California car accident repairs: choosing a shop and approving estimates

You can choose the repair shop

The California Department of Insurance explains that Insurance Code section 758.5 prohibits an insurer from requiring a specific repair shop. An insurer may recommend a shop under the law's conditions; a recommendation is not a requirement. Before choosing, check the shop's registration through California's official license search.

Ask the adjuster to identify any disagreement about the proposed work or payment in writing. Ask the shop to distinguish its estimate from the amount the insurer has agreed to pay. Do not treat a shop recommendation, an inspection appointment or a preliminary estimate as a promise that every charge is covered. Read the policy and clarify any deductible or disputed charge before committing.

Get the estimate before authorizing work

BAR's January 2026 Write It Right guidance requires an itemized estimate for auto body or collision repairs, followed by the customer's authorization before repairs begin. Authorization can be written, oral or electronic, but the shop must document it. If additional work is needed, the shop must obtain authorization for the additional repairs.

A vehicle may need a tear down to identify hidden damage. BAR treats that disassembly as a repair requiring an estimate and authorization. Ask what the tear down will cost and what happens if you decide not to proceed. Do not assume that leaving a towed vehicle at a shop authorizes every repair.

Keep copies of each estimate, approval and revised total. Label versions by date so an initial estimate is not confused with the final authorized work. Before replying to a text asking for approval, make sure you understand exactly which document and amount it refers to.

Save a repair file alongside your injury records

A practical repair file can reduce confusion when several people are handling the same crash. Keep these materials together:

• Original photographs of the vehicle, with the date and source noted
• The shop's contact details, repair-order number and vehicle identification number
• Initial and supplemental estimates, including explanations of added work
• Your written approvals and notes of telephone authorizations
• Insurer correspondence, payment explanations and any identified disagreement
• The final itemized invoice, receipts and any repair warranty documents

BAR's consumer repair guide explains the right to a final invoice and recommends keeping repair records. Compare that invoice with the work you authorized. Ask for an explanation of unfamiliar items rather than altering the original documents.

If an injury claim or a possible vehicle-defect issue is involved, tell counsel promptly about any planned repair, transfer or disposal and ask whether an inspection should be coordinated. Do not delay urgent safety measures or allow avoidable charges to accumulate while waiting for a response. Keep repair paperwork separate from your medical-records file, but bring both to a consultation.

Where to raise a repair concern

For concerns about collision repairs performed by a California shop after you purchased the vehicle, BAR offers a no-cost collision repair inspection program. It does not cover repairs made before you owned the car or repairs outside California, and it is not a second repair estimate. Review the current program instructions. This is a repair-quality resource, not an injury-settlement decision.

Start a short issue log: the item questioned, when you raised it, who responded and what documents support it. Keep the shop's and insurer's responses separately. If the issue concerns insurance handling rather than workmanship, the Department of Insurance guide provides consumer-assistance information.

Common questions

Must I use the insurer's preferred body shop?

No. California protects your choice of repair shop. That does not resolve every disagreement over the work, price or coverage; get the disputed items identified before authorizing repairs.

Can I ask to keep replaced parts?

Tell the shop before authorizing repairs. BAR's documentation guidance explains that the request belongs in the estimate and identifies special rules for exchange and warranty parts. Ask about those limits and any applicable core charge rather than assuming every part can be returned without cost.

Does an insurance estimate authorize the shop to start?

Do not confuse insurer payment approval with your repair authorization. Confirm with the shop what work you have authorized, what it will cost and how any additional work will be approved.

Does the repair bill establish what my injury claim is worth?

Do not use the repair total alone as an injury valuation. Bring the repair file, treatment records and your questions to a consultation so the particular facts can be evaluated.

Bring the documents and the unresolved questions

For an accident involving injuries, you can request a consultation with FK Law Group, LLP. Identify any upcoming vehicle inspection, repair or disposal date and ask for a secure way to provide documents. Our car-accident practice page explains the broader service.

General information, not legal or repair advice. Sources checked October 25, 2026. Agency procedures may change. This article does not determine liability, coverage, damages or a deadline for any particular claim. An inquiry does not create an attorney-client relationship.