Is The Fear of Change Holding You and Your Shop Back?

Let’s cut the straight to it—if you run a body shop and still let insurance companies dictate how you operate, you’re not running your shop. You’re running their program. It’s time we have a real talk about the fear that’s keeping you stuck, broke, and frustrated: the fear of change.

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The Insurance Company is Not Your Customer. The Vehicle Owner Is.

Too many shops still operate as if the insurance adjuster signs their paycheck. They don’t. The customer does. Your shop is contracted by the vehicle owner, not the insurance company. That means your responsibility is to them—not to some faceless adjuster trying to shave labor times or deny procedures they don’t understand.

When you shift that mindset, everything changes. But let’s be honest—it takes guts. Because stepping away from insurer control means one thing: you’ll have to start having some honest, sometimes uncomfortable, conversations with your customers.

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The Conversation Shops Are Afraid to Have (But Must Start Having)

Here’s what shops need to start telling customers—clearly, confidently, and unapologetically:

> “We’re going to repair your vehicle properly, following OEM standards, not insurer shortcuts. We’ll fight to recover everything the insurance company owes. But if they short-pay or refuse to cover required procedures, you may be responsible for the remaining balance. We’ll walk you through your options—including how to dispute their decision.”

That’s it. That’s the magic conversation.

The shop isn’t saying, “You’re on your own.” You're saying, “We’ve got your back. But we won’t compromise the integrity of the repair just to satisfy a budget.”

This isn’t just about business—it’s about ethics, safety, and restoring your authority as the expert.

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Tools You Can Equip Your Customers With

Fear comes from the unknown. But when customers are educated, they become your allies—not obstacles.

Here are some tools every shop should be talking to customers about:

The Appraisal Clause (RTA): If their policy includes it, they can challenge the insurer's lowball estimate through an appraisal process. The shop helps identify the short-pays, and a third-party appraiser steps in to resolve the dispute.

Diminished Value Claims: Let them know their vehicle may have lost value after the wreck, even after repairs. And they can make a claim against the at-fault insurer to recover that loss. Many customers have no clue this is even possible.

Consumer Protection Laws & Complaint Forms: If the insurer is acting in bad faith or delaying payment, you can direct your customer to file a formal complaint with the state’s Department of Insurance. That alone can apply pressure.

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Why Shops Are Scared—and Why They Shouldn't Be

Here’s what I hear from shops:

“What if the customer doesn’t want to pay?”

“I don’t want to lose business.”

“Insurance companies will blacklist me.”

Let’s unpack that:

1. Most customers will pay—when they understand the 'why'.

If you frame it around safety, quality, and transparency, they’ll respect you. The good customers—the ones you want—will stick around. The rest? Let them run to the DRP down the street that cuts corners for a buck.

2. You won’t lose business—you’ll gain control.

Shops that have made this switch report fewer headaches, better repair outcomes, and higher profitability. You don’t need 50 half-paying jobs a month. You need 25 well-paying, properly documented ones.

3. The blacklist is a myth.

There’s no official blacklist. And guess what? If you’re already getting short-paid, what are you afraid of? That they’ll short-pay you more?

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Final Thoughts: Get Uncomfortable, or Stay Controlled

Change is hard. It means reworking how you communicate, documenting like a pro, and standing your ground when adjusters push back.

But the alternative is worse: being stuck in a broken system that devalues your skill, underpays your labor, and exposes you to liability.

The shops that thrive are the ones that lead—not the ones that comply.

So I’ll leave you with this:

> Are you willing to stay broke just to stay comfortable? Or are you finally ready to take back control of your shop—and your future?

You already know what’s right. Now have the courage to do it.

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Need help training your team or building the tools to transition away from insurer control? Let’s talk. Nexus Claim Services is here to help shops take the keys back—for good.

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#AutoBodyTruth #TakeBackTheKeys #FixItRightNotCheap