Do I have to use the repair shop my insurance company suggests?
No. You may use the repair facility of your choice. Please review the “Your Rights as a Consumer” page on this site.

Should I drive my car after an accident?
Whether or not your car is drivable depends on the severity of the damage. If you have leaking fluids, broken lights, or body parts rubbing on your tires, your car should not be driven. Please contact our towing partner, Norma Jean Towing, at (540) 710-9270, and they will transport your vehicle to our facility.

How do I arrange for my insurance claim?
To begin the claims process, you need to contact the insurance company that is responsible for the repairs. Tell them you have chosen Southern Auto Body to perform the repairs, and that your vehicle is already there. We are a direct repair provider for most of the major insurance companies, which allows one of our friendly staff members to easily assist you with initiating the claims process.

Do I need to arrange for my own rental car?
No. We can arrange to have our corporate rental car partner, Enterprise, pick you up directly from our facility. If you have rental car coverage, Enterprise will be paid directly by your insurance company. If you are responsible for the rental expense, we can arrange for Enterprise to extend special discount pricing to you.

How quickly will you begin the repair process on my car?
In most cases, we can begin the repair process as soon as your car arrives at our facility. For an in depth look at this process, please review the “Repair Process” page on this site.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How long will the repairs on my vehicle take?
The length of time required to complete the repairs on a vehicle depends on many factors. After one of our skilled technicians has performed a meticulous disassembly of your vehicle to uncover all possible damage, we will be able to give you an educated estimation of the time required to make the corrective repairs.

How is a vehicle determined to be a “Total Loss”?
Generally, the responsible insurance company will deem a vehicle as a “Total Loss” if the cost of the repairs exceeds a substantial percentage (usually between 65-80%) of the vehicles’ retail value.

What are your hours, and do I need an appointment for an estimate?
Our hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm, and Saturday from 9:00am to 12:00pm. You do not need an appointment for an estimate Monday – Friday, but we do ask that you arrive for your estimate no later than 5:00pm. Saturday estimates are by appointment only. Please call us at
(540) 898-1808 to schedule a Saturday appointment.

Can I drop off my vehicle for repairs after hours?
Yes. Please let one of our friendly staff know that you will be dropping off after hours, and they will be happy to explain the simple process for doing so.

Do I have to pay my deductible?
Yes. It is mandated by your insurance policy that you pay your deductible to the body shop at the completion of your repairs. However, if you are not at fault in your loss, you will be compensated directly by your insurance company.

What forms of payment do you accept?
Southern Auto Body accepts cash, personal and business checks (with proper I.D.) up to $250.00, properly endorsed insurance checks, bank or cashier’s checks, debit cards, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover.

Can I wash and wax my car as normal after the repairs are completed?
After you pick up your completed car, you can wash it as you normally would. However, we do recommend that you not wax the newly painted areas of your car for 30 days.