Financial Incentives To Repair Unsafe Vehicles

Insurance companies and repair shops have a financial incentive to repair cars even those that can never be as safe as they were before a collision.

If your only damage estimate comes from the repair shop tied to your insurance company, you're in line to be screwed.

Why?

Because the repair shop has a financial incentive to push their estimate to the maximum allowable withOUT totaling the vehicle -- even if the vehicle should be totalled out.

Why?

Because, if the repair shop totals it out, then they lose the money from the repair job.

The insurance company also has a financial incentive to avoid totaling the car out -- even when it's proper for safety -- because that costs them more money.

The repair shop knows this, so they're careful not to total out too many cars because that means they could lose their favored status with the insurance company and, by doing so, lose the easy money.

This practice shafts the consumer.

Why?

Because repairs from a major accident where the car should be totaled means that a consumer can be stuck with a lemon and a safety hazard. And the financial disaster that comes when a CarFax reveals that no one will buy their car because the genuine retail value of their car is ZERO!

If you feel your vehicle should be totaled, the second repair estimator should understand that.