FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here you will find a few questions we get the most. If you don’t see what’s on your mind, please reach out to us using the form at the bottom of the page.

  • We work with all insurance companies, and in fact, we are a direct repair facility for many insurance companies.

  • Your insurance company cannot require you to go to a particular repair facility. You have the right to choose your repair shop which we hope you choose to work with us.

  • Yes, we value your time and ours! Estimate appointments allow us to give you our 100% focus. It allows us to meet you in person and answer any questions regarding your repairs.

  • If you insurance company has provided you with an estimate, we will ask for that document.

    You will be asked to sign an Authorization to Repair form which outlines the steps of our repair process.

    You will be asked if you have received any monies from the insurance company covering your claim. Typically, the first of several payments will be sent to the claimant or insured. You have the option to endorse that check and give to us when you drop off your car for repairs or deposit it and write a check to us for that amount. Many times the check is made out to you and the repair facility, meaning we both have to sign the check for it to be cashed.

  • We understand how important your vehicle is to you, and we will do everything in our power to ensure your repairs are completed in a fast and accurate manner.

    The estimated time for repairs varies greatly depending on what needs to be done in order to get your car repaired.

    Our team of professionals will provide you with a more exact time estimate once we determine what needs to be done, and how long it will take to get the parts needed to do the job.

  • Not necessarily.

    Frame damage is a fairly common occurrence after a collision, and thanks to modern equipment and repair techniques, most collision repair shops are able to properly repair even badly damaged frames.

    Whether or not your car is going to be totaled really depends more on the overall value of your car.

  • OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer parts, are manufactured by the factory supplier for your vehicle (e.g. Honda or Ford).

    Aftermarket parts are third-party equivalents of the original factory parts.

    While we aim to use mainly Genuine and OEM parts, aftermarket parts are also an option if needed or requested.

    Often, this is at the discretion of the insurance company and their guidelines, so make sure to consult with your agent.

  • We work with your insurance company to establish an estimate, as do many collision repair centers.

    Getting multiple estimates is generally not advantageous, as they will all be nearly identical.

  • Unfortunately, the first observation and inspection doesn’t always discover deep-down damages.

    During the course of repair, we may find further issues that need to be addressed.

    In this case, we will contact the insurance company for authorization to pay for any supplemental damages, and notify you before we take further action.

  • Car rentals are part of your insurance claim. This is typically scheduled through your insurance agent. We can help notify rental companies that you have arrived or dropped your rental at our shop when your repairs are completed.

  • Once the paint is cured and reassembled, we wash the vehicle and vacuum the interior. It is fine to wash the vehicle but do not use commercial car washes with brushes. We recommend that you do not wax the vehicle for approximately 9 months.

  • YES! We certainly can.

    We use ENVIROBASE which is the industry leader for color match consistency. It is extremely easy to blend and avoids blotching for a ‘good as new’ finish.

  • Yes – STARNES Collision Center provides a limited lifetime warranty on parts and labor for the work we do.

  • At STARNES we detail every car as part of our Repair Process. We return your car washed, vacuumed, clean and we even disinfect the interior.

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