Insurance & shops Allowing unsafe structural repairs

Just because your insurance or chosen shop approves a repair, doesn’t always mean it’s truly safe.

After an accident, drivers are often told one of two things: the vehicle is a total loss, or the insurance company believes it can still be repaired. But the real question is not just what insurance approves:

is the vehicle truly safe to put back on the road?

At Image Auto Body, we evaluate every collision repair with safety and structural integrity first. While some vehicles that appear heavily damaged can still be restored safely using proper OEM repair procedures, the opposite can also happen. In some cases, an insurance company may authorize a structural repair that technically meets claim requirements, but our technicians determine the vehicle will never be safe enough to drive again.

When frame rails, crumple zones, mounting points, or critical structural components are compromised beyond safe repair standards, we will not simply follow the fastest insurance outcome. Our responsibility is to protect the customer, their passengers, and everyone else on the road.

That means we carefully inspect:

• structural damage
• hidden frame movement
• suspension mounting areas
• airbag and ADAS impact zones
• OEM repair feasibility
• long-term crashworthiness

If the vehicle cannot be restored to safe operating standards, we will explain why clearly and advocate for the customer instead of performing an unsafe repair.

In this video, Chris explains how Image Auto Body approaches the difficult decision between repair and total loss for drivers in Pflugerville, Round Rock, Georgetown, Manor, and North Austin.

If you’ve been told your vehicle is repairable but still have concerns, request a free estimate and structural evaluation from Image Auto Body today.