Body shop trying to commit fraud?
It is a long story and this is the best way I could explain to all
Location: Mississauga.
Names not provided as the case is still not closed.
Timeline:
Aug 6: Car stolen from GO station. informed police and GO security. Opened an after hour claim with insurance.
Aug 7: Police came at 5 am and report filed. Called insurance and claim opened. Rental arranged. Insurance tells to wait for 14 days to see if car is found before deemed total loss.
Aug 20: Right on 14th day police located the car in a container ready to be shipped abroad. Police tow the car and I am informed afterwards that the car is at an impound next to a body shop in Mississauga. I visit the body shop to see the car and immediately presented with a form to provide all my insurance info as "it was part of standard process". I knew the form was authorization to conduct further work(Dismantle car) to determine work involved to fix the car. I decline to sign anywhere and ask to see the car. I am immediately asked to leave the body shop and get the tow slip from police. I go to police station but the tow slip is not available yet.
Aug 21: I call the police station in evening and am told slip is there to be collected.
Aug22: I collect the tow slip first thing in morning and deliver it to the body shop right at opening time to save the day. Another document I sign is a single page doc with very clear wordings that I authorize the vehicle to be released to my Insurance company. I just provide my claim number on the document and no policy details. I see the car and the hood is removed and scratched and kept in the back seat. No other scratches or dents as the car was meant to be sold. The thieves had broken the keylock on the driver side and entered. The original fob is not working as the programming has been changed. The new fob police located with car is with the body shop. Plates removed and all personal belongings and dashcam removed. I inform insurance about papers delivered to body shop.Insurance tells me appraiser will see the car and determine if write-off. Not sure why they didn't remove the car to their body shop. Insurance also tells me to be prepared for a long battle as the body shop is not approved by them and has a history to make things difficult.
Aug 22 - Aug 27: Insurance keeps telling me that body shop not letting appraiser see the car and not giving appointments. On Aug 27 I suddenly am told that appraiser has updated the notes that "vehicle being checked/dismantled at insured/owner's authority to determine extent of damage." I immediately call insurance and also email them that I haven't given any authorization to repair as I want the vehicle to be repaired at insurance preferred body shop so that if there is any issue at lease return, I can take it back to be fixed.
Aug 29: Insurance calls me and tells me to drop keys at body shop. I tell them that the my keys are not working and the new fob is with body shop. Not sure why body shop asked for my keys. With every call, I am repeating that I haven't authorized any repairs nor signed any document.
Sep 03: I decide to go to body shop and get the car out. I go there and the body shop owner asks for keys and I tell him it is with him. He gets the keys and car is driven out of the impound. He calls the appraiser in front of me and tells him that he will get the mechanical done with oil and filter change, alignment and he checks that no major damage is there. He asks the appraiser to come tomorrow morning for inspection.
I don't know if this is standard procedure or he has forged my signature on some document. I called insurance to clarify and they said it was between me and body shop. I called body shop and left a voicemail but as expected no one returned call. Is this correct that they have to open the car at body shop and what happens if they bring a forged document? Is the appraiser involved in some way?
Any ideas on how to get the car to their preferred shop? Really confused and fed up as Police, insurance etc are not willing to help saying it is between me and body shop.
Location: Mississauga.
Names not provided as the case is still not closed.
Timeline:
Aug 6: Car stolen from GO station. informed police and GO security. Opened an after hour claim with insurance.
Aug 7: Police came at 5 am and report filed. Called insurance and claim opened. Rental arranged. Insurance tells to wait for 14 days to see if car is found before deemed total loss.
Aug 20: Right on 14th day police located the car in a container ready to be shipped abroad. Police tow the car and I am informed afterwards that the car is at an impound next to a body shop in Mississauga. I visit the body shop to see the car and immediately presented with a form to provide all my insurance info as "it was part of standard process". I knew the form was authorization to conduct further work(Dismantle car) to determine work involved to fix the car. I decline to sign anywhere and ask to see the car. I am immediately asked to leave the body shop and get the tow slip from police. I go to police station but the tow slip is not available yet.
Aug 21: I call the police station in evening and am told slip is there to be collected.
Aug22: I collect the tow slip first thing in morning and deliver it to the body shop right at opening time to save the day. Another document I sign is a single page doc with very clear wordings that I authorize the vehicle to be released to my Insurance company. I just provide my claim number on the document and no policy details. I see the car and the hood is removed and scratched and kept in the back seat. No other scratches or dents as the car was meant to be sold. The thieves had broken the keylock on the driver side and entered. The original fob is not working as the programming has been changed. The new fob police located with car is with the body shop. Plates removed and all personal belongings and dashcam removed. I inform insurance about papers delivered to body shop.Insurance tells me appraiser will see the car and determine if write-off. Not sure why they didn't remove the car to their body shop. Insurance also tells me to be prepared for a long battle as the body shop is not approved by them and has a history to make things difficult.
Aug 22 - Aug 27: Insurance keeps telling me that body shop not letting appraiser see the car and not giving appointments. On Aug 27 I suddenly am told that appraiser has updated the notes that "vehicle being checked/dismantled at insured/owner's authority to determine extent of damage." I immediately call insurance and also email them that I haven't given any authorization to repair as I want the vehicle to be repaired at insurance preferred body shop so that if there is any issue at lease return, I can take it back to be fixed.
Aug 29: Insurance calls me and tells me to drop keys at body shop. I tell them that the my keys are not working and the new fob is with body shop. Not sure why body shop asked for my keys. With every call, I am repeating that I haven't authorized any repairs nor signed any document.
Sep 03: I decide to go to body shop and get the car out. I go there and the body shop owner asks for keys and I tell him it is with him. He gets the keys and car is driven out of the impound. He calls the appraiser in front of me and tells him that he will get the mechanical done with oil and filter change, alignment and he checks that no major damage is there. He asks the appraiser to come tomorrow morning for inspection.
I don't know if this is standard procedure or he has forged my signature on some document. I called insurance to clarify and they said it was between me and body shop. I called body shop and left a voicemail but as expected no one returned call. Is this correct that they have to open the car at body shop and what happens if they bring a forged document? Is the appraiser involved in some way?
Any ideas on how to get the car to their preferred shop? Really confused and fed up as Police, insurance etc are not willing to help saying it is between me and body shop.
Last edited by dealerguy on Sep 4th, 2019 8:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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