So you’ve had an accident recently and your car needs repairing. If so you have two options on the table really. Take your vehicle to a repair shop that’s approved by your insurer, or head somewhere else.<\/p>
If you’ve had the same mechanic for years you might want to stick with them, after all you trust them and you don’t want to take your business elsewhere.<\/p>
You don’t<\/u> have to use a garage or repair shop approved by your insurance company. In fact, your provider has to let you go elsewhere if you want to.<\/p>
If your claim is successful, it has to pay out too. However, as we discuss further on in the guide, your insurer will take away a whole host of benefits if you go with your own repair shop.<\/p>
There’s a few reasons you might choose to use your own mechanic.<\/p>
Maybe it’s simply more convenient? It might be closer to your home while the nearest approved garage is miles away. Or your insurer’s repair shop has a lengthy backlog which would leave you without a car for a while.<\/p>
If you have a vintage car or a prestige vehicle then you might want to take it to an experienced mechanic who specialises in repairing these old, valuable machines.<\/p>
You could have been going to the same mechanic for years, who you have total trust in. Whatever the case, you can still use your own man or woman.<\/p>
Most providers will have a network of approved places you can go to get your car fixed. As they have relationships with these repair shops they can often strike deals and keep costs down.<\/p>
While you don’t have to use these workshops, there’s several reasons you’re better off using your insurance provider’s approved mechanic.<\/p>