Can You Choose Your Own Body Shop After an Accident in Maryland?

You've just been in an accident. The adjustment call from your insurance company comes fast, and somewhere in that conversation they mention a “preferred” repair shop, a “network” facility, or a place that's “already approved.” It sounds official. It sounds like the only option.

It isn't.

In Maryland, the right to choose repair shop after an accident belongs to you, the vehicle owner, not your insurance company. This guide explains exactly what that right covers, why insurers steer you toward their own list of shops anyway, and what to do if you want to bring your car to The Collision Center at Hereford instead.

The short answer: yes, the choice is yours

Maryland Insurance Administration consumer guidance is clear on this point. You have the right to choose where your vehicle is repaired after a crash. You are not required to use a shop selected or recommended by a claims adjuster. Your insurer can suggest a shop. It can even make that suggestion sound convenient, fast, or “free of hassle.” What it cannot do is require you to use that shop, or make your claim harder to process because you picked somewhere else.

This matters because most drivers don't find out they had a choice until after the tow truck has already dropped their car at a shop they never picked.

Why insurers steer you toward their own shops

Every major insurance company maintains what's called a Direct Repair Program, or DRP. A DRP shop has a contract with the insurer: in exchange for a steady stream of referred vehicles, the shop agrees to the insurer's preferred labor rates, repair procedures, and paperwork process. For the insurer, that means faster claims, lower costs, and less friction.

None of that is necessarily bad for you. Some DRP shops do solid work. But the arrangement is built around the insurer's interests, not yours, and that's the core of insurance steering body shop practices: the adjuster's recommendation is optimized for the company writing the check, not for the driver holding the keys.

Steering usually shows up in a few familiar forms:

• The convenience pitch. “We'll set everything up, you won't have to do a thing.” True, but it also means you never get asked whether you wanted a say in where your car goes.
• The cost warning. An adjuster suggests that if you go to a shop outside the network, you might have to cover the difference in labor rates yourself. This is the claim that causes the most confusion, and it’s addressed directly below.
• The delay implication. A suggestion, rarely stated outright, that an independent shop will mean a slower, more complicated claims process.

None of these are a legal requirement to use the recommended shop. They're a sales pitch for the insurer's own network, delivered at the moment you're least equipped to push back: right after a crash.

Do I have to use the insurance-recommended shop?

No. This is the most common version of the question, and the answer stays the same regardless of how the offer is framed, whether it’s called a “preferred shop,” a “certified network,” or a “direct repair partner.” An insurance company can recommend a shop. It cannot require one, and it cannot make your claim contingent on accepting that recommendation.

You also don't need to shop around for competing estimates before making your choice. Maryland does not require drivers to collect multiple repair estimates before choosing a shop. One estimate, from the shop you actually want to use, is enough to start your claim.

What about the "you’ll pay more out of pocket" warning?

This is the tactic that talks the most drivers out of using an independent shop, so it's worth addressing head-on.

Your insurer is obligated to pay reasonable and customary repair charges for the damage your policy covers, regardless of which licensed shop you choose. “Reasonable and customary” means charges in line with what shops in your area actually charge for that repair, not the lowest number the insurer’s own network happens to have agreed to. If an independent shop’s estimate reflects standard, documented repair procedures and local labor rates, a properly written estimate should not leave you covering a gap out of your own pocket simply because the shop isn’t on the insurer’s preferred list.

Where disputes do happen, they're usually about the scope of the repair rather than about which shop performed the work. Does the vehicle need a part replaced, or can it be blended and repaired? Does it need a specific OEM procedure? A shop that documents its repair procedures and communicates directly with the insurer's appraiser, which is standard practice at The Collision Center, is how those disagreements get resolved without the bill landing on you.

What if the insurer and the shop disagree on the repair cost?

Occasionally, the shop's estimate and the insurer's appraiser don't line up on price or scope. This isn't unique to independent shops; it happens with DRP shops too, just less visibly, since the insurer already agreed to those rates in advance.

Most auto policies include an appraisal process for exactly this situation: each side can name an appraiser, the two appraisers agree on a neutral umpire, and the group settles the disputed amount. In practice, most disagreements never reach that point. They get resolved through a supplement, which is simply an updated estimate the shop submits once it has your vehicle disassembled and can see damage that wasn’t visible in the initial inspection. Hidden structural damage, bent brackets behind a bumper cover, or a sensor that needs recalibration after a repair are common reasons a supplement gets added.

A shop that documents each step with photos and a clear line-item explanation gives the insurer's appraiser what they need to approve the supplement quickly. That paperwork discipline, not the shop's name on an insurer's approved list, is what actually keeps a claim moving.

Why this matters more than it sounds like it should

A body shop isn't just doing bodywork. Modern vehicles are built around structural repair procedures, safety-restraint systems, and, increasingly, cameras and radar sensors tied to driver-assist features like lane-keeping and automatic braking. Manufacturers publish specific repair procedures for each of these systems. A structural rail has to be repaired the right way, not just straightened. A sensor may need to be recalibrated after a bumper or windshield repair. Some fasteners can be reused, and some have to be replaced.

A shop that skips a manufacturer-specified step to save time or hold down cost can hand you back a car that looks fine and isn't. A collision-damaged seatbelt pretensioner that wasn't replaced, or a forward-facing camera that wasn't recalibrated after a windshield swap, won't show up in a test drive around the block. It shows up the next time that system needs to work.

That risk is exactly why the right to choose repair shop exists in the first place. The decision about how your car gets fixed is made by you and a shop you trust, not by whichever facility offered the insurer the best rate. A DRP relationship is built to move vehicles through quickly at agreed rates. An independent, accountable shop is built around getting the repair right for the specific vehicle in front of it, which is what your premiums are actually paying to protect.

What to do after an accident in Maryland

1. Get to safety first and document the scene. Move to a safe spot if the vehicle is drivable, check on everyone involved, and call for help if needed. Photos of all vehicles, the road, license plates, and visible damage help later, regardless of where you end up repairing the car.
2. Exchange information and file a police report if required. Maryland requires a report for crashes involving injury, death, or significant property damage. Even when it isn’t required, a report gives your claim a clear, independent record of what happened.
3. Report the claim to your insurer, but you are not required to accept their shop recommendation on that call. It's fine to say you'll choose your own shop and ask what information they need from you to move the claim forward.
4. Choose your shop. You do not need multiple estimates first. One estimate from the shop you want is enough to open your claim, and you can name that shop when you file.
5. Ask the shop to communicate directly with the insurance appraiser. A shop experienced with insurance claims, like The Collision Center, handles this coordination as a normal part of the repair process, so you're not stuck relaying messages between two parties yourself.
6. Get the estimate in writing before repairs begin, and ask what happens if additional damage is found once the vehicle is disassembled. This is normal and common; a reputable shop will explain the supplement process rather than surprise you with it later.
7. Ask about a rental car and how long the repair will take. Most policies with rental coverage will pay for a replacement vehicle while yours is in the shop; ask your shop for a realistic repair timeline so you can plan around it.
8. Keep your paperwork. Your estimate, any insurer correspondence, and the final invoice are worth holding onto until the claim is fully closed, in case a question comes up later.

Why Maryland drivers choose The Collision Center

The Collision Center is not part of any insurer's Direct Repair Program. That's a deliberate choice. It means every repair recommendation made here is based on what your vehicle needs, not on a rate agreement with an insurance company. We work directly with your insurer's appraiser to document the repair, explain the process in plain terms, and make sure the paperwork reflects the actual damage rather than a shortcut version of it.

We serve drivers throughout Hereford and the surrounding Maryland communities, and most of the vehicles that come through our shop arrive the same way yours might: after a call from an insurer that assumed the decision was already made. It isn’t. If you’ve been in an accident and aren’t sure where to start, or if an adjuster has already suggested a shop and you’d rather get a second opinion, get a free estimate from our collision repair team. You can also read more about how we approach collision repair, including how we handle structural repairs and insurance coordination, before you decide.