kept. Your car’s paint takes a beating just sitting in the driveway. Prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays will fade paint over time. And extended periods of high temperatures will further degrade your car’s paint job.

Keep your vehicle in a garage or carport whenever possible. This includes home and work. If you have the choice between surface-level and garage parking, choose the garage.

2. Hail

Hail is an obvious culprit, too. Not only can hail damage your car’s paint finish, but severe hailstorms can also dent metal surfaces and damage other materials on your vehicle. If hail is expected in your area, keep your vehicle in the garage if possible. If you have no shelter available for your car or truck, you can try to get creative. We’ve seen people use foam, air mattresses, or even pool floats to soften the blow.

3. Tree Sap

Tree sap is a big offender in the springtime for those who park under trees. You may even be careful about this at home and still get sap-bombed when parked around town. Tree sap is a sticky mess when it’s fresh, but it’s a nightmare once the sun dries it onto your vehicle’s paint.

There’s no 100% foolproof way to remove dried-on sap. We recommend spraying rubbing alcohol and then wiping the sap down with a microfiber cloth. The earlier you can do this, the better your chance of success.

One word of warning: don’t force sap off. If you apply too much pressure, you may succeed in removing the sap. You’ll just take a section of your car’s paint with it.

4. Bird Poop

Bird poop is unsightly and unpleasant, of course, but it seems like just a nuisance. Don’t fall into this trap! Bird poop contains partly digested seeds and berries, which can be highly acidic. Also, as a natural waste product, it contains uric acid, which can further damage your car’s paint.

The good news is bird poop is easy to clean. Just wipe it up with a damp cloth as soon as you notice it. If you don’t leave it on your vehicle for a while, it’s unlikely to cause damage.

5. Bug Guts

Bug guts are another potential source of damage. Certain months of the year are what we call “bug season.” You’ll have a hard time taking a road trip without plastering your grille and windshield with bug guts. The problem here again is the acid content of those bugs. Acidic residues can eat through your paint’s finish if not dealt with promptly. Soak and scrub off those bug guts as soon as you can.

Got questions, or see the damage that you can’t fix on your own? Call us today!

Most people know your favorite body shop is the place to go when your vehicle receives exterior, or body, damage.  You might be surprised to learn, though, that your body shop can also make a few key interior auto repairs as well. In fact, these are the types of auto body repairs that can transform your car’s interior and have it looking as good as, if not better than, new to you.

1. Repair Cracks in the Plastic and Hard Vinyl

These types of repairs are not for the faint of heart to try at home. Auto body shops, on the other hand, have specialty crack fillers and buffing tricks that can smooth out problem areas and have them looking as though they’ve never been damaged.

2. Carpet Reconditioning

Tired drab carpets in your car’s interior can be a dead giveaway of your car’s age and the abuse your family puts your car through day in and day out. Even with the best of care, it doesn’t take long for the carpet inside your car to begin showing signs of wear, pick up stains, and look generally dirty. Auto body shops have special shampoos and extraction methods to remove even the most stubborn stains and debris from your vehicles carpeting so it looks showroom new for you in no time.

3. Stain Removal

Stains on your seats are just as unsightly and unpleasant as stains in the carpeting of your car. Talented auto body shops have more than a few good tricks up their sleeves to eliminate stains from spilled food, beverages, and goodness knows what else in your vehicle. While there may be no crying over spilt milk, the spoiled smell it leaves behind might bring tears to your eyes. Your body shop can handle these unpleasant odors too, like the pros they are. When they are finished your car’s interior will have that “new car” look and smell to it.

4. Bringing Your Leather Back to Life

Leather interiors are investments you make in your prolonged enjoyment of your vehicle. It looks great and feels even better. Whether the leather in your car is on your seats, steering wheel, dashboards, consoles, or elsewhere, it has the tendency to pick up an enormous amount of dirt and debris that can cause its beauty to fade and diminish over time. Auto body shops understand how important a touch like this can be and can help you restore your leather back to its former glory for a car interior you’re sure to fall in love with all over again.

5. Headliner Replacement

One of the most bothersome interior repairs for automobile owners is a headliner that is ripped, dirty, or beginning to sag. It robs you of your enjoyment of your vehicle and can cause more than a small amount of embarrassment when giving friends or family rides around town. Your local auto body repair shop can replace your failing headliner for a car interior that looks put together and road ready.

These are just five of the great ways your local body shop can help make the inside of your vehicle look as beautiful and new as your car’s exterior.

auto body repiar

With all the cars on the roads these days, the occasional minor car accident almost seems like an inevitability. Little fender benders are all too common, all over the country. While huge and/or catastrophic accidents are less common, dozens of them still happen ever day in the United States. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to drive defensively and safely. However, you cannot control what other drivers do. This means you cannot eliminate the risk of a car accident entirely.

If you are in a car accident and are not injured (or not seriously), here are the five steps you should take immediately afterward to ensure everyone’s safety and wellbeing.

1. Take Pictures of the Accident Scene

You will probably have your phone with you in your car, and that phone probably has a camera on it. Once you are sure you are okay, as well as anyone who is in your car with you, get out and take pictures of the accident scene. Make sure you are safe while doing this by staying out of the way of traffic and away from cars that are on fire, smoking, have their wheels still turning, or otherwise look dangerous.

Having these pictures from immediately after the accident will make sorting everything out much easier for the police. They will also help your insurance company determine who is at fault, how much damage was done, and how much compensation they should pay you or an involved party if any.

2. Ensure the Safety of the Surrounding Area

To the best of your ability, move any debris out of the immediate area so people do not injure themselves on it. Check on everyone involved in the accident who you can safely approach and ask how they are doing and if they need anything. If you have road flares or magnetic LED hazard lights in your car, set them up around the accident scene to alert oncoming cars that they should stay as far away from the area as possible.

These things will keep you and everyone involved in the accident as safe as possible while waiting for first responders to arrive. It will also keep the first responders safe when they get there.

3. Call First Responders

Call 9-1-1 to let first responders know there has been an accident. Even if there are no injuries, police will still need to come to the scene to do a report, get statements, and issue any necessary citations. In most states, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident without calling first responders.

4. Exchange Insurance Information

Exchange insurance information with anyone else involved in the accident who is able to do so. For most minor fender benders, the other party will be able to do this with you. It allows you to both make a claim with the other’s insurance, if necessary.

5. Call Your Insurance Company

Your insurance company needs to know about the accident, too. They will probably need to pay out something, either to you or the other party, such as money for medical bills, car repairs, or a trip to an auto body shop or glass repair place. The information you give them lets them know what kind of claim to file for you.

When you do these things immediately after a car accident, you are keeping everyone involved as safe as possible. You are also providing valuable information to first responders and giving your insurance company the information it needs to assist you. Keep these things in mind, and you will make the most of a bad situation for everyone present.

Driving defensively can help prevent collisions that can lead to injury or a trip to your local body shop. While defensive driving generally means using your driving skills to stay safe during times of inclement weather and bad drivers, there are plenty of steps regarding your own behavior that you can implement as well.

1. Buckle Up!

The most important safe driving tip is one that works best if you engage it before you even turn your car one. Seatbelts have been proven to save lives, primarily because they reduce the likelihood that you’ll be thrown around inside the car or be ejected from it during a collision.

Be sure the seat belt is adjusted correctly in order to maximize its safety. It should be low over your hips and the shoulder strap should lay flat against your chest.

2. Put Your Cell Phone on Mute

Cell phones are a fantastic invention that has completely changed the way people interact with each other and the world. Unfortunately, they can also be a terrible distraction, inviting you to pay attention to their insistent noises at a time when you should be focused completely on your driving.

Stay safe by muting your cell phone before you drive off. Many of the newer models allow you to program an automatic message that alerts people who might contact you that you’re driving at the moment and aren’t able to take the call.

3. Don’t Eat or Drink 

While it might seem like drive-through restaurants were made to support eating and drinking in the car, doing so can be very distracting. Whether it’s trying to reach for your straw that’s rolled off the seat or mopping up a splatter of ketchup, doing so while you’re driving can make it easier for you to drift into another lane. You also won’t be able to drive as defensively and be prepared for other drivers who are driving poorly if one hand is holding a drink or food.

Though it might add a few more minutes to your trip, pull over to a safe place and enjoy your meal completely before getting back out on the road. Those few extra minutes could save your life.

4. Maintain a Safe Distance

You probably already adjust your speed so that you’re driving more slowly at night or when the weather is bad. Even on bright and sunny days, though, you should always maintain a safe distance from any cars — both in front of you and those behind you. If you don’t think there’s enough space in between you and the car behind you, slow down slightly so you have more time to react — and to let the person behind you react — if you have to stop suddenly.

5. Never Drink and Drive 

Even one alcoholic beverage can change your response time enough to compromise your safety and the safety of those around you. Before you start drinking, be sure to have a designated driver lined up or turn over your keys to a trusted friend who won’t let you behind the wheel.

While the above safe driving tips won’t prevent all collisions, they’ll help you avoid most of them.