Body Shop Terms

Most auto insurance coverage only reimburses you for the actual cash value of your car. This is the value of the vehicle at the time it was damaged, stolen or destroyed.

Automotive replacement parts that were not made by the original equipment manufacturer.

A person employed by an insurance company that investigates and settles claims.

Optional coverage for when your car is stolen or damaged in ways that don’t involve a collision. EX: fire, theft, hail, glass breakage, vandalism, damage from an animal.

The amount of a claim that is paid by the insured before insurance payment begins.

The written estimation after inspection of a damaged vehicle showing cost required to restore the vehicle to the condition it was in prior to the accident. There are sometimes hidden damages that are not visible until the vehicle is disassembled. Additional repairs may need to be completed to do the job which is called a supplement. Insurance companies expect this to occur and have in place guidelines to handle this type of situation.

Amount charged per hour to cover the cost of repairing the vehicle.

Original Equipment Manufacturer

Methods of ensuring there is no visible difference between the appearance of newly painted panels and undamaged panels on your repaired vehicle.

Refers to a part being removed from the vehicle to be saved and reinstalled after the repair has been completed.

The point at which a Consumer authorizes the repair to their vehicle (and in some cases contingent upon the Insurance Company settlement process).

Additional repairs needed to complete the repair that were not identified on the original estimate. It is often impossible to identify all damage to a vehicle until it’s disassembled.

A vehicle is considered a total loss when the collision, fire or water damage is so extensive that repair costs would exceed the value of the vehicle. Kentucky’s Total Loss Threshold is 75%.

The Vehicle Identification Number assigned to each vehicle by its manufacturer to identify the model, year, production sequence, and other vehicle-specific information.