Our customers know that paintless dent repair can save them a lot of money by not having to repaint their vehicles. It’s true. Painting just one panel will cost you over $1,000 at a reputable body shop. By contrast, many of our repairs are done for $300 or less.
But what I want to discuss is when our quote exceeds $300 or even $500. Those are the most common deductible amounts that drivers have. When we have given some customers a quote for $350, we have heard, “That’s okay. I’ll just go through my insurance.”
As a paintless dent repair guy, I hear alarm bells going off inside my head when I hear that!! Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Tap the brakes there, Lewis Hamilton!
Going through your insurance to save a few bucks might seem like a good idea right now but it could cost you in the long run. And it is not the best repair for your vehicle. You may save $100 now, but you will find out years later how much it will actually cost you. Let’s see how this short term gain will lead to some long term pain.
Here are 6 of the most important reasons to use paintless dent repair and avoid using your insurance
If the conventional body shop quote is over $2,000, there will be a declaration on your vehicle and you will have a history of body damage in Car Fax which reduces your vehicle’s resale value.
Save your original, factory paint. This is the best paint your vehicle will ever have. You lose up to 25% of your car’s value when it has been repainted.
Your premiums could be affected depending on how many claims you have made and your safe driving record. ICBC discounts are now based much more heavily on safe driving experience. As of September 2019, ICBC has made changes to their safe driving credits. It is now called “Crash Forgiveness” and they will forgive one crash after 20 years of driving experience provided you have been crash free for the last 10 years. Given how long it takes to get one crash forgiven, you will want to save your insurance claims for when you really need it. Use your insurance when you have an accident that could be in the thousands of dollars, not a few hundred. If not, your insurance could be affected for years to come.
Your deductible for comprehensive claims could go up. If you have had two or more claims over two years, ICBC will notify you on your renewal reminder then your deductible will start to go up after subsequent claims.
You will lose the use of your vehicles for 7-10 days. We can repair your vehicle the same day. And we can do it at your home or work location.
Paintless Dent Repair is a much less invasive repair than conventional auto body repair:
No plastic filler that can shrink over time causing the “body shop wave”.
No colour matching issues
No overspray
No water leaks due to improperly installed seals
No paint, dust or chemicals and completely environmentally friendly
Paintless Dent Repair is a technique used to push a dent out using special tools in specific patterns without having to repaint the panel.
As you can see, even if our estimate is $100-$200 more than your deductible, we strongly recommend paintless dent repair to our customers. It is still the fastest, most affordable and best method to remove your dents. Plus, it is an extremely simple solution for repairing dents on your vehicle as you won’t have to navigate the tangled web of the insurance system. It’s all about choosing the best repair for your vehicle. And the best solution is always the simplest one.
If you don’t believe us then we definitely recommend that you consult with an independent insurance broker before you decide to make an insurance claim to find out how the claim will affect your insurance in the years ahead.
Thanks for reading and I really hope this helps to save you money and hassle in the years to come.
Chad Galitzky, Dent Craft Canada
For more information regarding ICBC’s recent changes, please click here