Apr. 29, 2007

I took my car to the body shop the insurance company recommended to have my car repaired after an accident. I told them that my car had formerly been repainted with non-OEM paint. The body shop said they had state-of-the-art equipment and could match the paint with no trouble. When I returned, the color wasn't even close to a match. They offered to repaint my whole car for $600 out of my pocket, saying the insurance company doesn't pay for their mistakes. I want my car fixed right without paying anything. Who do I talk to?

Donna, Arizona

Contact your insurance company first to report the problem you're having with the body shop. Insurance companies recommend particular shops because they can be depended upon to do a job well and save the insurance company money. If the shop is creating a problem, the insurance company may be willing to help you resolve it.

You should also find out who has guaranteed the work, the insurance company or the body shop. If it's the shop, they should be willing to correct the problem with no cost to you, since they provided the guarantee. In the interim, make sure you write down your conversations, including with whom you talked, when, and what was said, so you have some sort of record.

If you cannot seem to get a favorable resolution from either company, file a complaint with your state department of insurance, which can then act as a liaison between you and your insurance company. You can locate your state's information by using Insure.com's state gateway.

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