Processing Your Claim
As the owner of your vehicle, you will need to contact your insurance company first, to report the accident. Once you have made that contact, T.A.C.S. will handle all the details of your claim.
Here are a few points to keep in mind about the Claims process:
- Reporting your Claim: Call your insurance company or agent as soon as possible after the loss to avoid any unnecessary delays. If they give you a claim number, remember to write it down and bring it with you to our shop. This will make it easier and faster for us to work with your insurance company. It is also a good idea to write down the name and the phone number of the person that you talked to.
- Insurance Company: T.A.C.S. has programs with several insurance companies that allow us to write the estimates for your vehicles damage. For other companies, the insurance company will appraise your vehicles damage and write the estimate. They may do this at your home, office or at a drive in center. If additional accident related damage is found, T.A.C.S. service managers will contact and work with your insurance company to have any additional damages appraised.
- Payment for Repairs: Usually, T.A.C.S. will bill the insurance company directly for their portion of the repairs. Some companies will mail the payment directly to your home. When your vehicle is completed, you will need to bring payment to cover your deductible and the insurance company check if it was mailed to you. Please remember that every claim is different. T.A.C.S. managers will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have regarding payment for your specific claim.
Estimates
If your vehicle is safe to drive after it is damaged, you may either bring your car to us for a free estimate or make an appointment – whichever is easiest for you.
Here are a few points to keep in mind about Estimates:
- Estimates are Free! When we do an estimate for your car, we will explain the claims process and answer any questions that you have about getting your car repaired. We will provide you with a printed copy and if you have your insurance companies fax number, we will fax it to them for you.
- Scheduling for an Estimate: It is not necessary to schedule an appointment for an estimate, however if that is easier for you we will be happy to schedule one.
- What if my insurance company writes my estimate? If your insurance company writes your estimate, you will not need another estimate by us. We will work directly from their estimate. If additional, accident related damage is found, we will contact your insurance company right away. New York State Regulation 64 allows your insurance company 48 hours to come to our facility to discuss the additional damage that was found. This often adds time to your repair.
- What if I can’t drive my car? If your car is not drivable, you can call us to tow it to our facility for an estimate. You can also have the car towed from the scene of an accident directly to our shop, either by us or another towing company.
- Do I have to be present when you do the estimate? No, you do not have to be present however we have to inspect the vehicle to write the estimate. We often write estimates for customers who are not able to be here at the time. Once we have completed the estimate, we will contact you and go over all of the details as well as answer any questions that you may have.
- Estimates are not always the final bill for repair: Our first estimate covers all of the visible damage, but at times further damage is found as we take your vehicle apart for repairs. This is very normal and insurance companies expect this. We contact your insurance company to make sure that any additional accident related repairs are documented and covered before we finalize the repairs.
- What if I do not want to use my insurance company for the repair? We often have customers who do not want to put a claim into their insurance company. If you are paying directly for all repairs, we will contact you about all changes to the estimate prior to doing additional work to your vehicle. T.A.C.S. does not recommend paying out of pocket for any repair unless the damage is superficial or cosmetic. T.A.C.S. will advise you to use your insurance company if any hidden damage is suspected because the insurance company will cover the damage as long as its related to the accident. If hidden damage is found and you opted to not file an insurance claim you are responsible for the additional repair costs. T.A.C.S. is obligated to repair any damage to uphold the safety integrity of your vehicle.
- Do I have to get more than one estimate? You are allowed, according to New York State Regulation 64, to decide where you want your vehicle repaired. In addition, you do not have to get multiple estimates and submit them before you get your car repaired.
Total Loss
It is usually the cost of repairs that determines if your vehicle is a total loss, not whether or not your vehicle can be repaired. Each insurance company has their own formula that is used to make this decision.
- Who decides if my vehicle is “totaled”? Your insurance makes the decision about whether or not your vehicle is a total loss, not the repair shop. At T.A.C.S. we specialize in writing estimates and doing quality repair work for your damaged vehicle. We always furnish your insurance company with complete and accurate information before any repair work is started, although there are some damages that are not uncovered until the repair process has begun. The insurance company makes the decision whether it is financially worthwhile to proceed with the repairs or not.
- At what dollar amount is my car considered a total loss? Vehicles are considered a total loss when the repairs exceed 75% of the value of the vehicle. Insurance companies have their own formula to appraise the vehicles value and cannot be controlled by T.A.C.S.
- How do they determine the value of my car? Insurance companies use various services to determine the market value of your car. They take into consideration the mileage, condition and options that your vehicle has as well as recent sales in our market area. Tax, title and license costs can also be a part of the valuation.
- What happens if the car is “totaled”? The insurance company buys the vehicle from you at a fair market value less your deductible. They often sell the vehicle at a discounted cost to a recycling company or at auction to recover some of the costs.
Billing and Payments
Most payments for repairs are in two parts. There is the portion that comes from the insurance company and the amount that the customer pays which is usually their deductible.
- Insurance Payments: Each insurance company handles payment for claims differently. Some companies will send a check directly to T.A.C.S. to cover their portion of the repairs. Other companies send the check directly to the customer even before any work is completed on your car. Should your company send you the check; we recommend that you do not cash it. We can accept the check when you pick up your car after it is repaired. We will be happy to answer any questions about how your individual company usually handles their payment and what to expect.
- Customer Payments: When you come to pick up your car, payment in full is expected for your share of the repairs. We accept the following forms of payment:
- Cash or Debit Card
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Discover
Payment in full is expected before you pick up your vehicle unless arrangements have been made to bill the insurance company directly for their portion of the bill.
The person listed on the credit card must be present when payments are made and unfortunately we do not accept any personal checks.
Direct Repair Programs
T.A.C.S. is a direct repair facility for some of the largest insurance companies in the country. This expedites the repair process by allowing our Certified Adjusters to prepare estimates for these companies directly:
- Encompass
- Hanover
- Liberty Mutual
- Nationwide
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