GEICO Auto Repair Xpress Review
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Your car may get into a crash or suffer some bad luck that will leave you facing a significant repair bill. There are several repair options, usually with your insurance paying for it. GEICO Auto Repair Xpress is one of those options.
GEICO ARX is a network of GEICO-certified body shops that repair cars for GEICO customers at rates pre-negotiated by the insurance company. These are independent shops that opt into the program. They’re not owned by GEICO. If your car gets into a scrap, GEICO will send a claims adjuster. This adjuster determines how much the repairs should cost then recommends a GEICO ARX shop.
However, you DO NOT have to use the recommended shop. By law, an insurance company cannot force you to use a particular mechanic. You can take your car to a shop of your choosing and the insurance company will cover the cost of the repairs up to their assessed figure. If a body shop charges more than what the insurance company recommends, you will have to pay the additional money yourself. Many people still choose to use GEICO ARX because the assessed cost of repairs is often in line with what the body shop charges.
GEICO Auto Repair Xpress Review: How does GEICO ARX work?
Let’s say, for example, a tree falls on your car, caves in the roof, smashes all the windows, mangles the steering wheel, and puts huge dents on the trunk and bonnet.
A claims adjuster then estimates the cost of these damages at $2,500. If you have a deductible of $500, you’ll pay $500 out of your pocket while GEICO puts up the other $2,000. The adjuster would often recommend that you use an ARX shop. Because GEICO has already negotiated the cost of labor and replacement parts, this body shop would bill you the assessed amount i.e. $2,500.
If you prefer another non-ARX body shop that charges $3,000 for the repairs, GEICO would still only pay $2,000 and you would have to go into your pocket for the additional $1,000. In an ARX shop, you might have only had to put up $500. This is one of the reasons why many people use GEICO ARX. The assessed costs of repair are almost always in line with what the mechanic will charge you.
But the process also works in reverse. GEICO or any other insurance company cannot legally compel you to use a specific body shop. They can suggest a body shop but that’s all the law allows them to do. Therefore, if you choose a body shop that charges only $2,000 for the repairs, you can get GEICO to pay the full cost and never have to go into your pocket for a cent.
This is a long shot, however. As a profit-oriented company with a network of body shops all around the United States, GEICO probably knows how much every decent body shop within 100 miles of your house charges. Alternatively, if you forgo the repairs altogether or choose to do them yourself, you can pocket the $2,000 check.
Once you surrender your car to a GEICO ARX body shop, you will get a rental car to use until the repairs are done. If your policy covers it, GEICO will pay for it. You will receive periodic updates and once the repairs are complete, the claims adjuster will perform a quality check before you collect it.
GEICO Auto Repair Xpress Review: How long does GEICO take to give an estimate?
GEICO will send a claims adjuster to inspect your car and give an estimate of repair costs within 48 hours.
GEICO Auto Repair Xpress Review: How long does GEICO take to fix your car?
The length of time to fix your car varies with the amount of work that has to be done. But it’s bound to be as fast as possible. If GEICO is paying for your rental by the day while your car is in the shop, they won’t want to keep paying for too long.
GEICO Auto Repair Xpress Review: How much does GEICO ARX cost?
An exact figure is hard to pinpoint because everyone pays a different amount depending on their policy. But a vast majority of people only pay their deductible. Since the average car insurance deductible in the US is $500, that’s probably how much you are going to pay.
For example, if the repair cost is assessed at $2,500, you will pay $500 and GEICO will cover the $2,000. If your deductible is higher, then you will pay more.
If your policy requires the use of OEM parts, GEICO will cover 80% of the costs of those parts. You will have to put up the rest of the money.
GEICO Auto Repair Xpress Review: Does GEICO offer OEM parts?
This is a tricky one. The general answer is that it depends. The granular answer is more complicated than that. While your insurance policy compels GEICO to pay for any repair exceeding your deductible, there is often no provision requiring OEM parts for replacement.
If your policy calls for OEM parts, GEICO will pay 80% of the cost of OEM parts but you will have to cover the difference.
For safety, GEICO insists only on new OEM or recycled OEM parts for bumper brackets, reinforcements, and absorbers. The replacement cost of other parts is calculated with aftermarket prices. If you insist on OEM parts for all repairs, you will have to go back into your pocket for the extra money.