Collision Repair: What You Need to Know

In case you ever experience an accident in your Subaru, watch this video to learn about the repair process, your customer repair rights, and why choosing a Subaru Certified Collision Center puts your mind at ease – because it’s the best way to get back the vehicle you fell in love with in the first place.

What to Do After an Accident

  • Most importantly, be sure to move to a safe location while you contact 911 if help is needed.
  • Take the names and phone numbers of other drivers and witnesses. Get photos of the accident scene, note the damage to the vehicles, and collect details like license plates and insurance cards. Unless it is an official form from a police officer, don’t sign any documents or make agreements with other drivers until you speak with your insurance company.
  • Before you contact your insurance for towing and auto collision repair, your first instinct might be to just start searching for “auto body shop near me.” But it’s important to remember Subaru certified collision centers are uniquely staffed and use state-of-the-art equipment to get your Subaru back on the road. You are always able to choose where your Subaru is repaired and you can also request that your insurance and collision center agree to use only new genuine Subaru collision parts for the repair. Using a Subaru certified collision center and genuine Subaru collision parts helps preserve the original structural integrity, protective capability, and overall performance of your Subaru vehicle. 

 

All Subaru Certified Collision Centers must achieve the industry-leading I-CAR Gold certification to be in our network. In an unregulated industry where anyone could repair your vehicle, we make sure the technicians repairing your Subaru are trained with the highest industry standards.

Subaru Certified Collision Centers are required to follow the official Subaru Repair Procedures for every repair. The repair procedures for Subaru vehicles are written by the engineers who originally helped build your vehicle, and they are updated regularly. Many collision centers and auto body repair shops rely on their own repair experience and aftermarket manuals that may be incomplete.

Modern vehicles are becoming more advanced each year, and it can be difficult for collision centers to acquire the latest technology and tools needed to properly repair them. Subaru Certified Collision Centers are evaluated annually to ensure they have the right tools and equipment. Many other collision centers may be using outdated equipment with no regulating agency to alert them of the issue.

Subaru is committed to helping ensure that auto collision repairs are done the right way. For that reason, Subaru performs on-site assessments of all Subaru certified collision center auto body shops twice a year to review the quality of work performed – including the safety of their staff and technicians.

A Subaru Certified Collision Center will perform a multipoint safety inspection of your vehicle before it leaves their facility. This includes checking the occupant safety systems and the vehicle’s structural integrity. Many collision centers will skip this step, and some insurance companies do not require it for payment of the claim. Subaru made this inspection mandatory for every auto body repair because we believe nothing is more important than your safety.

Still need transportation while your vehicle is in the shop? Consider using a Subaru Just Drive Rental to help keep you moving and enjoy all the Subaru safety, versatility, and peace of mind you’ve come to love.

Find a Subaru Just Drive Rental location near you.

Know Your Repair Rights

When you file a claim with your insurance agent/company, it is important to remember the customer rights included with any automotive insurance policy:

  1. You have the right to decide where to have your Subaru repaired.
  2. You have the right to insist that your insurer and repair facility use only new Genuine Subaru Collision Parts for replacement.
  3. You have the right to ask your chosen collision center for a written repair estimate before authorizing any repairs to review terms of coverage, Genuine Subaru Collision Parts usage, and final costs with your insurance provider.

Ensuring your rights are honored with your insurance company will help guarantee that your Subaru is repaired correctly and safely. For more information about collision parts, repairs, and your customer rights, visit: crashrepairinfo.com

*Industry information prepared by the OEM Collision Repair Roundtable, Inc.

Why Genuine Subaru Collision Parts?

Genuine Subaru Collision Parts are identically engineered to meet the same strict safety and quality standards as the Original Equipment (OE) parts of your vehicle. Our commitment to safety is continually proven through strenuous independent vehicle crash-testing with OE parts performed by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program (NHTSA NCAP) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Subaru works hard to help ensure you have the safest vehicle on the road. We can only ensure this when Genuine Subaru Parts are used.

Genuine Subaru Collision Parts are the perfectly fitted replacement option guaranteed to restore the original appearance of your vehicle. Generic collision part companies may use different materials and manufacturing techniques that cause the finished product to reveal uneven or misaligned bodylines, creases, gaps, faulty trims, etc., after installation.

The durability of Genuine Subaru Collision Parts is a result of the materials used to manufacture them. Engineers have tested Genuine Subaru Body Panels against aftermarket versions in simulated, real-world, and rust-causing conditions to demonstrate the differences in the types of protective layers that help prevent corrosion to sheet metal. Other tests have shown that Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumpers have better low-speed impact and concentrated-impact resistance than aftermarket replacement bumpers.

Become a Subaru Certified Collision Center