Frequently Asked Questions

No.

It’s a common notion that insurance companies require you to get more than one estimate when looking for repair work outside of their network of Direct Repair Program shops. This is simply not required, but getting your vehicle repaired outside of their network can cause issues. We go into this in more detail under our insurance partners page click here. That said, you are free to choose any reputable repair provider you want, it is actually illegal for insurance companies to “steer” you, or force you to use a shop in their network, but they will explain the benefits of staying in their network and let you make the choice on your own. It’s our job to provide excellent customer service along with damage reports and estimated costs to earn your business, regardless of your insurance provider.

No.

Ohio law allows you to choose. Your insurance provider may require that you get your first estimate from an in-network shop. You are free to take that estimate to any shop of your choosing to complete the repair. For those not insured by USAA, Nationwide, State Farm, and Farmers; we hope we can earn your business.

1. CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE. They may write the estimate themselves, suggest an in-network body shop, or accept our estimate. We will match the price of any of their in-network body shops – to the penny.

2. SCHEDULE YOUR REPAIR WITH US.

3. RELAX, your job is done and we will handle it from here on out. Any and all subsequent changes or additions to the estimate will be handled by our admin staff as we negotiate on your behalf for a safe and proper repair, fully returning your vehicle to pre-accident conditions.

Here are direct links to the major insurance company’s claim departments to file.

CAUTION: Please do not drive a collision-damaged vehicle – even if your insurer tells you it is okay. Insurance policies usually have a “loss mitigation” clause stating that YOU are responsible for any additional damage caused after the accident. We’ll tow it for you.

A DRP, or Direct Repair Program, is the contractual partnership between an insurance company and body shop. Both parties trust each other and reach a mutually beneficial agreement, not only for ourselves and the insurance company, but also for our mutual customers. If we find additional damage during a repair, we know our partnered insurance company trusts us to proceed with repairs without having to wait for an adjuster to manually review our estimate, labor, parts, and supporting photos. This greatly speeds up the repairs without affecting quality. This does not mean we get to skip steps, in fact it’s quite the contrary. Despite the trust we are still obligated to have our repair process as transparent as possible, meaning we still take photos of every additional operation required and submit them to our partners as we would any other carrier, and our partnered carriers will review certain jobs to ensure we are holding up our promise to both them and our customers: safe, affordable, and timely repairs

Yes. We have a long-standing partnership with Enterprise rent-a-car. We make it easy. 

We make every effort to ensure your vehicle is repaired quickly, but exactly how long is determined by the amount and severity of the damage. It also greatly depends on the type of vehicle as well as the availability of parts. More common cars will have parts that are more readily available. Sometimes, when the repair work begins, other damaged parts are revealed.

You can check your repair status through our website, here.

Absolutely! We are a full-service auto body repair shop providing custom paint, oil changes, engine diagnostics, and detailing services in addition to our auto body repair work. 

Paint matching has become a science in our industry, so we have a computerized paint lab on site. This also helps to adhere to the standards of your insurance company as we will help satisfy the terms of your policy while making certain you, the customer, are satisfied with the work that is done.

Besides pigmentation, there are many other factors that can change the color and shade of the paint, such as temperature, differences in air pressure, and distances of the application, for example. To ensure the closest match possible, we mix our own paint and blend the adjacent panels around the damaged section of the vehicle so there is no noticeable difference between the two. Finally, we only use top of the line materials that feature long term durability, so the beautiful results that you leave with will last.

Your deductible is made payable to Combs Collision upon completion of your auto repairs. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, check, and debit card.

Sometimes a vehicle is marked as a “total loss” after an accident. That basically means it would cost more to repair your it than it’s actually worth. You’ll often find this is the case on much older cars with extensive repairs needed, but it also could be something as simple as a bent body frame. 

However, if there is minimal damage or you don’t have the cash on hand needed to pay your deductible, you may hesitate to get your car repaired. While this may be ok if you own the car outright, it is possible that your insurance company won’t let you skip repairs if there is still an open loan on the car. This is because the car isn’t technically yours until it’s paid off. Even if you’re making monthly payments toward the balance in hopes of one day paying it off, the car still belongs to the bank till that happens, and any lender will want the car to be functioning without damage while it is still their asset.

If you own the vehicle, your insurance company will most likely give you the option to either repair it or consider the car totaled. Read the fine print or contact your insurance agent for help understanding which option might be relevant to you.