Collision South FAQs

Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

With our computer matching system, our professionally trained technicians, and the use of high-quality paints and their vast technical support system, we are confident in our abilities to match your original finish.

Once an estimate is written, parts are ordered and received, we are ready to start the repair process. It normally takes two days for parts to arrive. You can usually count on five hours of repairs per day, so if your estimate has 25 total hours, that would be a 5-day repair. If additional damages are found during the course of repairs, additional time would be needed, and you would be contacted by one of our customer service representatives.

Although some insurance companies would like to have more than one estimate, you legally are not responsible for getting but one, preferably from the shop you choose to repair your vehicle. You should find a shop you feel confident with and one that can handle all aspects of the repair. Collision South can do this for you.

Shops such as ours, have contracts with certain insurance companies to follow their guidelines for the repair process and paperwork. In turn, this speeds up the repairs and simplifies the process for the customer. Collision South is a direct repair shop for most major insurance companies in the area.

Insurance companies and repair facilities may provide an estimate. Sometimes one will write only what they can see and another may write what they know may be needed based on past experiences of hidden damage. One may estimate aftermarket parts as opposed to OEM parts. Our shop works with all insurance companies and appraisers to ensure quality repairs at the most economical price.

OEM parts are made by the Original Equipment Manufacturer. Aftermarket parts are produced by other manufacturers. We do not normally have any problems with aftermarket parts, but in the event that one does not meet with our expectations, we would contact the insurance company to let them know that an OEM part is needed. Our goal and the insurance company's goal are to repair your vehicle to pre-accident condition.

The deductible is the portion of the repair bill you will owe. You set the deductible amount when you purchase your insurance policy. The higher the deductible, the less your premium payments, but if you ever file a claim, you will be responsible for paying that deductible amount to the repair facility.

A betterment is an additional amount that you may owe to the repair facility. This is normally assessed to the parts that have a limited lifespan such as tires, batteries, sometimes paint, convertible tops etc. The insurance company will determine how much of that lifespan has been used. For example, the insurance company determines that your tire has 20% wear and a new tire cost $150, they may pass a betterment charge of $30 to you and they would pay $120.