How to Use Insurance for Car Repairs at a 4S Shop?
2 Answers
After the insurance company assesses the damage, go directly to the 4S shop for repairs. Pay attention to verifying the vehicle information: This mainly includes the vehicle repair unit (owner's name), license plate number, engine number, chassis number, entry time, and exit time (settlement time). The key points are the engine number and chassis number. The owner should carefully verify these two numbers with those on the vehicle registration certificate to prevent the settlement staff from entering them incorrectly. Otherwise, in case of an accident, there may be no recourse for complaints. Ask questions about the repair items: Through the repair items listed on the settlement sheet, the owner can understand what repairs and maintenance operations the vehicle received at the service station this time, whether they exceed the agreed scope of repair items with the service personnel, and whether the labor costs are appropriate. It is recommended that owners review the items carefully and ask more questions to avoid losses.
Last time my car scraped the wall, dealing with insurance myself was quite simple. First, call the insurance company to report the incident, and the customer service will ask for the location and license plate number. When you arrive at the 4S shop, tell the after-sales service that you want to go through insurance, and they will directly contact the loss assessor. Remember to bring your driver's license and vehicle registration, confirm the location and depth of the scratches with the other party on-site, and it's best to take a video for records. After the assessment is done, just sign the form, but remember to ask clearly whether the replacement parts are original or aftermarket. Before signing the insurance reimbursement form, check each item on the list one by one, and keep the original invoice for any upfront payment you made, which you'll need to mail to the claims department later. For minor scratches under 500 RMB, it might be more cost-effective to repair them yourself, as making too many claims can increase your premium next year.
