Insurance recommendations

67Dart440GT said
This all really depends on the type of vehicle you insure and how much you care about it being repaired. Cheaper insurance companies like Progressive and Geico are cheaper for a reason. They typically force shops to use aftermarket parts, recycled parts and generally minimize the claim severity every chance they get. Premium insurance companies like Erie, or Acuity have standards for parts usage that make repairing your vehicle "better" for the vehicle owner (oem parts for safety items like headlamps, sheet metal, mechanical parts, and structural items).

Funny how insurance companies somehow dictate how cars get repaired. Geico and State Farm will flat out refuse to pay any diagnostic fees attached to any claim. They expect body shops to keep all of this equipment in house which these days isn't even remotely feasible. They will pay you .5 labor for a pre and .5 labor for a post scan. These are all the reasons why they are cheaper.

None of that has been my experience with Geico. In fact, this last deer hit in Kitty's car a couple years ago, (04 Ford Escape 160K) and we KNEW it was going to total. But he wrote it up so that it didn't and didn't short cut anything. It came $5 away from a total, but they fixed it. I had a check the same day the adjuster came out ON THE SPOT.

Back in February, 2015, we totaled my 04 Ranger (140K) in Macon. Other driver at fault. TWO DAYS after the accident, the adjuster was at my front door with a check that was about 300 bucks less than high retail and it was nowhere NEAR high retail. It was a nice little truck, but it had chips, scratches and a few small dents. Everything worked though and it was loaded. They didn't try to lowball me or anything, AND I had a loan on the truck and paid it off and was still able to buy my 75 F250, Gladys.

In 2002, shortly after we moved out here, Kitty backed into my 63 Dodge M37 military Power Wagon. HARD. Did over 4K$ damage to her Corolla. I mean son, it pushed the driver's rear corner even with the bottom of the rear glass. You hear what I'm sayin? lol It put a SMALL scratch on the M37's bumper. The adjuster couldn't believe it until he looked at the corner of the bumper and saw the red paint from the Corolla. They DID want us to use their approved shop, but also told us we could use who we wanted. Just so happened I grew up with two brothers that own probably the best body shop in Macon and they happened to be Geico approved, so it worked out. They approved all new Toyotee parts, no questions asked.

Maybe it's a location thing? I don't know. But we've always had stellar service with Geico.