Hail Damage Repair - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

TheAlpineOracle · 09-25-2015, 08:27 AM

Like a lot of people, I had a car damaged during the hail storm back in August. My insurer (TD) has me take to KHS for an estimate. I had never heard of KHS before, but was told it was a newer organization that has opened up in Calgary to purely deal with hail claims and they are internationally known for this.

I say fine, and take it there to get my estimate. They tell me that it will all be paintless dent repair which kind of shocks me because i've been through this before and the damage was similar and the past event I basically had to have every panel replaced and a new roof put on the car. Anyways, I think nothing of it and schedule them to do the paintless dent repair assuming the technology has probably improved over the past 5 years.

I dropped the car off on Monday and they tell me it should be done by Friday. I tell them not to worry about timing, I have a rental car and I just want it done right. I call today and just ask for an update on time, and i'm informed that my car is in a body shop. This is where my anger is kicking in. Had I been informed they were not going to do paintless dent repair, I would have taken it to a shop of my choice. I was never given that option.

So I guess my question is two fold. Is this common practice in people's experience? If it isn't, is there something I should be doing because I called my insurance adjuster and they don't see any issue with that occurred.

Da_Chief · 09-25-2015, 08:36 AM

Thanks. Timely thread.

I'm taking my truck to KHS (know how systems) on Tuesday for an estimate. Will make sure I bring this up so there no surprises for me.

topfiverecords · 09-26-2015, 10:05 AM

I had my Mini Cooper go through KHS a few years ago. They did the paintless dent repair on most of the car but the roof had to be done at the body shop. Perhaps they came across a specific area that couldn't be done paintless and had to send to the body shop? Still, lame that they didn't give you an update. Work was great on my car though, can't tell there was ever a touch of damage or work done to it.

I-Hate-Hulse · 09-26-2015, 12:52 PM

I'm a bit irked at how this all works. My car was hit in the hailstorm, but will shortly be parked outside when we get a new car and it gets secondary status. So it's chance of getting hailed upon again will be good.

I ask about a cash payout - apparently TD has a $5,000 limit after which cash payout is not possible. They tell me to take it to KHS for an appraisal - which lo and behold, comes out above $5,000 (it's pretty minor damage).

Seems kind of self serving to have the body shop do the appraisal so they can win the work not The appraisal was hardly "independant".

Something to keep in mind when insurers moan about the losses they've suffered....

Ironhorse · 09-26-2015, 03:48 PM

I recently had my car appraised by KHS, because that's who TD deals with for the initial appraisal. I'm currently booked into a different, local shop to be fixed in a few months. The KHS shop came across as the Sears or The Bay of car repair: probably good enough for the majority of people who drive appliances, but not excellent. Lots of "parachuted in" talent too it seemed.

calgaryblood · 09-26-2015, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

I recently had my car appraised by KHS, because that's who TD deals with for the initial appraisal. I'm currently booked into a different, local shop to be fixed in a few months. The KHS shop came across as the Sears or The Bay of car repair: probably good enough for the majority of people who drive appliances, but not excellent. Lots of "parachuted in" talent too it seemed.

Hevishot · 09-28-2015, 07:38 AM

After your KHS estimate is done you can take it wherever you want to have the vehicle repaired. You do not have to take it back to KHS or anybody else TD is funneling their work through. They kickback a percentage to TD for the work. If your vehicle goes there for PDR repair and ends up having to go to a bodyshop because its too damaged make sure you find out what shop is repairing your vehicle conventionally so in the future if you have issues you know who to go back on.

TheAlpineOracle · 09-28-2015, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hevishot

After your KHS estimate is done you can take it wherever you want to have the vehicle repaired. You do not have to take it back to KHS or anybody else TD is funneling their work through. They kickback a percentage to TD for the work. If your vehicle goes there for PDR repair and ends up having to go to a bodyshop because its too damaged make sure you find out what shop is repairing your vehicle conventionally so in the future if you have issues you know who to go back on.

My issue is I couldn't take it to whomever I want. My estimate said it was going to be paintless dent repair. As a result I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't leave it at KHS because they are experts in that field. When I called back to see the status of my car (they never once contacted me), they told me it was at a bodyshop. Had I known it was going to a bodyshop, I would have had it taken to my preferred shop that I've used before. That is what has me irked. I've been through this before.

My buddy works in insurance and tells me they have to send it to a shop on TD's list and not to worry, so I'm sure it will be fine though.

TheAlpineOracle · 09-29-2015, 04:42 PM

So just an update. My car was supposed to be done last Friday, but got pushed back until Wednesday because it had to be sent into the body shop (there estimated was 100% paintless dent repair - not a single mention of body work). Not it's going to be pushed back until October 6th and when I pick it up it's going to be missing a part that is on back order until the end of October, so I have to drive back again to get that put back on.

Oh, and not a single call was made to me about this. I've had to call every couple of days to get an update. My adjuster nor KHS have provided me with a single update.

Not happy one bit. I've dealt with multiple insurance claims, and this is by far the worst run amature ****show I have been involved with.

Hevishot · 09-30-2015, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

So just an update. My car was supposed to be done last Friday, but got pushed back until Wednesday because it had to be sent into the body shop (there estimated was 100% paintless dent repair - not a single mention of body work). Not it's going to be pushed back until October 6th and when I pick it up it's going to be missing a part that is on back order until the end of October, so I have to drive back again to get that put back on.

Oh, and not a single call was made to me about this. I've had to call every couple of days to get an update. My adjuster nor KHS have provided me with a single update.

Not happy one bit. I've dealt with multiple insurance claims, and this is by far the worst run amature ****show I have been involved with.

Welcome to the wonderful world of "preferred repair facilities" and work steerage they don't care about you or your vehicle. It's just another car and your just another claim. The more people that let this happen the worse it will be. They should of contacted you when they were going to take your car off the premises to be conventionally repaired just incase you wanted it to go somewhere else for the conventional repair. Make sure you find out where the car went to be repaired just incase you have an issue. Once the hail work dries up KHS will be gone and you will have to deal with the adjuster and insurance company to get any warranty work done.
Hope for the best

TheAlpineOracle · 09-30-2015, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hevishot

Welcome to the wonderful world of "preferred repair facilities" and work steerage they don't care about you or your vehicle. It's just another car and your just another claim. The more people that let this happen the worse it will be. They should of contacted you when they were going to take your car off the premises to be conventionally repaired just incase you wanted it to go somewhere else for the conventional repair. Make sure you find out where the car went to be repaired just incase you have an issue. Once the hail work dries up KHS will be gone and you will have to deal with the adjuster and insurance company to get any warranty work done.
Hope for the best

My thoughts exactly. To quote the original estimator (who worked for KHS). "This is paintless dent repair all day, easy fix should be done in less than a week".

It seems an awful lot to me like the original estimate was under-estimated to ensure they would get some hail work knowing that even if came back that PDR was not possible for some panels, that TD would just up the appraisal and allow them to send it to a preferred shop.

I'm sure I probably signed something that says they could send it out for bodywork, but that is 100% not what was communicated to me in the original estimate.