Insurance estimate too low — what to do

When an insurance adjuster writes an initial estimate, they're working from visible damage only. They can't see what's behind the bumper cover, inside the door, behind the quarter panel, or in the frame. As a result, initial estimates frequently miss 20–50% of the actual damage scope.

This isn't necessarily bad faith — it's the reality of inspecting damage without disassembly. The system relies on supplements to capture hidden damage as it's discovered during teardown.

A supplement is an updated estimate submitted to the insurance carrier after additional damage is discovered. The body shop documents the new damage with photos, measurements, and parts requirements, then submits to the adjuster.

Most supplements are approved within a few days. They become part of the original claim — you don't pay additional deductible, and the carrier covers the additional repair cost.

At D. MacArthur Auto Body, supplements are part of standard process. During teardown, we photograph every damaged component, measure structural geometry, identify parts that need replacement. The supplement package includes photos, written assessment, parts list, and labor estimate.

We submit directly to your adjuster. If there's any pushback (rare), we provide additional documentation. Customers don't get involved in the negotiation — we handle it.

Denials are rare when supplements are properly documented. If a carrier does deny needed repair work, we escalate within their organization, provide additional evidence, and if necessary file a complaint with the NY State Department of Financial Services.

In over 50 years we've never had documented warranted repair work successfully denied. The combination of photographic evidence, measurement data, and parts documentation creates an unanswerable case.