In the event that you’re in a car accident and your car needs repair, it’s up to you to remain diligent that your vehicle is stitched back together in a way that makes it safer than before. This article from Consumer Reports warns drivers that often times, insurance companies will try to cut their pay-out costs by having mechanics repair your car with less expensive, after-market products.
As a Columbia personal injury lawyer , I would hope that most of us know by now that most insurance companies don’t usually have the best interest of their clients in mind. They are a business afterall, just looking to maximize their profits. However, when they skimp on your car repair, this can compromise the safety of your vehicle, and potentially put you and your family at risk. Make sure you check the repair ticket to see make sure OEM parts were used. If they were not, demand that they be replaced.
According to a chief research officer for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “There’s a lot of engineering that goes into making a crash-protection system. You can’t willy-nilly change those parts because the system may not work the way it was designed.” When after-market parts are used, they can compromise the ability of your car to keep you safe in an accident. They may not even meet federal safety standards.
So do your homework and make sure your car repair is done with quality products that won’t compromise the safety and integrity of your vehicle.