The Washington Administrative Code 284.30.3903 provides that an insurance company must make a good faith effort to honor your request for repairs to be made in a specific repair shop and cannot arbitrarily deny your request. The insurance company cannot deny that the repairs be made at a specific shop due to the shop’s hourly rate if this does not result in a higher overall cost of repairs.
If the overall cost of repairs cannot be agreed upon, the insurer must:
(1) Provide you with the names of reputable repair shops reasonably close to you that can satisfactorily complete the repairs for the amount of their estimate; and (2) Make an appropriate notation in its claim file setting forth the reason it has rejected your request.
If you choose to take your vehicle to a repair facility in which the overall cost for a satisfactory repair is higher than the insurer’s estimate, you may be liable for any additional amount above their estimate.
For more information on this or other car accident related insurance issues, contact our offices at www.4injured.com.