Windshield Repair Is Bigger Business Than You Think.

Windshield Repair Is Bigger Business Than You Think.

Windshield repair is a fast growing industry that bears an increasing number of new entrepreneurs every year. One of the primary challenges to growing a windshield repair business is that of learning how to deal with the auto insurance companies, since they will be a very large part of your newly formed business.

A windshield repair specialist, specifically one that has third party vendor status, can either get paid through the client's insurance first, or directly by the customer first. How should this best be dealt with? Let us review several options to see which makes the most sense for you.

1) The first option is of course, to simply repair the client's windshield. This is the cleanest solution if you can do it. Have the client pay you directly up front, and then they can recover the money from their insurance at any time in the future. This is definitely the best for you, in that you get paid immediately without waiting for the insurance company, but it is not really always the best customer service. If you do choose to go this route, at least keep a ready supply of stamped envelopes available, so you can address and mail them for the client at your expense.

2) Secondly, you could initiate the insurance claim for the windshield repair by calling the toll-free claims number on the client's insurance card yourself. The insurance customer representative will confirm the client's insurance coverage and authorize you to perform the repair. You will then be faxed an insurance form for you to submit with your invoice for the glass repair. If you don't have a fax machine already, you really need to get one. You will need it in your business quite often, and remember, it's also a legitimate business tax write-off.

3) Lastly, you can call the insured client's AGENT, have them confirm the coverage for you, get a claim number, and then submit the invoice directly to the agency. This may not always be the smoothest approach however, so be sure to confirm with the agent where the payment is going to be sent and make sure that the check is made out to you, and not the client.

You do not want to leave the client without being paid, or at a minimum, the assurance that the insurance company will pay you later. Don't ever have the check sent directly to the client, with them promising to turn the check over to you once they get it. Unless you get your name on the check in addition to the client's, there is a real risk of you never seeing your money.

It will take you some amount of time to get a handle on the in's and out's of working with the various insurance companies, and the paperwork that they all require (and each will be different!). It will get easier with time and experience however, so get out there and get your new auto glass repair business started!

Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.

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