What Happens After You File An Insurance Claim For Collision Damage

What Does The Insurance Claim Process Look Like At Ozzie's?

The first estimate after a crash often feels like relief—until you realize it barely scratches the surface. We pull back the curtain on how insurance claims really move from quick photo reviews and AI guesses to accurate repair plans, and why the right steps can multiply that initial number once real damage is uncovered. With Megan Mueller, our co‑owner and CEO of Ozzie's Body Shop, we walk through the full path: getting a claim number, bringing us the initial estimate for translation, and then the moment that matters most—complete disassembly by make‑certified technicians who follow OEM procedures.

You’ll hear how supplements work, why they’re common, and what “hidden damage” actually means when you get behind the outer panels. We explain the parts you can’t legally add until they break during removal, how advanced driver assistance systems change everything, and why calibrations and paint protection film approvals usually hinge on final invoices. We also talk about the traps baked into quick cash‑outs, especially after hail, where a $5,000 offer might mask $15,000 in real repairs. The goal isn’t to fight; it’s to document, approve, and restore your car to safe, pre‑loss condition.

Communication is the backbone of the process. We set expectations upfront, share the full supplement we send to insurers, review approvals, and keep you posted even when the update is “still waiting.” When timelines slip, your voice can move mountains—targeted calls or emails to adjusters help, and in Colorado, unnecessary delays may violate state statute, making Department of Insurance complaints a last‑resort lever. If you want a cleaner, safer, and less stressful repair, this guide gives you the playbook: treat the app estimate as a starting line, insist on OEM procedures, and partner with a shop that documents every step.

If this helped demystify claims and repairs, follow the show, share it with a friend who just got an estimate, and leave a quick review so more drivers can find trustworthy advice.

To learn more about Ozzie's Body Shop visit:
https://www.OzziesBodyShop.com
Ozzie's Body Shop 
5280 N. Garfield Ave.
Loveland, Colorado 80538
970-667-7849 

Transcript

Welcome And Mission

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to Crash Course, the Aussies Body Shop Show, where bent metal mystery noises and uh-oh moments meet Northern Colorado's finest collision repair center. Hosted by Megan Mueller, co-owner and CEO of Ozzy's Body Shop, an OEM certified and authorized collision repair facility that's been getting families safely back on the road since 1967. From fender benders to full-on frame repairs, insurance questions to will this ever look right again? Megan's here to explain it all in plain English with a little grease, a little grace, and a lot of heart. Because around here, the motto's simple. To be the best, you gotta be the best. And your car deserves nothing less. Let's pull into the shop and get started.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Navigating an accident is stressful enough. Your repair shop should make the claim process the easy part. Welcome everyone, Chelsea Earlywine, co-host and producer here in the studio with Megan Mueller, co-owner and CEO of Aussie's Body Shop. Megan, hope your day is going well so far. Doing very well. How about you? Doing good. Thanks. Well, Megan, to get started, can you walk us through what does the insurance claim process look like at Ozzy's? Okay.

Photo Apps, AI, And Bare Bones Numbers

SPEAKER_02 1:29

So I'm going to ask you to um give me any questions that come up because what I will tell you is that that is a very loaded question. It is going to depend so much on what insurance company it is, whether you are the claimant, meaning that you've been hit by somebody, or if you are the insured going through your own insurance company. So typically you will call into the insurance company and receive what's called a claim number. Most of the time they will then direct you, especially with some of the really large insurance companies, kind of the main five that most people know. They will then have you go ahead and download their app and take photos of the damage. Sometimes those photos will go to somebody sitting at their computer and they will write up a very, very bare bones initial estimate off of those photos. I would imagine that people can understand that, like especially with a hail claim, photos are just going to give you very little information as far as what the damage is. Sometimes it will actually just go to an AI generation or go through an AI generation, and that's just going to spit you out an estimate to you. Also, very, very bare bones. Those initial estimates, I always tell people like if the damage is for the right side and that estimate spit out for the left side, like don't worry about what is on there. It's kind of the fastest way to get the claim moving. Um, but it's not, it's gonna be missing a ton of stuff. The next step is to take that initial estimate, and what we recommend is bringing that initial estimate in so that we can go ahead and review with you what the process that's about to unfold is actually going to be like, what's missing from the estimate, what changes we know we're gonna need to make, um, you know, if it's rote for a lot of, you know, aftermarket or parts out of a junkyard, what that's gonna look like, um, and just go through an entire evaluation process. So that's kind of like the the beginning.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Where we start. Yeah. So how does Aussies coordinate with insurers to ensure that an accurate estimate's been done and those approvals are done?

Bringing The Estimate In For Review

SPEAKER_02 3:36

Yes. So that next step, most insurers will not do what's called a supplement, which is additional damages, until the vehicle is actually at a repair facility. So it's really unfortunate for people that don't intend to have the repair done because they're essentially settling for far less than what is actually owed towards that claim. And they don't realize that. I see it especially with hail damage. Um I my personal opinion is that they're hoping that you're gonna cash out and just be like, oh,$5,000, I can live with some dents. You really have about$15,000 worth of damage that you just cashed out on. Um, so we we help people navigate through that process as well if they don't intend to have the work completed and what options they have to receive their benefits. Anyway, the next step with most repairs would be then to get the vehicle in. We would take it to whatever technician is certified in that manufacturer. They would go ahead and perform what's called a complete disassembly. So, with vehicles, when they are hit, um, what you can initially see on the outside is very rarely what is actually kind of hidden behind everything. So they'll completely disassemble it, they will write it up for everything that's required after reviewing the manufacturer procedures for what's necessary per the manufacturer for that repair, document everything, and send that all off to the insurance company for additional approval.

SPEAKER_01 5:05

I see. So once that's sent off to the insurance company, then the claim amount would be adjusted? Very much.

SPEAKER_02 5:12

Okay, okay. I would say on average, from those initial estimates, we typically see it go up about five times.

Getting The Car In And Full Teardown

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Oh, wow. Okay, that's big. Yes. Okay. So can you tell me more about how do supplements work and why are they so common in collision repair?

Supplements And Hidden Damage

SPEAKER_02 5:33

So I think it's a couple of things. Um, I think that like we just talked about how the initial estimates are typically done. Um and then also the fact that you know, with the photos and and that kind of stuff, you you can't expect to have a very good initial estimate off of those. And then also just those hidden damages, like what is behind. So even when somebody comes in for us to write an initial estimate in person, is it going to be more accurate than the photo apps? Like, absolutely. However, there's still stuff that we can't see, and you can't write for things that you can't see or prove. Um, so even an initial estimate in person oftentimes is going to have additional stuff. There's also a lot of parts on vehicles that when you take them off, they're just held on with little plastic clips. You can't legally write for those. You have to, you have to write that they're gonna come off in perfect condition, even though you know that it's unlikely. And then once they actually break, you can show that they've broken, add them to the supplement as part of the repair process and get those approvals. And then there's also just a lot of the repair process that like calibrations that are gonna be necessary that are typically not going to be covered until the invoice is provided to the insurance company. Um, or you know, clear bra, same thing.

SPEAKER_01 6:53

You're gonna need that invoice. Okay. So what communication can customers expect from Aussies throughout that whole process?

Clips, Calibrations, And Proof

SPEAKER_02 7:01

Yeah. Um, so obviously there's a lot of information provided at the front as far as how the process is gonna go. And then when the vehicle drops off, we review with them to make sure that they don't have any questions at that point. Um, once the disassembly is completed, we send them a copy of what we will be sending to the insurance company. When we get the approval back from the insurance company, we review that with them. Um, and I mean, we we try to call most of our customers twice a week just to even no update updates, like, hey, still waiting. Because unfortunately, a lot of times um the vehicle owner is gonna have a lot more power to push if we're running into problems as far as getting an answer back, um, which unfortunately happens sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

So and if you are struggling, before we close out here, if you're struggling to get an answer back, if Aussies is, is there something that the customer themselves needs to do with the insurance company to move the process along? It yes.

How We Keep You In The Loop

SPEAKER_02 8:05

Um, and again, it's it's hard to say just kind of a blanket statement because everything is so every repair is very individualized based on like what model it is, what the requirements are for the repair, and what insurance company is helping to assist with those costs. So um, but I would say a lot of times it's phone calls um or even emails uh to the insurance company just saying, like, hey, this is a unnecessary delay. I the body shop needs answers. Um, that can be extremely helpful. And then we do have some vehicle owners that end up filing a complaint with the Department of Insurance because unnecessary delays is actually against um, you know, Colorado State statutes as far as the claims process.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Wow. Okay. Well, it's a complex process, but it sounds like Aussies really does make sure that customers, from the time they drop off their vehicle to the final pickup, that they feel confident and informed in the process. We try to walk them through absolutely every step. Yep. That's fantastic. I love that. Well, Megan, thank you so much for walking us through a process that can feel very overwhelming for a lot of people. We appreciate your clarity and we'll see everyone next time. My pleasure.

When To Push Insurers And File Complaints

SPEAKER_00 9:23

You've been listening to Crash Course, the Aussies Body Shop show with Megan Mueller, serving auto owners all across northern Colorado with certified family-owned collision care. If your vehicle's had a rough day, or you just want repairs done right the first time. For more information, visit OzzyBodyShop.com or call 970-667-7849. Ozzy's Body Shop. To be the best, you gotta be the best. On the road and in the repair bay. Until next time, drive safe. And if life dents it, you know where to send it.