Key takeaways
- The appointment is an inspection, not a negotiation. The estimator documents the damage and writes up parts, labor and paint. Nothing is committed until you say go.
- Bring your license, your insurance card, your claim number and adjuster contact if you have already filed, the crash report number, and your own photos. The documents are what keep the claim moving.
- Your insurer writes its own number too. The Texas Department of Insurance says "The adjuster will estimate the cost of repairs" and "The company will base its payment on the adjuster's estimate," and that some companies "might ask you to get your own estimates and provide them to the company."
Most people come in for an estimate having never done this before, unsure whether it costs anything, whether they are committing to the repair, or whether they were supposed to bring something. Here's what a collision estimate covers, and what Texas says about the insurer's side of it.
What happens at a collision repair estimate?
A thorough estimate covers four things.
1. What happened. Tell the estimator what happened. That part matters more than it sounds. A sound at impact, a pull in the steering afterward, a door that sticks now, a warning light that came on since: those point at damage that does not show from outside.
2. The inspection. The estimator works the damaged area panel by panel, checks the gaps and lines around it, and looks at how the hit traveled. Collision force does not stop at the dent. A rear hit shows in the bumper cover and can also show in the trunk floor, the quarter panels or the frame rails behind it.
3. Photographs and measurements. The damage gets photographed and documented. Those photos are what an adjuster reviews, and what supports the repair plan if the damage turns out to be worse.
4. The written estimate. A written estimate lists the parts to be repaired or replaced, the labor hours by operation, the refinish work and the materials. That document starts the claim.
An estimate isn't a commitment. Our home page puts it plainly: after inspecting your vehicle, we provide a detailed, no-obligation estimate.
What should I bring to a collision repair estimate?
The vehicle is the one thing you cannot skip. Photos help for a first look, but an estimate needs the car in front of someone, because damage behind a bumper cover does not appear in a phone picture.
Past that, bring what the claim will need:
| What to bring | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Driver's license | Identifies the customer on the repair order |
| Insurance card or policy number | The claim is written against the policy, and the card carries the claims phone number |
| Claim number and adjuster name and phone | Lets the shop talk to the right person on day one |
| Crash report number, or the report itself | Ties the damage to a documented event |
| Your own photos of the scene | Shows the position of the vehicles and damage before anything moved |
| The other driver's insurance information | Needed if the other driver's insurer is paying |
| Lienholder or finance company name | Matters if the vehicle ends up a total loss |
| A list of what you noticed since the wreck | Noises, pulling, warning lights, doors or a trunk that will not seal |
If you have not filed yet, bring the first three and the shop can work with that. The Texas Department of Insurance's advice on the claim side is simple: "Tell your company about the accident as soon as possible," and "Your insurance card should have a number you can call to report claims."
On the crash report: in Texas the officer's report is the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report, the CR-3. According to TxDOT, "You may obtain a copy of a Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (CR-3) by using our Crash Report Online Purchase System link below," and the people eligible to buy one include "Any person involved in the accident." TxDOT gives the officer up to the tenth day after the crash to file the report, so if yours is not in the system yet, bring the report number the officer gave you at the scene.
Is the estimate free, and how long does it take?
Free. Our contact page answers it directly: yes, we offer free estimates after a thorough inspection of your vehicle. Our home page says you can schedule a time online or by phone at (903) 532-5365.
As for time, plan on a short appointment for a single-panel scrape or a cracked bumper, and longer when the hit was hard enough to push structure. Measuring the gaps and tracing where the force went is the part that keeps a repair from coming back.
Who writes the estimate, the shop or the insurance company?
Both, and that surprises people. The shop writes a repair plan. The insurer writes its own number through an adjuster. TDI describes the insurer's side like this: "The adjuster will estimate the cost of repairs," and "The company will base its payment on the adjuster's estimate." Some insurers go the other direction and ask you for estimates, which TDI also notes: "Some companies might ask you to get your own estimates and provide them to the company."
When the two documents differ, the shop and the adjuster work it out. That is normal, and it is not something you have to referee. TDI's own line: "If the damage turns out to be worse than the adjuster originally thought, you or the repair shop can talk to the adjuster about raising the estimate." Our services page says we work directly with insurance companies to simplify the repair process.
One thing that is entirely your call is where the work happens. TDI puts it this way: "Some companies might give you a list of preferred repair shops, but they can't require you to use a shop on its list." We went through the Texas statute behind that in our post on whether your insurance company can make you use their body shop.
Why can the number change after the car comes apart?
Because an estimate is written from the outside of a vehicle that was damaged on the inside. Once the panels come off, the shop can see mounting points, brackets, absorbers and sometimes structure that no walk-around would reveal. The shop then documents it and sends the insurer a supplement.
Two things worth knowing. First, that is an expected part of a collision claim, not a sign something went wrong. Second, Texas won't let your insurer gag the shop. Under Texas Insurance Code Section 1952.304, an insurer may not stop a shop from telling you the description, manufacturer or source of the parts used and the amounts charged to the insurer for the parts and the related labor. Ask for the line items.
What happens after the estimate?
You decide whether to proceed, and the claim moves on its own clock. TDI lists what an insurer must do: accept or reject your claim within 15 business days of getting all the information it needs from you, or take up to 45 days if it needs more time, and send you a check within five business days after it agrees to pay. Your deductible is separate from all of it and set by your policy, not by the shop. In TDI's words, "You must pay a deductible for collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims."
Then comes scheduling, parts ordering and the repair itself. On how long that part takes, our contact page is honest about the variable: the time for repairs depends on the extent of the damage, and minor repairs may take a few hours while more extensive work takes longer. Ask the shop for the parts timeline specifically, because on most jobs that is what sets the date.
Come get a free estimate
If you have been in a wreck anywhere around Howe, Van Alstyne, Sherman or Denison, bring the vehicle by and we will put the damage in writing for you. Call (903) 532-5365, see what we repair on our services page, or request a free estimate.
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