Your insurance claim, and your right to choose

You choose the repair shop

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario publishes an Auto Insurance Consumers’ Bill of Rights. Right 13 reads, in full:

You have the right to choose a repair shop, tow operator or vehicle rental company.

Your insurer may recommend a shop from its own network, sometimes called a direct repair program. A recommendation is not a requirement. Bringing your vehicle to us instead does not change your coverage and does not change your deductible.

The same Bill of Rights gives you the right to prompt and fair handling of your claim, and the right to reasonable repair of your damaged vehicle.

What you have to do, and when

Report the collision to your broker, agent or insurance company within seven days. FSRA is blunt about the consequence: failing to report within a reasonable amount of time may result in your insurance company not honouring your claim.

Report it to police as well if anyone was injured, if a cyclist or pedestrian was involved, or if the combined damage to all vehicles and property comes to more than $5,000. That threshold rose from $2,000 on 1 January 2025 — the first change in more than thirty years — and modern panels, sensors and headlights reach it quickly.

In Toronto you do that at a collision reporting centre rather than by calling 911. The centre serving Scarborough is at 39 Howden Road, open 8:00 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, about three kilometres from our shop. Our tow truck operator can take the vehicle in for you. Read the full step-by-step guide.

Your deductible

The deductible is the part of the claim you pay yourself. FSRA’s guidance is that you can expect to pay it in full unless the accident was not your fault, or was only partially your fault. Where the work is done makes no difference to it.

If the vehicle might be written off

An insurer will not pay more to repair a vehicle than the vehicle is worth. When an estimate approaches that figure the claim becomes a total loss rather than a repair. That call belongs to your insurer, and it is based on the vehicle’s actual cash value against the cost of putting it right.

What happens once we have your vehicle

We work with every insurance company. As soon as we take possession of your vehicle we begin working with your insurer to restore it to its pre-accident condition, so that side of the claim is not something you have to chase.

We use factory paints, panels and parts, and the work is covered by our limited lifetime warranty. We are a manufacturer certified collision centre for Subaru, Kia, Hyundai, Genesis, Honda, Acura, Nissan, INFINITI and MOPAR.

Questions we get asked

Can I choose my own body shop in Ontario?

Yes. FSRA’s Auto Insurance Consumers’ Bill of Rights states that you have the right to choose a repair shop, tow operator or vehicle rental company.

Do I have to use the shop my insurance company recommends?

No. Your insurer can recommend a shop from its network. It cannot require you to use one.

Does using my own shop cost me more?

Your deductible is set by your policy, not by the shop. Choosing us does not change it and does not change your coverage.

How long do I have to report a collision?

Seven days to your insurer, or as quickly as possible after that. If the collision is reportable to police, do that as soon as possible as well.

Do you work with my insurance company?

Yes. We work with all insurance companies.

My car is not driveable. What now?

Call us on 416-266-1451 at any hour and we will send a tow truck to you.

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Sources: Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, Auto Insurance Consumers’ Bill of Rights and After an Accident: Understanding the Claims Process; Toronto Police Service, Collision Reporting. Reviewed September 2026. This page explains general consumer rights in Ontario and is not legal advice.