Blog · Insurance
What to Bring to the Body Shop for an Insurance Repair
The short list of paperwork that lets an insurance repair start the day the vehicle arrives, and what to take out of the vehicle before you leave it.
An insurance repair starts faster when the shop has what it needs on day one. It is not much, but each missing item is a phone call and a day. Here is the list we hand people at the counter, plus what to take out of the vehicle before you leave it with us.
The claim number
This is the one thing that matters most. Once you have reported the wreck to your carrier, or to the other driver's carrier if they were at fault, you get a claim number. Text it to (432) 220-3243 or bring it with the vehicle. With the claim number we can send the estimate to the right adjuster the day the vehicle arrives. Without it, the vehicle sits.
If you have not filed yet, that is fine. File from our lot; it takes a phone call. Give the carrier our name and address, Galindo's Body Shop, 7033 W 24th St, Odessa, TX 79763, and tell them you have chosen your shop. That choice is yours in Texas.
The adjuster's contact
Name, phone number and email of the adjuster assigned to the claim, if you have it. Carriers rotate adjusters and a claim can have two or three during a repair. Whatever you have helps.
The carrier's estimate, if one exists
If an appraiser has already looked at the vehicle, or you uploaded photos to an app and got an estimate back, bring it. We compare it line by line with ours. It is normal for the two to differ, and the difference gets sorted between us and the carrier as a supplement.
Your insurance card and your driver's license
The policy number and the named insured. We need them on the file, and if you are filing with the other driver's carrier, we need your own carrier's information too in case the claim gets routed that way.
The other driver's information
If someone else was at fault, bring what you got at the scene: their name, their carrier, their policy number and their plate. If there is a police report number, bring that as well. There is a checklist of what to collect at the scene in what to do after a car accident in Odessa.
Photos from the scene
If you took them, send them. They show the damage before the vehicle was moved, towed or driven, and they help when an adjuster questions whether something was pre-existing.
Anything you know about the vehicle
- Has it been in a collision before? Old repairs show up at teardown, and it saves time to know going in.
- Does it have driver-assist features, parking sensors, a backup camera? Those change the repair and may need calibration.
- Any warning lights on since the wreck?
- Is it leased? Lease returns have condition standards.
What to take out of the vehicle
The vehicle may be with us for a while, and panels come off. Take out:
- Garage door opener, toll tag, anything with your address on it.
- Valuables, tools, firearms.
- Child seats, unless you want them to stay.
- Anything in the trunk if the rear is being repaired, since the trunk trim comes out.
- Personal items from the door pockets on the side being repaired.
Leave the keys, the fuel above empty, and the registration in the glovebox.
If the vehicle cannot be driven
None of the above requires the vehicle to arrive under its own power. If it is at a crash site, in a storage yard, or in your driveway with a wheel folded under, call us and tell us where it is. We cover the tow to the shop, and you can bring the paperwork by afterward or send it by text.
What happens once we have it all
The estimate gets written and sent to the carrier. The vehicle gets scheduled for teardown. Anything found at teardown goes back as a supplement with photos. Parts get ordered when approved. Repair, paint, reassembly, and a walk-around with you at pickup, where you pay the deductible and we settle the rest.
FAQ
Do I need an appointment to drop off?
No. We are open 7 AM to 8 PM on weekdays and 8 to 6 on Saturday. Drive in.
What if I do not have the claim number yet?
Bring the vehicle anyway. The estimate is free and does not need a claim number. Send the number when you have it and we will attach it.
Should I get the carrier's estimate first, or yours?
Either order works. If you come to us first, our estimate can start the claim. If the carrier's appraiser has already written one, bring it and we go from there.
The vehicle is a company truck. Anything different?
Bring the unit number and the name of whoever approves work on your side. Fleet claims run the same as personal ones, with the unit number on every document.