Geico auto repair express

[t1snwrbrdr12]

This weekend someone backed into my new mazda 6. It was determined he was at fault no questions asked.

My concern is that he was geico insured so obviously they want me to go to an auto repair express. The damage is slight but the bumper is sort of shoved under the hood the gaps are all off. The grills plastic chrome may be damaged too. If it needs to be replaced I want OEM, this isn’t my fault and the car is a few months old. These body shops that associate with geico so directly I’m sure are encouraged to save geico as much on the repair as possible. I knew a body guy that moved to a geico shop and left pretty quickly. He said although the work was consistent that geico slashed the labor all the time.

I really just want it fixed right and wonder if in anyone’s opinion should I avoid the geico express shop? Just take their estimate and make them pay the shop of my choice? In MD I can do this without any more hassle than having to deal with multiple shops. I feel like another shop would advocate for me better than a geico shop will, if anything is wrong with the original estimate etc.

The geico shop does not have bad reviews. The other shops I was interested in don’t either of course.

 

[SirTanon]

Doesn't matter what insurance he has. You need to contact YOUR insurance and file the claim, and provide his insurance info as well as the documentation showing he was 100% at fault. Tell your insurance company what you're stating here regarding OEM and repair quality, and go from there.

Your insurance company will pass the claim/cost along to his insurance company, so Geico will still be on the hook for the charges, and you won't take a hit since you were not at fault.

 

[Nick1994]

Absolutely not, do not go to their body shop.

As SirTanon said, use YOUR insurance. YOU pick a good rated body shop and your insurance will have it fixed and will bill his insurance company, and you'll get your deductible back.

 

[turtlevette]

Each state has their own rules. In mass this would be considered steering to a insurance preferred shop which is illegal.

Insurance companies are slimebag entities. They'll stall, withold payment, and mess with you endlessly until you say uncle. This is what they excel in.

 

[PimTac]

SirTanon is spot on here.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

Last time we had an incident it was not our fault either. It was our van though, so although I wanted it fixed it wasn’t a huge deal to me. I called my insurance co (previous incidents) and they just said thanks for letting them know but follow through with the at fault guys insurance. I’ll call mine today and talk with them, didn’t even think to since geico called me (he filed his claim quickly) and just given the way they handled me every other time I haven’t been at fault I didn’t even think to.

 

[Gimpy1]

Wow so much disinformation and internet falsehoods. The first thing, they can offer the Geico DRP but you are free to use any shop you want. Secondly you may want OEM new but unless your car is current model year you aren't owed it. Insurance only owes to put you back to how you where prior to the event. As such prior to the accident the parts where not new, in some cases repairable. Even if you file under your carrier they are not obligated to replace with OEM UNLESS you have an OEM replacement policy and have been charged the proper premium for it, all that is owed is Like Kind and Quality, there are exceptions like airbags brakes and suspension parts those will be OE for safety reasons and adherence to state law. And yes DRP (direct replacement program/shops) do have contract with the insurer, but its usually labor rate discounts, parts discounts etc. If the other carrier has already admitted liability why go thru your own carrier? To dispel all the myths please read your declarations page and policy jacket that you received when you purchased the policy. Those documents spell out the contractual obligation between the insured (you) and the insurer. Also please remember each state is different, the people giving you advice are from Arizona which has substantially different insurance laws than MD and thus each policy will be substantially different. Here is my advice take it to the Geico DRP, they will generate an ESTIMATE then take that estimate to whatever shop you want and hand them that estimate so that your shop can see the scope of damage. They will contact GEICO if there is a supplement or hidden damage. Also remember it's easy to say insurance companies are shysters, crooks, or whatever, but in a lot of shops are dishonest and shady. Ask the folks that say all insurance companies are dishonest if they've actually read the policy they signed and bought, I'd bet very few have ever read the 30 plus pages, much less understood what they say. And to those that say I'm in Mexico I don't know what I'm talking about, I handled,investigated and adjusted claims as a licensed adjuster and Platiumn ICAR appraiser in TX,NM,AZ,UT,MD,LA,KY, and OK for over 10 years.

 

[SirTanon]

Ah, so they called you. The same policy applies, as far as I'm concerned. You need to tell them your concerns, as well as your expectations, and advise them that you'd like to seek the opinion of another shop, and see what they say. They can suggest that you use their shop, but as far as I know, they cannot force you to, especially since the other driver is the one at fault, and you are not covered by Geico (I'm assuming).

 

[zzyzzx]

Instead of assuming that the GEICO authorized shop is going to do [censored] work, ask them exactly what parts they plan on using. Your car might be too new for aftermarket parts to be available anyway.

 

[dishdude]

I was hit by a Geico insured in December, they accepted responsibility. I went to the Geico shop, the adjuster wrote the estimate perfectly and handed me a check for the damage. I took that to the shop of my choice and had it repaired.

The Geico portion couldn't have been smoother, unfortunately the shop I chose did a lousy job on the repairs. I saw no need to involve my insurance company.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Take it to who you want to and turn the claim over to your insurance company. 1 will get you ten that Geico shuts up and pays the claim. That has happen to me twice in 20 years.

 

[PimTac]

You didn’t state the trim level of your Mazda 6 but there are sensors plus the radar unit in the front. All of that needs to be checked out. Your car is new so you want it to be returned to the same shape.

 

[UG_Passat]

When I hit a deer, I went to a Geico Auto Repair Express shop. Some shops are better than others. I happened to choose a Mercedes-Benz certified shop, and they used brand new parts on my car. I know people that went to other Geico Xpress shops and had a horrible experience.

When my old Golf got totaled, Geico went after the other insurance company to recoup their costs, and my deductible, plus residual costs of my car. This is after I provided Geico with the police report, which has all of the information on it.

So, did the police document everything for a police report? And are you obtaining one?

 

[OilFilters]

Always pick your own shop. And nit pick about EVERYTHING! Whatever their first offer to do or pay for is, they can do better. It's the insurance adjuster's job to give you as little as possible. Unless your car was previously damaged and has aftermarket parts, they owe you OEM parts or parts that are 100% exactly the same as OEM. Not likely that made in Taiwan parts will be of the same quality. If this accident is big enough to be listed on a car fax, they also owe you diminished value. Even if you car is fixed perfectly, the VIN number is forever scarred by the word "accident" and it is now worth less.

Before you pick it up from the shop look over it VERY closely. If it is not 110% perfect, reject it and demand they fix it better.

When I had a minor accident with my truck they tried to say it cost $1100 to fix at a shoddy body shop. I got my own body shop to give me a real estimate with OEM parts - in the end they paid $4500. The insurance adjuster rightly pointed out that my fender was not OEM, and I wasn't even aware of this. Because of that, they did not owe me an OEM replacement - but it still had to look just as good. I ended up providing the shop my own OEM replacement panel off another truck.

 

[UG_Passat]

Yes, new dealership parts is what you want. Not CAPA-certified parts.

Allstate I know will authorize used parts also. happened to one of my friend's car

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

It’s a “2017.5” Mazda 6 bought new in February. It’s touring I believe. Pretty middle of the line but I know it has that adaptive cruise and auto braking if needed

I did not file police report but geico has accepted fault without argument. Police around here won’t come out unless there is injury and even when they do come out all they do is swap insurance info for you in a nice typed up form on their tough books. They don’t write up who’s at fault or anything and since this guy didn’t run or argue that he wasn’t at fault I don’t see it being an issue. Should have thought of that Sunday though I guess.

I told geico I’d like an adjuster to go to the shop of my choice but their mobile adjusted are supposedly slammed due to our recent hail storms so it’d be faster for me to keep my appointment a week out and drive to their stationary adjuster then take it to my shop. I got tired of requesting it be taken care of faster, I wasn’t getting anywhere with multiple customer service people.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted By: t1snwrbrdr12
It’s a “2017.5” Mazda 6 bought new in February. It’s touring I believe. Pretty middle of the line but I know it has that adaptive cruise and auto braking if needed

I did not file police report but geico has accepted fault without argument. Police around here won’t come out unless there is injury and even when they do come out all they do is swap insurance info for you in a nice typed up form on their tough books. They don’t write up who’s at fault or anything and since this guy didn’t run or argue that he wasn’t at fault I don’t see it being an issue. Should have thought of that Sunday though I guess.

I told geico I’d like an adjuster to go to the shop of my choice but their mobile adjusted are supposedly slammed due to our recent hail storms so it’d be faster for me to keep my appointment a week out and drive to their stationary adjuster then take it to my shop. I got tired of requesting it be taken care of faster, I wasn’t getting anywhere with multiple customer service people.


Hopefully the guy's tune doesn't change when comes time to answer to his insurance company.

 

[OilFilters]

Originally Posted By: t1snwrbrdr12
It’s a “2017.5” Mazda 6 bought new in February.


With that I would DEFINITELY not settle for anything less than OEM parts, diminished value, and make sure you get a nice rental car while it's in the shop.

 

[nthach]

Some of those DRP shops - not just Geico shops are also known for good work - their name rides on that reputation and there's a few shops that are Geico/Farmer's/State Farm direct and have been "OEM Certified" near me.

The hard and fast is parts and process.

 

[JustinH]

I have used the geico express shop, it is one of the top shops in western new york, they did fine work.

However down here in Texas there are many decent shops that either waive deductible, or pay partial deductible depending on what kind of work.

Your geico express shop will never do this for you.