Ok, about a week ago, my home town got hit by a hail storm. My Max managed to get a couple of dents on the roof and the hood as well as some damage to one of the sides. Anyways, to cut to the chase, the insurance adjuster that looked at my car estimated the damages to be around $1500. According to him, this was a "PDR" case. I asked him what the hell that was and he said it meant paintless dent repair. I was like... ok, whatever. Couple of days later, I took it to one of the Maaco's we got here and they estimated the damages to be about $2200. Apparently the shop thought that the hood was unrepairable because they put on the estimate that it would need to be replaced.
My question is, how do I go about approaching my insurance company and explaining this. Obviously, I'm short $700. Is there any way I can get my insurance company to compensate for the additional cost and if so how do I go about doing this? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

If the PDR place can do it, it would probably be the best as it preserves your original paint.

Don't ever go to MAACO for anything. Go to a decen body/paint shop.

 

i'm not sure which state ur in but... in TX... there is a law where u can take ur car to any bobyshop u want.... so even the insurance only give us $100 but the bodyshop that u took ur car says they need $200 to fix the problem and shows why they need that much then insurance company will pay for the extra difference......

 

Unfortunately, my options are very limited here where I live. Trust me, if I didn't have to go to Maaco I wouldn't.

 

In Texas? I would go to the paintless dent removal before letting MAACO ruin my paint.

 

You have a right to get it fixed where you want. And like Jeff said, DONT GO TO MAACO.

 

for the anti-Maaco parade. A child could have painted my bumper better with watercolors.

 

but it's true... that is the sad part....

 

Go to a good body shop and tell them what your ins. company gave you. They will explain how the system works. You are entitled to have your car fixed by law anyplace you want. The body shop might run you more then $1500, but thats OK. Here's how that works.

It's the cost of the damage less your deductable. If they gave you 1500 and lets say you have 500 deductable and the body shop comes up with an estimate of 2200, The body shop will submit a suppliment claim to your insurance company for the $200 bucks. You either sign a direction of pay so the shop gets the check, or you pay the shop and get the check made out to you.

Thats how it works, either way your insurance company will pick up the diff. when the suppliment claim is submitted.

Proline Body and Chassis
545 River Drive
Elmwood Park, NJ 07406
201-398-1512