The questions people ask at the counter
One question per page, answered in the first paragraph, with the Ontario rules that apply. Written and reviewed by the owner.
Insurance & your rights 13
- Can I choose my own body shop in Ontario?Yes. In Ontario the repair shop is your choice. Your insurance company can suggest a preferred shop, but it cannot make you use one. Here is how to say so.
- Who pays for my repairs if I’m not at fault in Ontario?When you’re not at fault in Ontario, your own insurance company pays for the damage under DCPD. What that means for your deductible, your rental and your shop.
- Will a collision claim raise my insurance rates in Ontario?It depends on fault. In Ontario a not-at-fault claim generally should not raise your premium; an at-fault claim usually does at renewal. The honest breakdown.
- What should I do right after a car accident in Toronto?After a Toronto crash: check for injuries, clear the lane, exchange details, photograph everything, report if required, then call your insurance company.
- What is a deductible and when do I pay it?A deductible is the part of a covered repair you pay yourself. In Ontario it comes off what the insurance company pays the shop, so you settle it at pick-up.
- Can a body shop waive my deductible in Ontario?Be careful. A shop cannot make your deductible disappear. When one offers to waive it, the money usually comes from an inflated estimate or a thinner repair.
- Do I get a rental car while my car is being repaired?Usually, if you were not at fault or you carry the OPCF 20 loss-of-use endorsement. Here is when a rental is covered, who arranges it and when it ends.
- What if the at-fault driver has no insurance in Ontario?Your own policy steps in. Ontario policies include uninsured automobile coverage, and collision coverage can apply too. Here is what changes and what to do.
- What happens with a hit-and-run claim in Ontario?Report it to police or a Collision Reporting Centre promptly, then to your insurance company. Your own coverage pays the repair. Here is how the claim runs.
- Who is at fault in a parking lot accident in Ontario?The same Fault Determination Rules apply in a parking lot as on the road. A car hitting a parked car is fully at fault; two cars both moving often split it.
- Do I have to tell my insurance company about a minor accident?Your policy expects notice of any accident within seven days, even a minor one. Reporting is not the same as claiming; the difference matters. Here is why.
- Do I need a new child car seat after an accident?Transport Canada and seat manufacturers generally advise replacing a child seat after a moderate or severe collision. When to replace it, and who pays.
- How do I repair a leased or financed car after an accident?The lessor is on your policy and sometimes on the cheque, the repair must meet the lease’s standard, and the invoice matters at turn-in. What changes.
Cost & time 13
- How much does collision repair cost in Ontario?Collision repair cost in Ontario depends on panels hit, hidden damage, paint blending, parts and sensors. What moves the number and how to get an estimate.
- How long does collision repair take?Collision repair timelines run from a few days for a scuffed bumper to several weeks for structural work. What sets the time: parts, approvals, booth and cure.
- Are body shop estimates free?Most body shop estimates are free, including ours from three photos or in person. When a shop may charge, what a teardown estimate is, and what to bring along.
- How does an estimate from photos work?Photograph the damage from your phone, send the set, and a written preliminary estimate comes back within a business day. What to shoot and what happens next.
- What is a supplement on a collision repair estimate?A supplement is the added estimate a body shop writes when teardown finds damage the first sheet missed. Who approves it, who pays and how it affects timing.
- How do I read a collision repair estimate?A collision repair estimate has a header, line items by panel, labour by type, part type codes, paint and materials, sublets and totals. What each means.
- Should I pay out of pocket or go through insurance for a small repair?For a small repair, weigh the estimate against your deductible, whether you were at fault, whether another driver was involved and what may be hidden.
- How much does it cost to fix a scratch on a car?Scratch repair cost depends on depth, where it sits, how many panels it crosses, the colour and whether paint must be blended. The factors, plainly.
- Is it cheaper to repair or replace a bumper?Repairing a bumper cover is usually cheaper for scuffs and small cracks; replacing wins when tabs are broken, the plastic is torn or the bar behind is bent.
- What is betterment on a car insurance claim?Betterment is what an insurance company deducts when a claim replaces a worn part with new. Where it applies, how it is calculated and how to challenge it.
- Does my car lose value after a collision repair?Often a little, and mostly at resale. In Ontario the Insurance Act bars suing the at-fault driver for it; a documented, proper repair is what limits the gap.
- Should I file a claim for a small dent?Filing a claim for a small dent depends on your deductible, whether you were at fault and what the claim does to your record. Here is how to weigh it.
- How do I fix a keyed car and is it covered?A keyed car is fixed by depth: polish for clear-coat marks, touch-up for colour, repaint for anything deeper. Vandalism is usually a comprehensive claim.
Repair process 10
- Is a repaired car as safe as it was before the accident?It is as safe as the repair procedure that was followed. Measured structure, correct welds and recalibrated sensors restore it; shortcuts do not.
- What is frame damage and can it be fixed?On today’s cars, frame damage means the unibody rails, aprons or pillars have moved. It can usually be fixed by measuring against factory data.
- What is panel blending and why does paint need it?Blending fades new colour into the panel beside the repair so the eye cannot find the edge. Needed because no two sprays of one code are identical.
- Will the new paint match my car’s old paint?It should, when the match is built in steps: paint code, variant chips against your car, a spray-out card under corrected light, then a blend.
- How long does car paint take to cure?New paint flashes in minutes, bakes in the booth and drives home the same day, but it keeps hardening for weeks. What to avoid, and for how long.
- OEM vs aftermarket parts: what are my rights in Ontario?No Ontario law forces OEM parts. An insurance company may write for like kind and quality; you can ask for OEM and pay the difference.
- What does a lifetime paint warranty actually cover?A lifetime paint warranty covers the refinished panels against peeling, fading and delamination while you own the car, not new damage.
- Can a dent be fixed without repainting?Many dents can be pushed out without repainting when the paint is intact and the metal is not creased. What paintless dent repair can and cannot do, plainly.
- Can I drive with a damaged bumper?A damaged bumper is usually driveable for a short while if nothing drags, no lights or sensors are affected and the cover is secured. The checks to make first.
- If my airbags deployed, is the car a write-off?Deployed airbags do not make a car a write-off on their own. The insurance company compares repair cost, restraint system included, against the car’s value.
Ontario rules 8
- Do I have to report a car accident to police in Ontario?Only when someone is injured, the combined damage appears to exceed the provincial threshold, or the other driver left the scene. What that means in practice.
- What is a Collision Reporting Centre and when do I go?A Collision Reporting Centre is where you report a no-injury crash yourself and a police report is created. When to go, what to bring, what it does for a claim.
- How long do I have to file a car insurance claim in Ontario?Notify your insurance company within seven days — the standard Ontario policy expects it. The two-year lawsuit clock is separate. What if you are late?
- What is DCPD in Ontario and how does it work?DCPD (Direct Compensation – Property Damage) means your own insurance company pays when another driver damages your car. How fault and deductibles work.
- What is OPCF 49 and should I remove DCPD?OPCF 49 trades away every physical-damage coverage for a collision in return for a lower premium. What it really removes, who it might suit, how to check.
- Is Ontario a no-fault province for car accidents?Yes for how claims are paid: each driver deals with their own insurance company. No for blame — fault is still assigned and still affects your premium.
- What is a total loss in Ontario and who decides?Ontario has no fixed total-loss percentage. The insurance company weighs repair cost plus salvage against the car’s value, and you can question both.
- Can I keep my car after it’s written off?Usually, yes. You buy the salvage back from the insurance company, but the car is branded and needs a structural inspection before it is plated again.
Seasons & roads 6
- Is road-salt rust worth repairing?Salt rust on rockers and arches is wear, not an insurance claim. When it is worth fixing, when it is not, and how a real repair cuts back to clean steel.
- Can I claim pothole damage in Ontario?Pothole damage is a collision claim on your own policy, usually rated at-fault. The city claim exists but rarely pays. How to decide, and what to check.
- Is hail damage worth fixing?Hail is a comprehensive claim with no fault rating, so you pay the deductible and little else. When the roof and hood count makes it worth fixing.
- Does cold weather affect body shop repairs and paint?Cold slows paint curing, blending and filler; a heated booth makes up for it. Why the finish holds up in January, and why winter repairs run longer.
- What do I do after hitting a deer in Ontario?Pull over, hazards on, stay away from the deer, check the radiator and lights before driving. When to report, and why the repair is a comprehensive claim.
- Is curb rash on wheels and bumpers worth fixing?Scuffed alloy wheels and bumper corners are cosmetic; a bent or cracked wheel is not. How to tell them apart, what the repair involves and when to claim.
Choosing a shop 6
- Should I use the body shop my insurance company recommends?You can, but you do not have to. A recommended shop has a business agreement with the insurance company, not a quality rating. Here is how to decide.
- What is a DRP or “preferred” body shop?A DRP, or direct repair program, is a business agreement between a body shop and an insurance company. It sets pricing and paperwork, not repair quality.
- Can I switch body shops in the middle of a repair?Yes, but timing decides how painful it is. Before work starts it is a phone call. After teardown someone pays for hours already spent. Here is how to do it.
- Do I need an appointment for an estimate?No appointment needed. Text photos for a written estimate within the business day, or drive in at Sheppard and Don Mills. When a booked time helps.
- Which insurance companies do you work with?Claims here run directly with every insurance company writing auto policies in Ontario. How their claims desks differ on appraisals, supplements and rentals.
- Is there a Mandarin-speaking body shop in Toronto?Yes. Crash Consultant at Sheppard and Don Mills in North York works in Mandarin and English. How your estimate and claim are handled in Mandarin.
Electric, hybrid & driver aids 4
- Do my sensors need recalibration after a bumper repair?Parking sensors, radar and cameras behind a bumper may need recalibration after removal or repair. What calibration is, when it applies and who does it.
- What is different about collision repair on an EV?EV collision repair adds high-voltage isolation, a battery pack inspection, bonded aluminum structures and longer parts waits. What changes, and what does not.
- Can an independent shop repair a Tesla in Toronto?Yes, an independent shop can repair a Tesla in Toronto, and Ontario lets you choose. Where the manufacturer’s network still comes in, part by part.
- Is collision repair different on a hybrid?Hybrid collision repair sits between a gasoline car and an EV: high-voltage isolation and a battery check, but ordinary steel and familiar parts.
Estimate
Get a number today
Fill this in and our estimator calls you back within one business day. Or skip the form and text photos straight to the shop.
- Call or text
- (416) 555-0148
- Shop
- 1800 Sheppard Ave E, North York
- Hours
- Mon–Fri · 7:30 AM–6 PM
- Sat · 9 AM–1 PM