Blog · Insurance
You Choose the Body Shop, Not Your Insurance Company
In Texas the body shop is your call. What "preferred shop" really means, how to answer the adjuster, and what to say when they push back.
The call goes the same way every time. You report the wreck, the adjuster is friendly, and then somewhere in the conversation they say something like "we have a preferred shop right there in Odessa that can get you in this week." It sounds like help. Sometimes it is. But it is worth knowing what is actually being offered, because the decision is yours and it matters.
What Texas law says
In Texas, you have the right to choose the repair facility for your vehicle. An insurance company can recommend a shop. It cannot require you to use one, and it cannot refuse to pay for a covered repair because you picked a different shop. We put this on the front page of our site because it is the single most common misunderstanding we see: people assume the network shop is mandatory. It is not.
If an adjuster tells you they "can't guarantee the work" at a non-network shop, that is technically true and completely beside the point. The shop is the one answerable for its own work. The carrier's obligation is to pay for a proper repair of the covered damage, wherever it is done.
What a "preferred" or "direct repair" shop really is
A direct repair program (DRP) is a business arrangement between an insurance company and a body shop. The shop gets steered volume. In exchange it agrees to the carrier's pricing, its parts preferences, its paperwork and its audits. Some DRP shops do excellent work. The point is not that they are bad. The point is who the shop is answering to.
When you choose your own shop, that shop works for you. When we find damage the adjuster's sheet missed, we write a supplement and argue for it on your behalf. When a part comes in wrong, we send it back. Nobody is grading us on how cheaply we closed your claim.
How to answer the adjuster
You do not have to argue. Say this:
"I'll be using Galindo's Body Shop at 7033 W 24th St in Odessa. The number there is (432) 220-3243. Please send the assignment to them."
That is the whole conversation. If they ask why, you do not owe a reason. If they say they will need to send their own appraiser out first, that is fine; the appraiser can look at the vehicle in our lot, and we will go over the estimate with them.
What happens next on our end
Once the claim is assigned, the process looks like this:
- We write our estimate and send it to the carrier.
- The carrier issues its estimate, or approves ours.
- We tear the vehicle down. Anything the outside was hiding goes back to the carrier as a supplement before parts get ordered.
- Repair, paint, reassembly, and you pay the deductible at pickup.
We walk through each of those steps in detail on the main site, and there is a longer explanation of supplements in what an insurance supplement is.
When the other driver's insurance is paying
If the other driver was at fault, you are filing what is called a third-party claim against their policy. Your right to choose the shop is the same. The other carrier may be slower and may push harder on parts and labor rates, because you are not their customer. That is exactly the situation where having your own shop in your corner earns its keep.
You can also file with your own carrier under collision coverage, pay your deductible, and let your company recover it from the other carrier. That is often faster. Ask your agent which route makes sense; we will work with whichever one you pick.
Where the choice actually matters
The choice of shop shows up in three places you will notice later:
- Whether the repair disappears. Paint that is blended into the neighboring panels, not just sprayed on the new one, is the difference between a repair you forget and one you see every time you walk up to the vehicle.
- Whether the hidden damage got fixed. A shop working for you tears down far enough to find it. A shop closing claims fast has a reason not to look too hard.
- Whether anyone answers the phone. We are owner-operated. The person who writes your estimate is the person answerable for the work.
FAQ
Can my insurance company refuse to pay if I use my own shop?
Not for a covered repair. They may dispute individual line items, which is normal, and we handle that. They cannot deny the claim because of the shop you picked.
The adjuster says my shop's estimate is too high. Now what?
That is what the supplement and negotiation process is for. We document every line with photos and send it back. Most differences get resolved between the shop and the carrier without you in the middle.
Do I need to get three estimates?
No. That is an old idea and no Texas carrier requires it. One written estimate from the shop that will do the work is what starts the claim.
Will using my own shop slow the claim down?
Sometimes the carrier's appraiser takes a few extra days to come out. In exchange, the vehicle is at a shop that is looking out for you. We think that is a good trade, and you can get the estimate started today with no appointment.