Consumer Education

The finer points of collision repair are typically understood only by those in the insurance and automotive industries. And now, thanks to the information below, by you.

Below are some explanations that can help make an unpleasant situation a little less so.

Estimate Explanation - Your Sewell representative will be happy to go over the estimate with you, explaining every line item to your satisfaction.

Rental Cars - Repairing a car that has been in an accident can take anywhere from several days to several weeks. Because of that, it isn't feasible for Sewell to provide loan cars to all our Collision Center customers. However, there is an on-site rental car company at each of our repair facilities, and we'll work closely with you to arrange a rental while your car is in the shop.

It is important that you know in advance your policy's coverage regarding rental cars. Many people are caught off guard when they don't have coverage at all or the coverage they do have is insufficient to meet their needs (e.g., your three-row SUV will be temporarily replaced by a compact car). In some worst-case repair scenarios, potential out-of-pocket expenses can be as much as $40 a day, easily exceeding $1,000 if your repair takes a month or more. If you do not currently have rental car coverage, we urge you to contact your insurance agent immediately. There is a simple policy addendum that costs as little as $3 to $5 a month for enhanced rental coverage.

OEM Parts - OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. These are new parts made by the manufacturer of your car for your car, and Sewell endorses their use.

LKQ Parts - Insurance companies will sometimes stipulate the use of used parts (of Like Kind and Quality as compared to your original parts) in repairing your vehicle. The key word to focus on here is quality. If your insurance will not cover OEM parts, we will strive to use LKQ instead.

Reconditioned Parts - Reconditioned parts are original equipment factory parts that are used or refurbished. Most insurance policies have provisions for the use of these parts.

Aftermarket Parts - Aftermarket parts are made with different manufacturing methods, materials and standards and because they're not made by the original equipment manufacturer, they generally do not meet manufacturer specifications. To become a "certified" aftermarket part, the industry has mandated that it meet 90% of the original specifications. If a customer requests it, we will locate and use these parts as available.

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