Can Your Insurance Company Choose Your Body Shop? DRPs and Your Rights in California

After a crash, the adjuster may tell you about a shop in the insurance company's direct repair program and offer to set everything up. It can sound like the only option. In California it isn't. State law lets you choose where your car is repaired, and your insurer can't require you to use its shop.

Where your car gets fixed matters beyond the repair itself. The quality and documentation of the work can affect your car's resale value and any diminished value claim in California you file later. Here's how direct repair programs work, what your rights are, and what to say when the adjuster calls.

Key takeaways

• California Insurance Code §758.5 says an insurer can't require you to use a specific repair shop.
• A direct repair program (DRP) is a contract between an insurer and a body shop. It can be convenient, but the shop's agreement is with the insurer.
• If you pick your own shop, the insurer still handles the claim. Estimates and supplements go back and forth between the shop and the adjuster.
• California rules require non-OEM parts used on your car to be of like kind and quality to the originals.

Can Your Insurance Company Choose Your Body Shop in California?

No. Under California Insurance Code §758.5, an insurer can't require you to use a specific repair shop. It may suggest one only after telling you that you have the right to choose. You can take your car to any shop you trust, inside or outside the insurer's direct repair program.

That right applies to claims under your own policy and to claims against the other driver's insurer. The insurer can still inspect the damage, write its own estimate and negotiate the cost of the repair. What it can't do is make its shop a condition of paying your claim.

What Is a Direct Repair Program?

A direct repair program is an agreement between an insurance company and a body shop. The shop agrees to follow the insurer's guidelines for things like estimating, labor rates, parts choices and repair times. In return, the insurer refers customers to the shop. You'll hear these shops called an "insurance preferred body shop," a "network shop" or an "insurance recommended body shop."

Many DRP shops do good work, and for some drivers the convenience is worth it. Just understand the trade-offs before you agree.

Pros and cons of an insurance preferred body shop

The first row matters most. A DRP shop has two customers: you and the insurer that sends it work. That doesn't make the repair bad, but you should ask the same questions you'd ask any shop.

When an insurance recommended body shop makes sense

A DRP shop can be a reasonable choice when the damage is light, the shop has a good local reputation, and it follows OEM repair procedures for your car. The point is that it's your decision.

What Is "Steering"?

Steering is when an insurer pushes you toward its own shop in a way that makes you feel you have no real choice. In California, the insurer has to tell you about your right to choose before suggesting a shop.

Some things an adjuster says are fair facts. For example, an insurer's own repair guarantee may only cover work done at its network shops. That can be true, and it's fine for them to tell you.

Pressure looks different. Watch for statements like these:

• "You have to use our shop."
• "We won't cover the claim if you go somewhere else."
• Repeated calls to move your car after you've already chosen a shop.

If you feel steered, ask the adjuster to put their position in writing. If you think the claim is being handled unfairly, you can contact the California Department of Insurance.

What to Say to the Adjuster

You don't need to argue. A short, clear statement usually does it:

"Thanks for the suggestion. I've chosen my own repair shop. Please send the claim information to Pro Collision Center, and they'll contact you with their estimate."

If the adjuster pushes back:

"I understand California law lets me choose where my car is repaired. Can you confirm in writing that the claim will be handled the same way at the shop I've picked?"

Note the adjuster's name, the date and what was said, and confirm anything important by email.

How Estimates and Supplements Work When You Pick Your Own Shop

Choosing your own shop doesn't mean you handle the claim alone. Here's the usual sequence:

1. The insurer writes or reviews an estimate, from your photos, a field appraiser or a visit to the shop.
2. Your shop writes its own estimate based on the visible damage and the repair procedures for your car.
3. The shop and adjuster work out differences in labor time, parts or procedures.
4. Teardown finds hidden damage. Once panels come off, the shop often finds damage no one could see at first. It sends a supplement, which is a request to add that work to the claim.
5. The insurer approves the supplement. It may send someone to reinspect first.
6. Payment. The insurer pays the shop directly or issues a check, sometimes made out to you and the shop. If you have a loan, the lender may be on the check too.

Supplements are normal. A first estimate written from photos rarely captures everything, especially on newer cars with sensors behind the bumper. Our guide to common mistakes in auto repair estimates shows what often gets missed.

If you're claiming under your own collision coverage, you'll owe your deductible. Pro Collision Center offers up to $1,000 in insurance deductible assistance for qualifying repairs.

OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts

Insurers often write estimates with non-OEM parts, meaning aftermarket or used parts made by someone other than your car's manufacturer. Your policy may allow that.

California's claim regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 10, §2695.8) set limits. Non-OEM parts used in your repair must be of like kind and quality to the originals, and the estimate has to identify them. In practice:

• Read the estimate line by line and look for parts marked as non-OEM, aftermarket or used.
• Ask your shop which of those parts affect fit, safety systems or sensors.
• Check your policy for an OEM parts option. Some insurers offer one.

Questions to Ask Any Body Shop

Use these with any shop, DRP or not:

• Do you follow the manufacturer's repair procedures for my make and model?
• Will you use OEM parts, and will you tell me if the estimate calls for anything else?
• Are your technicians I-CAR trained?
• Can you measure the frame or unibody and give me the printouts if there's structural damage?
• Do you handle camera and sensor calibration after repairs?
• How will you keep me and the insurer updated while the car is in the shop?
• What warranty do you give on your work, and is it in writing?

For a longer list, see our guide on how to choose a reliable collision repair shop.

At Pro Collision Center on Stationers Way in Sacramento, we work with all major insurance companies and handle the claim paperwork with your adjuster. Our I-CAR certified technicians follow OEM repair procedures for auto body repair, and we offer free towing to our shop. If your car might be a total loss, read how total loss works in California. If you'll need a car while yours is being fixed, see our guide to getting a rental car after an accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use my insurance company's preferred body shop?

No. In California, Insurance Code §758.5 says an insurer can't require you to use a specific repair shop. You can choose any shop, and the insurer still handles your claim. It may suggest a shop only after telling you that you have the right to choose.

Is a direct repair program shop bad?

Not necessarily. Many DRP shops do good work, and the process can be faster. Keep in mind that the shop has a contract with the insurer, so ask the same questions about OEM procedures, parts and warranties that you'd ask any shop.

Will my claim take longer if I choose my own shop?

It can take a little more back-and-forth at the start because the shop and adjuster need to agree on the estimate. A shop that works with insurers every day usually keeps that moving. Most delays come from parts and hidden damage found during teardown, which happen at any shop.

Can the insurance company refuse to pay my shop's estimate?

The insurer can dispute items on an estimate and negotiate the cost. That's normal. If they disagree on something, the shop and adjuster work it out, often through a reinspection or a supplement. Ask for any denial in writing.

Does my insurance have to pay for OEM parts?

Not always. Many policies allow non-OEM parts, but California regulations require them to be of like kind and quality to the originals and to be identified on the estimate. Check your policy, and ask your shop to flag any part that affects fit or safety systems.

If your car was damaged in Sacramento, Roseville, Citrus Heights or nearby, you get to choose who fixes it. Call Pro Collision Center at (916) 885-1010, Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, for a free estimate, or request your car accident repair estimate online. We'll take it from there with your insurer.

This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Check your policy or talk to a licensed professional about your situation.