Collision FAQ
What do I do after a car accident?
- Make sure everyone involved in the accident is safe.
- If anyone is injured, call an ambulance.
- If safe to do so, pull off to the side of the road and turn on your emergency flashers.
- If there is significant physical damage or anyone was hurt, call the police to report (San Antonio Police Department’s non-emergency phone: (210) 207-7273 ).
- Once everyone involved and the situation itself is safe, we suggest exchanging the following information with the other driver(s) involved in the accident (we suggest taking photographs of each):
- Drivers License
- Phone Number
- Insurance Company
- Policy Number
- License Plate
- VIN (on the dashboard or inside driver’s door)
- Year, Make, Model, Color of vehicle(s)
- Visible damage and the Scene
- If your vehicle isn’t safe to drive, you can contact one of our collision centers to have a towing service pick up your vehicle. Even if your vehicle appears safe to drive, please take it to a trusted collision technician to inspect, as most collision damage isn’t easily viewable and is often hidden from sight.
What does the auto accident repair process look like?
- Vehicle Drop-Off – you entrust your vehicle to us
- Body Shop Work – we then begin making the repairs needed and paint any new parts to be replaced
- Realignment per OEM Guide – our equipment allows us to repair your vehicle to within 1 millimeter of the original production according to the original manufacturer’s guide
- Paint Shop Work – if needed, we take the repaired vehicle into our onsite painting booths to be repainted with the original paint
- Re-Assembly – we then put everything back together, and double check to make sure it all lines up appropriately
- Delivery Prep – we perform our final inspection, including giving your car a wash and vac
- Delivery – we get you back into your own vehicle!
Before dropping off your car, we need to make sure we’ve completed an estimate, received confirmation from your insurance company (if applicable), and scheduled a drop-off date so we can accept your vehicle in a timely manner. Please contact us or schedule an estimate to complete these steps first.
When you have a Drop-Off Date, please make sure to do the following:
- Ensure that your vehicle will have at least a quarter tank of gas in it, as our techs will need to drive the vehicle at times during the repair process
- Put your personal items in a bag, including your insurance card, glasses, and anything else in your car
How does insurance work in a car accident?
Insurance can be a very confusing topic. In summary, we work directly with your insurance company on your behalf and fight for you to get the highest quality repair.
Typically, your insurance company will cover the cost of repairing your vehicle, so you don’t have to. You will likely have a deductible, which is an amount you have to pay out of pocket before the insurance company will pay for the rest. If you can’t pay your deductible, we have financing options available to help as well.
If you bring your vehicle to us, we’ll get the insurance company’s adjuster to come look at the vehicle. That adjuster has to sign off on what repairs the insurance company will agree to pay for. We’ll work directly with your insurance company and fight for you to get the highest quality work possible.
Sometimes your insurance policy will allow for you to get a rental car while your vehicle is in the shop. We have Enterprise Rent-A-Car in-house to get you into a vehicle. Take note, sometimes insurance policies will only cover a few weeks of a rental car – please clarify as this cost is paid by the insurance company and not us, although we allow Enterprise to occupy a space on site as a service to our customers.
Once everyone agrees to a repair schedule, we’ll begin the repair process, keeping you updated on this website, or via phone if requested, along the way. We act as your main point of contact to simplify the process for you, even though many elements are handled by your insurance company or the rental car company.
What if I don’t have insurance or can’t pay my deductible?
We offer instant auto repair loans through our partner Confident Financial Solutions onsite at our facilities. Simply set up an estimate appointment and mention to your Advisor you want to look at financing options. The loan approval process can be completed in as little as five minutes!
Can you fix my specific car make and model?
Yes! We fix all makes and models. If your car has a bent bumper, a door ding, hail damage, bumped a tree, been through a fender bender, or has more serious damage, we’re ready to help you get it back to normal.
