Can an Insurance Company Ask You to Use Their Repair Shop?

No. An insurance company cannot require you to use a certain repair shop. You have the legal right to take your car to any body shop after an accident, regardless of what your insurer tells you. While insurers can recommend shops from their preferred network, they cannot force you to use one, and doing so is illegal in most states.

If your insurance company is pressuring you over your car insurance choice of repairer, call Zinda Law Group at 800-863-5312 for a free case evaluation.

What Does the Law Say About Choosing a Repair Shop?

Across all 50 states, your car insurance choice of repairer is yours to make. If your insurer claims it will not cover repairs done at a shop not on its list, that is a misrepresentation of the law. Insurers may have preferred networks and can recommend shops, but they cannot legally deny a valid claim solely because you chose to go elsewhere. Your legal rights after a car accident include the right to protect your property and make your own repair decisions.

What Is a Direct Repair Program (DRP)?

When your insurer recommends a list of body shops, those shops are part of what is called a Direct Repair Program, or DRP. A DRP is a contractual arrangement between an insurance company and a network of repair shops. The shops agree to offer the insurer discounted labor rates and lower-cost parts in exchange for a steady stream of customer referrals.

Understanding how body shops work with car insurance under a DRP explains why insurers push preferred shops so hard: it costs the insurer less. The savings do not necessarily flow to you. DRP shops are recommendations, not requirements. Choosing a non-DRP shop does not void your coverage or your right to a repair claim.

What Is Insurance Steering?

Insurance steering is the term for when an insurer pressures or misleads a claimant into using a preferred repair vendor. It often takes the form of false claims about coverage, implied threats that your claim will be delayed or denied, or repeated suggestions that other shops are “out of network.” Insurance steering is illegal in most U.S. states. If you feel your insurer is directing you toward a specific shop through pressure or misinformation rather than genuine recommendation, that may constitute illegal steering and may be part of a broader pattern of bad faith insurance practices.

How Insurance Companies May Mislead Crash Victims

After an accident, insurers have a financial incentive to control where you take your car because DRP shops offer them discounted rates. To steer you toward a preferred shop, they may use the following tactics. Be wary of each one:

Claiming one shop is more convenient
Claiming a shop is out of network
Claiming excess expenses if you choose a more expensive shop
Claiming a void warranty: the warranty comes from the auto body shop, not the insurance company.

OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts: Why It Matters

One of the most significant ways a preferred shop arrangement can hurt you is through the parts used to repair your vehicle. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts are made by the same manufacturer as your car and are designed to fit and perform to the original specification. Aftermarket parts are produced by third-party manufacturers and are typically cheaper, but may be less compatible with your vehicle, harder to maintain long-term, and may affect your car’s safety systems.

DRP shops often use aftermarket parts to reduce costs for the insurer. If your vehicle is repaired with lower-quality parts, you may face further problems down the road that are not covered by a new claim. This is one reason why choosing your own shop and specifying OEM parts in writing can protect you. If you have questions about property damage claims and what you are entitled to recover, a car accident attorney can help you understand the full scope of your rights.

What to Do If Your Insurer Is Pressuring You

If you believe your insurer is engaging in illegal steering or refusing to fairly cover repairs at your chosen shop, take the following steps:

Get everything in writing. Ask the insurer to put any claim about coverage limitations or shop requirements in a written communication. Verbal pressure is harder to document and dispute.
Get your own independent estimate. Take your vehicle to a shop you trust and get a written repair estimate. This gives you a baseline to challenge any lowball insurer figure.
Specify OEM parts in writing. If you want original manufacturer parts, state this explicitly in writing to both the shop and the insurer before repairs begin.
Request written justification for any denial or reduction. If the insurer refuses to fully cover repairs at your chosen shop, they must explain why. Get that explanation in writing.
File a complaint with your state’s Department of Insurance. Every state has a consumer protection process for insurance disputes. A formal complaint creates a record and often prompts the insurer to reconsider.
Contact a car accident attorney. An attorney can handle communications with the insurer, push back against lowball estimates, and advise you on whether the insurer’s conduct rises to the level of bad faith. You can also review whether to accept the insurer’s first settlement offer before agreeing to anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the insurer’s repair estimate is too low?

You are not required to accept a repair estimate that does not cover the full cost of restoring your vehicle. Get an independent estimate, document the difference in writing, and ask the insurer to justify their figure. If they refuse, a complaint to your state’s Department of Insurance or a call to a car accident attorney are your next steps. See our guide on how to negotiate a car accident claim for more detail.

Will choosing my own shop slow down my claim?

It can add some time compared to using a DRP shop, since the insurer has no pre-existing relationship with your chosen shop and will need to review their estimate. However, an insurer cannot use delays as a legitimate reason to deny your claim or pressure you to switch shops. Unreasonable delays in processing a valid claim may constitute bad faith.

Can the insurer require me to get multiple estimates?

Many policies allow insurers to require one or more estimates before approving a repair claim. You should check your policy documents. However, requiring estimates is different from requiring you to use a specific shop. You can get estimates from whichever shops you choose.

What happens if my car is totaled instead of repaired?

If repair costs exceed the vehicle’s pre-accident market value, the insurer may declare it a total loss and offer you a cash settlement rather than a repair. In that case, the choice of repair shop is no longer relevant, but you still have the right to negotiate the settlement amount if you believe the valuation is too low.

Does using my own shop affect my deductible?

No. Your deductible is set by your policy and applies regardless of which shop performs the repairs.

Zinda Law Group Is Here To Help

Your car insurance choice of repairer is yours. If your insurance company is using pressure tactics, making false claims about coverage, or refusing to fairly pay for repairs at the shop you chose, you may have grounds for a legal claim.

At Zinda Law Group, our car accident attorneys have handled cases involving insurer misconduct and improper coercion nationwide. We are available 24/7 and your consultation is completely free.

Call us today at 800-863-5312 for a free and confidential consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys and to locate an auto accident insurance claim lawyer near you. You will pay nothing unless we win your case. That’s our No Win, No Fee Guarantee.