Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve been in a car accident. What do I need to do?

There are a few things to do straight away after an accident. Firstly, make sure you and all other parties are ok. If anyone has been injured, call an ambulance or police if need be. It’s very important to get the all other parties contact details, such as name, address, phone number and insurance. If your car cannot be driven, call for a tow truck – if during business hours, you can call Piero’s Panel and Paint and we can organise one for you. If you have insurance, and feel the damage is significant, call to make a claim. If you’re unsure about all of these, call us!

Should I get my car towed? Who do I call?

If you’re unsure if your car should be towed or are not comfortable driving after an accident, call a tow truck. The tow truck driver will take your car directly to us and complete all paperwork.

What if the accident wasn’t my fault?

It’s advised that all accidents that aren’t your fault are to go through your insurance. Should the person at fault not have insurance, all their details will need to be provided to your insurance company.

Can I claim against the other party’s insurer?

Yes you can, but we advise to use your own insurance if you have it. Claiming through another insurer can cause delays to your repairs and you may not have the same flexibilities as using your own insurer.

If I make a claim, will I lose my no claim bonus?

If you are not at fault and can supply the full details of the person who is at fault, you should not have to pay an excess and therefore you will not lose your no claim bonus. However, in some cases where it is hard for an insurance company to recover costs from the party at fault, you may have to pay an excess. If the claim is resolved at a later date, you will be refunded your excess. It is advised to speak to your insurance should you have any concerns regarding your excess or no claim bonus.

What if I have an excess?

Your excess needs to be paid before or when you pick your car up. Excesses are deducted from our invoices to insurance companies, therefore no vehicle can leave the premises until the excess has been paid. We accept credit card payments, bank transfers, cheques and cash.

Do I need to report my accident to the police?

If the cost of repair exceeds $3000 or there is personal injury due to the accident, then it is advised you complete a police report. You can do this by visiting a police station, or online at crashreport.com.au

Do you work with all insurance companies?

Yes we do.

What information do I need to provide my insurance company when making a claim?

Most common information includes:

Policy number
Date, time and location of accident
Make and model of car
Driver of car (and owner of car if different)
Driver’s licence details
Name and contact details of other parties involved in accident
Insurance details of other parties involved in accident
If police and/or ambulance attended the accident, and their document numbers

You will be provided with a claim number, which we will require.

Do I need to book an assessment?

Our initial assessments take around 15 minutes, so no booking time is required. However, if you have limited time, we suggest calling in advance to confirm an ideal assessment time.

How long will it take to do a written quote?

Written quotes usually take half a day, but can take longer depending on the ability to source parts and prices.

How long will it take to fix my car?

The most common question! From the initial assessment, we can usually determine a repair time frame, however, lots of factors can change this. Most commonly these factors include; staff sickness, part delivery delays, incorrect parts supplied or arriving damaged, sub-contractor work including wheel alignments and electrical repairs. For larger accidents, the extent of the damage can sometimes not be seen until the car is stripped. This may cause additional work and parts, and can delay the repair process.

What should I do if there is a problem after I pick up my car?

All our repairs come with a 5 year warranty. If you feel something is right with your car after we repair it, please bring it straight back.

Do you have hire cars?

Yes, we have a few cars that are available for you to hire while your car is being repaired. Due to the limited number, we suggest requesting for a hire car during your initial assessment.

What are your opening hours?

Our shop is open Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm. Should you need to drop your car to us outside of these times, please let us know. We are closed on weekends and public holidays.