Usually when the insurance companys want our shop to use aftermarket or salvage parts we usually tell them to get screwed, we dont like doing it, the used parts are usually banged up and aftermarket ones dont fit right. So it can depend on the shop, were the primary shop in our town so we have alot of power in telling the insurance companys what we want. Progressive and Farmers are the worst at this.

 

your assumption is correct.

So that article about the mini is crap. I used to drive an accord until my wife said she was pregnant in '01. Got an expedition right away. She now drives an expedition and I had the 250. My belief is more steel and more engine between me and another vehicle.

Getting ready to pull the trigger on an 08 diesel cc right now.

 

I think an insurance company can use used parts. The part that was damaged on a truck was used so a used part is putting you back in the same condition you were in. New parts would put you in a better situation.

The old saying you get what you pay for holds true. An insurance premium will be higher b/s that company is using oem parts. Aftermarket parts are not bad. Yes some will not fit properly. My experience with it is not the insurance companies fault but the bodyshop for not informing the insurance company the part does not fit properly and get another part that will fit better.

 

bent frame= goodbye

 

You're wrong. It is not a contractual obligation.

As an example, if you own a 2003 truck, a used/salvaged part from a 2003 or newer is putting you back in the same condition/position and that is the legal requirement, at least in most venues. It's not contractual at all. It's "indemnification," and it means (basically) putting you back to where you were pre-accident. A new/factory/oem part is putting you in a better position than a used/salvaged part. A used/salvaged part is a "recycled" part. Not everyone cares, but it is "green" to use a salvaged/recycled part. It's not only cost-effective, it's good for the environment. It's also a part manufactured by "Ford", "GM", or whoever else so it'll probably fit; although it doesn't guarantee fit. Aftermarket parts are often a cost-effective alternative to the "monopoly" on oem parts. If they are certified they too can be used as a replacement because they are "like kind and quality". Obviously not all aftermarket or used parts are "LKQ", and obviously it can be venue specific; however, most states allow the use of "LKQ" parts and it has nothing to do with your contract.

If you deny aftermarket or used parts you'll likely have to pay the difference for a "new oem" part. Insurance owes to put you back to where you were (like you said) and if your vehicle isn't brand new, then your parts don't have to be brand new. They have to be like kind and quality. Think of it this way, that insurance owes what you would owe if you didn't have insurance. If you damaged your neighbors fender on their ten year old truck, would you owe them a "new, factory oem" fender (the answer is you'd owe them a ten year old fender, to put them back to where they were originally)?

Check with your department of insurance, or department of corporations. They'll help clear this up for you.

By the way, I have a number of years of experience as an estimator/adjuster and significant insurance education. I'm ASE certified in estimating and damage analysis (test B-6) and I-Car trained, not to mention insurance-specific education.

Insurance companies and body shops should work together. It's a mutual relationship and insurance is paying what you would want to pay if you knew enough about alternative parts and other things. They can also limit the amount of expenditures on the shop's part for advertising. Shops have a lot of pull because the consumer usually doesn't understand the processes. As an estimator they understand the cost savings that can be employed and pay accordingly, they should be better able to explain it to consumers. Some body shop estimators make "commision" or a bonus on the estimates written, making it profitable to write a higher dollar estimate (not all of course, but some). If your insurance premiums were based on all factory new oem parts and complete paint, etc., etc., they would considerably higher.

One insurance company that I'm familiar with writes 10,000 estimates a day. If they over pay each by $100, that's one million dollars in additional expenditures A DAY. Would you want your premiums affected that way?

 

The problem is that the F-150 weighs at least 2x more than the BMW Mini Cooper. So it will take more to stop it - so this is why it was crushed more when hitting the wall. In a head-on with the Mini, the Mini would loose. Infact, the F-150 would probably be still on the road and the Mini would be thrown into the ditch.