Frequently Asked Questions

No matter how minor, it is wise to report every auto accident to the police. Next, contact your friends here at Mander Collision and Glass. From communicating with your insurance company and towing your vehicle, to scheduling your repairs, we will assist you with the processing of your claim, answer your questions, and advise you, to ensure that safe and proper repairs are made to your vehicle.

No. In Wisconsin, you have the absolute right to select the collision repair shop of your choice. When your insurer gives you a list of registered repair shops, they likely will have indicated those shops which have entered into a contract with them. Mander Collision and Glass is on some of these lists and not on others. We are committed to your best interests for the proper repair of your vehicle and have a written lifetime warranty.

Steering is the act of directing a claimant to or away from any specific auto body repair shop or requiring that repairs be made by a specific repair shop or individual. Steering is illegal in Wisconsin.

If you are told that it will take longer to get your car repaired or cost more if you choose your own shop, BEWARE. You are probably being steered. Comments such as "We won't reimburse paint and materials," "We don't pay that rate," "We won't guarantee the work if you bring your car there," or "We won't pay the difference" are misleading and usually untrue. Wisconsin has strong consumer protection laws that require insurance companies to complete appraisals within specific time frames. Insurance companies are required to negotiate in good faith with any registered collision repair shop on the proper cost to repair the vehicle to pre-accident condition. You pay insurance premiums and contract to pay a specific deductible in the event repairs are required. In effect, you've already paid for proper repairs. Don't be intimidated. Steering is illegal in Wisconsin. Tell your insurance company "Mander Collision and Glass is your shop of choice".

No! Insurance companies often state this, but Mander Collision and Glass offers a written lifetime warranty

You only need one estimate from the "shop of your choice". The insurance company has their own appraisers to verify any estimate you receive from Mander Collision and Glass.

No. In order to write a proper estimate, our estimators must see damaged areas on site and in person. Many times there is damage that can not be seen without a thorough visual inspection.

No. You do not have to pay the difference of the two appraisals. Quite often the insurance estimate is lower than ours. The insurance company may not know where you are going for the repair and therefore will write only for the most basic repair procedures. It is our job, once your vehicle is in for repair, to contact the insurance appraiser and negotiate the claim on your behalf.

Yes, your vehicle will be repaired properly despite a variance in estimates. We will negotiate the proper repair plan and ensure repairs to pre-accident condition and many times, to better than pre-accident condition.

The main cause for estimate variance is due to different hourly labor rates between the insurance company and repair shop. Sometimes it may be from the inability to see hidden damage on the initial inspection.

Yes, we can work from any insurance company estimate.

Repair consultations usually take approximately 15 minutes. Vehicles that have an extensive amount of damage may require slightly more time for proper evaluation of damage. Generally, we will schedule you for a repair appointment at which time we can then get a through evaluation of the needed repairs and an approximate time frame.

Repair times vary depending on the type and amount of damage the vehicle has sustained. Upon estimation of damage, our trained and certified estimators can give an approximate time frame for repair. As repairs begin to reach 80% completion, we will be able to predict a more accurate completion date. Mander Collision and Glass will make the repair in a timely manner without compromising quality standards for the sake of time. We will make sure it is done RIGHT!

Yes. Mander Collision and Glass utilizes a state-of-the-art process which enables us to accurately match your vehicle's finish.

Today's modern factory finishes incorporate multiple layers of highly specialized paints. Mander Collision and Glass proudly uses Sherwin Williams Automotive Paint. Mander Collision and Glass can also match most custom colors. We take special pride in our ability to match factory finishes as the final step in the restoration process.

No. A car is a total loss only when the price of repairs exceeds the insurance company's determined value of your vehicle. Nowadays, most cars are built using Uni-body (frame and body as one) construction. Our highly skilled technicians, with the aid of our state-of-the-art computer measurement system, can return your vehicle to its original factory specifications. If it is determined by our technician that the frame section is bent beyond repair, that section can simply be replaced by I-Car standards and your Manufacturers guidelines.

It is insurance fraud to "hide" the deductible. Some insurance companies recognize the value in not doing some of the accident related repairs. If your insurance company agrees, we will offer to adjust the deductible to allow a savings to you. From time to time, all body shop operators are faced with requests from vehicle owners to "Bury the Deductible" when the damage being repaired is covered by collision insurance. At this point, the car owner should be advised that before he or she takes their car to someone who will "Bury the Deductible", they should consider the following points: Conspiring to "Bury the Deductible" is Insurance Fraud and is against the law, punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. In this age of growing network technology, Insurance Company Appraisers know the cost of repairs, as well as body shops, and are not easily fooled by inflated estimates. If a shop agrees to "Bury the Deductible", it has to take short cuts in making the repairs. The owner may get a second rate job, which depreciates the value of the automobile at trade in time. A body shop willing to cheat an insurance company will probably also cheat the customer. A body shop never really absorbs the deductible. The value is taken right out of the job, and the owner will still end up taking the loss. If the body shop decides to cut corners on the job, it ends up a second rate repair. The owner has no one to complain to if he or she conspired to "Bury the Deductible". When it is time to trade in your vehicle, you could take an even larger loss than your deductible was in the first place. The smart thing for an owner to do is to protect his or her investment by getting a First-Class Job done by a First-Class Shop.

Recommendations and precautions in the first 30 days:

DOs

✅ Wash the vehicle by hand with cool water and a very mild car wash solution using a soft cloth or sponge.

✅ Use fresh clean water.

✅ Wash your vehicle in the shade.

✅ Be sure your car wash soap is "wax free".

DON'Ts

❌ Do not use a commercial car wash. Stiff brushes or sponges could mar the finish and damage the surface.

❌ Do not "dry wipe" your vehicle. Dry wiping can scratch the finish.

❌ Avoid gravel roads. Chipping the finish is easily done in the first 30 days.

❌ Avoid parking under trees and utility lines which are likely to attract birds. Bird droppings have a high acid content and will damage a freshly painted surface.

Recommendations and precautions in the first 90 days: The paint is cured and safe to drive within 12 hours of application. Do not wax or polish the repaired panels on the vehicle. This will allow the newly applied finish to dry and harden completely.