Can I choose my own garage or must I use the insurer's?

Question

José Manuel Alburquerque · Accepted Answer

If someone else caused the damage, you choose the garage and the insurer of the driver at fault owes you the reasonable cost of the repair. With your own insurance, the law says that the insurer can only repair instead of paying if you agree, so, in principle, it cannot make you have the repair done at the garages it works with. What the policy can do is offer benefits for using its approved garages, such as direct payment. Outside its network, the insurer may simply pay you the amount assessed by the company's loss adjuster, although if you disagree you can appoint your own expert. At any garage you are entitled to a written quote and to a guarantee on the repair. With your own policy Check what it says about garages. Many policies only pay approved garages directly and, if you go to another one, reimburse you the amount assessed by the company's loss adjuster. Before the repair, let the loss adjuster see the car and ask for their assessment in writing. A condition that restricts your rights, as an excess charged just for going to another garage probably does, must be highlighted and signed separately. If someone else was at fault You choose the garage. The insurer of the driver at fault sends its loss adjuster and pays for the repair. If the garage's quote is higher, the difference has to be justified, sometimes with an expert of your own. Agreements between insurers are not binding on you. If the insurer is slow to pay, it owes late-payment interest. And do not let the year you have to claim against it run out, in Catalonia too. Your rights at the garage A written quote, valid for twelve working days. Any hidden faults that come to light are reported to you within 48 hours. An itemised invoice and the return of the replaced parts, unless you waive this. A guarantee of three months or 2.000 kilometres.