Thursday, March 11, 1999

Tacoma

The February 1999 issue of Smart Money magazine (Wall Street Journal) has generated an abundance of inquiries to Stroud’s Auto Rebuild in Tacoma. The article ("Ten Things Your Auto Insurer Won’t Tell You," ) reveals that your insurance company probably owes you for something called "diminished value" if your car was repaired after an accident. Stroud’s is the only business in the Pacific Northwest offering a WreckCheck diminished value assessment and post-repair inspection.

Few people are aware that most insurance contracts obligate the insurance companies to return the vehicle owner to the same economic position (relative to the value of the automobile) that he or she was in before the accident. If repairs were not completed properly to return the vehicle to its pre-loss condition concerning function, safety, appearance, and value, the insurance company is probably obligated to pay for additional repairs and loss in value. This loss in economic value is termed diminished value.

Consumer inquiries from this area to the national offices of Wreck Check in Atlanta, Georgia, are referred to Stroud’s Auto Rebuild. "Jim Lynas (the founder of Wreck Check) has been referring several vehicle owners every week to us," said Mike Harber, president of Stroud’s Auto Rebuild. "We’ve already performed several diminished value assessments for these people."

WreckCheck is a revolutionary method of assessing the loss in market value of collision-damaged automobiles after they have been repaired. Few people have the expertise to know if their car has been repaired properly and safely. The WreckCheck inspection provides peace of mind by identifying any faulty or missed repairs.

One of Stroud’s Auto Rebuild’s trained damage estimators examines the repaired vehicle and compares the repairs performed against the final invoice the vehicle owner received from the repair shop. A detailed assessment of the automotive repair is produced, comparing the value of the repaired automobile to its pre-accident value. The vehicle owner can then make an informed decision about having any re-repairs performed properly and submitting a claim for the diminished value.

Stroud’s Auto Rebuild has been a WreckCheck consumer protection facility since January 1998. During the last six months, as more car owners have become aware of their right to diminished value compensation, Stroud’s has been doing more and more inspections. Recent evaluations of vehicles revealed a range of diminished values from $150 to $5,800 per car.

Just about every collision-damaged automobile suffers a loss in market value as a result of being in an accident. Most people think this is just a "loss" they can never recover. However, the WreckCheck system provides the information the consumer needs to make a claim for this loss in value with the responsible party or the insurance company liable for the cost of the repairs.

Stroud’s Auto Rebuild is at 3833 South Tacoma Way in Tacoma. They can be reached at (253) 474-0709 for more information. You may also contact Wreck Check directly at (888) WHAT-IS-DV.

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