Customer Rights

Cohen Auto Collison Inc.

Helping Clients Understand Their Rights and What to Expect After an Accident

At Cohen Auto Collison Inc, we believe it's important for clients to know their rights and what to expect if an accident occurs. Take a look below at some advice and then contact us for a FREE estimate. Call us for the auto collision services you need. If we miss your call for any reason, we'll get back to you the same day.

Know Your Rights

Part 1

Know your rights as a vehicle owner and body shop consumer. You have the right to choose the body shop of your choice and not the one recommended by either the insurance company, officer on the scene, tow truck driver or to other parties involved in the accident. Only do so if you choose.

Part 2

You are not required to get multiple estimates. You may do so if you choose but you only really need the estimate of the shop you desire to do the repairs.

Know your rights as a consumer/car owner/insurance holder. Protect yourself against misleading messages from the insurance companies, etc.

Part 3

If you are going through insurance as a claimant that is not at fault, you are entitled to a rental vehicle during the repair period up to 30 days. You may request for the rental vehicle to be delivered to your work, home or body shop at the time of drop-off for scheduled repairs. After repairs are complete, you may leave the rental at the body shop for pickup by the rental company

Part 4

Arbitration by a third party may be necessary if the insurance company and body shop of your choice cannot come to an agreed-upon cost of repairs. It is your right to request a third opinion or arbitration.

Part 5

Please contact your insurance agent if you are not satisfied with the way your claim is being handled. If your insurance agent isn’t helping the situation, feel free to contact the state department of insurance. If you are not satisfied with the work the body shop has done, see the body shop manager before paying and leaving with the vehicle. Furthermore, you have the right to ask the body shop to cease all further work and relocate your vehicle to another shop. Feel free to contact the Better Business Bureau for further guidance on filing complaints about body shops or auto repair facilities.

We know it's scary, frustrating and confusing when you have an accident. We have some guidance on what to do when you are involved in an accident.

Thanks to the internet and the ability to take and upload pictures, we offer a 24/7 option for you to send pictures of damaged vehicles in real-time from the scene of the accident to us. We will do our best to respond as soon as possible with a FREE estimate.

Please feel free to share our free guide about “what to do when you meet in an accident” to your family and friends. Drive safe.

On the Scene of the Accident

• Don’t panic.
• Check yourself for injuries before helping another.
• If you are okay, immediately begin recording videos and/or taking pictures. It is important to take relevant second- or third-party information along with photos of the damaged vehicle.
• Call for help. Contact reliable family, friends, 911 and/or paramedics, insurance company and the body shop of your choice if necessary.
• If you are going through insurance to repair a vehicle, important information to have when contacting a body shop that includes insurance information of all parties involved in the accident. This information should have owners or insured name, contact information, vehicle identification number, year, make, model and policy number insurance company 3-digit code.
• If not going through insurance and the vehicle is not drivable, contact a tow company. The body shop usually has a relationship with a tow company. Just call the body shop to save yourself time and hassle.
• If not going through insurance and the vehicle is drivable, get the vehicle to the body shop as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
• If police are involved, get officer information and directions towards retrieving the full report when completed. This information is usually provided by the officer on the scene via a police report summary sheet.

Keep checking back in with us for more free stuff and tips to come! Stay healthy and drive safe from the Cohen’s family.