If you live in an area that has recently been hit by a hail storm severe enough to cause dent damage to your vehicle, this is a common question if you carry comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle and want to get the hail damage repaired. Superior Dent Solutions is an auto hail repair shop located in Austin, TX and we are NOT a DRP – a direct repair provider. What does this mean?
Direct Repair Provider VS Independent Repair Shop
Direct repair shops are auto body shops or paintless dent repair shops that are contracted with your insurance company in order to be placed on their “DRP” list.
Why would an auto body or paintless dent repair shop want to be a DRP?
When an insurance company partners with a shop, the shop is sent business by the insurance company. This cuts back on the shop’s advertising dollars and ensures they have a steady flow of business.
What is the difference between a DRP and an independent local auto body/paintless dent repair shop?
Insurance companies usually choose big box repair shops/franchise shops to partner with for a few reasons.
- One reason is because they have multiple locations in multiple cities.
- Secondly, they are usually corporate-owned and the business model is primarily based on quantity, not quality.
- DRP’s often use aftermarket parts instead of original manufacturer (OEM) parts. These parts are mass-produced to work on a myriad of vehicles. As a result, they tend to be of lower quality and rarely fit as well as they should.
- Finally, labor is cheaper.
Some common DRP shops are Gerber Collision Center, Caliber Collision,