Why Frame Damage Doesn’t Have to Equate to a Total Loss

Many car owners equate any type of frame damage with a total loss. However, frame damage is not a death sentence for your vehicle. This overview of frame damage repair shows drivers how a vehicle with frame damage can be rescued from the total loss process.

Loss Definitions

A car declared a total loss is any vehicle deemed by your insurance company to be more financial trouble than it’s worth. For example, if an older model vehicle with serious engine damage may require tons of new parts and many hours of labor to repair. If this bill exceeds the total market value of the repaired vehicle, then the vehicle will be tagged as a total loss and the insurance company may refuse to help you repair it. However, many instances of frame damage are quite inexpensive to repair. In cases like these, your damaged vehicle will likely not be declared a total loss.

Repair Technology

Modern auto body repair shops can fix many types of frame damage with less effort and less cost than ever before. Unibody frame machines are able to stretch and straighten vehicle frames of all types. The machine attaches to the rigid end of your vehicle’s unibody frame and uses hydraulic pressure to pull the vehicle back into shape. Once the frame has been repaired, a bit of typical auto body repair will make your vehicle look like new again.

Insurance Support

Your insurance company may offer to fund a few hours of auto body repair work. If the insurance company is willing to fund a unibody frame repair job, then there is a good chance that the vehicle is not a total loss. Be sure to choose an auto body shop that will accurately communicate the extent of the frame damage to your insurance company.

Michael J’s Body Shop can help you get your vehicle back on track. Our two San Jose auto body repair shops use the latest technology to complete quick and reliable repairs. Call us at 408-279-2070 to find out how we can restore your vehicle—even if it has frame damage.