Common Insurance Repair Disputes We Resolve
These are the most frequent situations where Canadian body shops benefit from invoking the appraisal clause.
Insurers mandate cheaper aftermarket or used parts instead of OEM. Our appraisals support the use of manufacturer-specified parts to ensure proper fit, finish, and safety.
Modern vehicles require Advanced Driver Assistance System calibration after collision repair. Insurers often refuse to pay for this critical safety step.
Insurance companies short-pay labour rates that don't reflect the actual cost of skilled collision repair in your market area.
Hidden damage discovered during teardown requires supplemental authorization. Insurers delay or deny supplements, leaving shops unpaid for necessary work.
Proper colour matching requires blending adjacent panels. Insurers often refuse to authorize blend operations, resulting in visible colour differences.
Insurers may deny manufacturer-required structural repair procedures, compromising vehicle safety. We ensure the correct procedures are authorized and paid.
How the Body Shop Appraisal Process Works
The body shop identifies a repair dispute — insurer refusing OEM parts, denying calibration, or short-paying labour. Contact us with the estimate details.
We review the repair estimate, insurer's authorization, and manufacturer repair procedures to determine the proper repair cost.
We help the vehicle owner invoke the appraisal clause under the Insurance Act, formally disputing the insurer's authorized repair amount.
Our appraiser negotiates with the insurer's appraiser. If needed, an umpire makes the final binding decision on the proper repair cost.
Why Canadian Body Shops Partner With Us
Stop absorbing the cost of OEM parts and calibration that insurers refuse to pay for.
Ensure vehicles are repaired correctly, not cheaply. Your customers deserve safe repairs.
The appraisal process is between the vehicle owner and the insurer. The shop benefits from the increased authorization.
We handle appraisal disputes across all Canadian provinces, regardless of the insurer.
Common Repair Cost Increases
*Typical increases after appraisal process. Actual amounts vary by vehicle and repair scope.
Important: Services We Do Not Provide
We do not perform pre-insurance appraisals for classic, antique, or older vehicles that require an appraisal to obtain or renew insurance coverage. Our services are exclusively for insurance claim disputes — including body shop repair disputes where the insurer has refused to pay for proper repair procedures.
Body Shop RTA FAQ — Canada
What is the Right to Appraisal (RTA) for body shops in Canada?
The Right to Appraisal allows the vehicle owner (through their body shop) to invoke the appraisal clause in their insurance policy when the insurer refuses to pay for proper repairs. This is the same Statutory Condition 11 mechanism used for total loss disputes, but applied to repair cost disagreements.
Can a body shop invoke the appraisal clause directly?
The appraisal clause is between the policyholder and the insurer, so technically the vehicle owner must invoke it. However, we work with body shops to facilitate this process — the shop identifies the repair dispute, we help the vehicle owner invoke the clause, and we handle the appraisal process.
What types of repair disputes can be resolved through appraisal?
Common disputes include: insurer refusing OEM parts and mandating aftermarket or used parts, not paying for proper ADAS calibration, denying blend/refinish operations, short-paying labour rates, refusing to authorize necessary structural repairs, and not covering scan fees or diagnostic procedures.
How does this help my body shop get paid?
When the appraisal process determines that the proper repair cost is higher than what the insurer authorized, the insurer is bound by the appraisal decision. This means your shop gets paid for the correct repair procedures, OEM parts, and calibration work.
Do you perform pre-insurance appraisals for classic or older vehicles?
No. We do not perform appraisals required to obtain or renew insurance coverage. Our services are exclusively for insurance claim disputes — including body shop repair disputes where the insurer has refused to pay for proper repair procedures.