Getting a dent in your vehicle sucks. Especially when it’s not the vehicle owner’s fault. They run into the grocery store to quickly grab the three things they came for (plus the five they didn’t and the candy bar they impulse snagged in the checkout aisle) and come out to find someone has run a shopping cart into their fender.
After they’ve sputtered a few choice words, it’s decision time: Should they file a claim with their insurer to get that dent popped out and painted, or do they try addressing it using paintless dent repair?
Like public displays of affection (PDA) and Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR), when it comes to paintless dent repair (PDR), people have strong opinions. Let’s uncover the pros and cons of both.
Paintless Dent Repair? Let’s Do It.
Before a vehicle owner chooses to go the PDR route, there’s lots to consider. Chief among those considerations is the size and depth of the dent. If the dent is too big or too deep, PDR simply isn’t an option. Another non-starter, at the risk of stating the obvious, is if the dent or surrounding area will require paint. PDR is then definitely off the table.
If PDR remains a viable course of action, there’s a good chance your insured can get the dent fixed in a few hours and almost always the same day. Not having to order parts or apply paint significantly speeds up the turnaround time, which is great for you and great for them. And because the PDR option is faster and easier for the body shop too, it’s generally just a couple hundred bucks (or less) to perform the work.
Another great benefit of PDR is it won’t void the warranty of the vehicle’s paint.
PDR generally does not require a claim as the cost of the repair is likely less than how much the policyholder’s premiums may be impacted by filing the claim.
Paintless Dent Repair? Thanks, But No Thanks.
So, what are the circumstances when PDR should not be considered? Well, as stated above, the size and depth of the dent certainly come into play. There is also the chance the dent is located in a place tools are unable to reach, therefore eliminating PDR as an option.
Something else to keep in mind though is that while PDR removes the dent, the vehicle owner still will have scratches and potentially chips in the paint. This certainly affects how the vehicle looks but it also may drive down its value when they go to sell it or trade it in.
If the vehicle owner opts not to file a claim, it is imperative they research the quality of PDR work done by the shop they are considering. Vehicle owners should ask friends and families for recommendations and also check the shop’s Google rating or comments on their social pages. Just because they are a highly reputable shop when it comes to many other forms of collision work doesn’t necessarily mean they have someone with the unique certification and experience needed to perform PDR.
The Right Choice is a Personal One
Choosing to go with PDR or traditional dent repair is entirely up to the vehicle owner. There is ultimately no wrong choice save for not making one at all. Not addressing dents can lead to faster rust accumulation and degradation of the vehicle.
SCA Claim Services Can Write That
As an insurance provider, you can be confident that SCA Claim Services can write PDR or standard repair claims based on your guidelines. For your confidence, every file you assign to SCA has your guidelines attached to it before being sent to the most appropriate appraiser in the field.
Assign a claim to SCA today to experience how we make claim servicing faster and easier for everyone involved.