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Repair Process · Insurance-Friendly · OEM-Spec

Nine Steps.
OEM at Every One.

From the first notice of loss to the day we hand you the keys, our process is documented to the panel, the weld, and the millimeter. Every step is photographed, recorded, and reviewed by a second technician before delivery. This is how we earn the I-CAR Gold Class certification we renew every year — and why Tesla, BMW, and Mercedes have us on their authorized list.

The Nine-Step Repair Order

Documented at Every Datum

A modern collision repair is part forensic engineering, part insurance negotiation, and part restoration craft. The order matters. Skip a step and a sensor fails six months later, the paint hazes in two summers, or the frame measures 4mm off on a CARFAX-inspecting buyer's pre-purchase rig. We do not skip steps.

STEP_01

Estimate & First Notice of Loss

You either drive in or have the car towed straight to us — we accept tow drops 24/7 at the gate on Airport Way. Our estimator photographs the damage from twelve standard angles, decodes the VIN against the OEM parts catalogue, and writes a P-pages-compliant estimate the same day. We submit the First Notice of Loss to your carrier electronically through CCC ONE before you leave the lot, so your claim file opens that afternoon — usually within the four-hour SLA most carriers honor.

STEP_02

Tear-Down Inspection & Hidden-Damage Discovery

Visible damage is only the surface. We move the vehicle into the structural bay, pull the bumper cover, headlights, and inner liner, and inspect everything the initial estimate cannot see — radiator support, frame rails, crush cans, side-impact bars, suspension geometry, airbag deployment events recorded in the SDM module. Every hidden item is photographed and added to a supplement we file with your carrier the same day. Most cars discover 30–55% more damage at tear-down than the initial estimate captured.

STEP_03

Supplement Approval & Parts Ordering

Once the carrier approves the supplement (typically 24–72 hours), we order parts. OEM-only on structural and safety components — period. Crash bars, airbag modules, sensors, wiring harnesses come from the dealer. For cosmetic panels, we'll discuss aftermarket vs. OEM with you if your policy allows it. We will not install LKQ (Like Kind & Quality / salvage) parts on a structural member regardless of carrier pressure. We document our refusals in writing for your file.

STEP_04

Structural Repair on the Chief EZ Liner Frame Rack

Unibody and body-on-frame vehicles are pulled to OEM tolerances on the Chief EZ Liner with computerized measurement. Before-and-after readings are printed and entered into your file. Every measurement is checked against the OEM repair procedure published in the year-make-model database (Audatex, CCC, Tesla's published procedures, Honda ProFirst). Tolerance is ±3mm at every datum point — that's tighter than factory build tolerance on some vehicles.

STEP_05

Welding & Sectioning to OEM Procedure

Where a panel must be replaced and the OEM allows sectioning, we section at the precise location the manufacturer specifies — not 'somewhere close.' Squeeze-type resistance spot welds (STRSW) on every modern unibody, replicating factory weld counts. MIG-brazing on aluminum substrates with Pulse-MIG units. Every weld is photographed and weld coupons are kept for the carrier's audit. Tesla and BMW structural repairs follow their published procedures verbatim — and we have the OEM certifications to do them.

STEP_06

Refinishing — Color Match & Blending

Body filler, blocking, and primer surface prep happen in a controlled-environment refinish bay. Our paint tech Lena Kovacs runs the spectrophotometer (PPG's RapidMatch X-5) on an undamaged panel adjacent to the repair, generates a custom mix formula, and sprays a test panel before the car goes in the booth. Waterborne basecoat, multi-stage clear, blended into adjacent panels to compensate for any factory paint drift. Color match is verified under five lighting conditions: daylight, halogen, LED 4000K, LED 6500K, and ultra-violet.

STEP_07

Reassembly & Pre-Delivery Detail

The vehicle is fully reassembled with new clips and fasteners (we don't reuse one-time-use hardware regardless of how 'fine' it looks). Wheel alignment, headlight aim, ADAS calibration (if any sensor-bearing panel was touched), and a full system scan of every module to verify zero pending DTCs. Then a hand wash, interior wipe-down, and gas-fill if your supplement covered fuel during the repair.

STEP_08

Quality Assurance & Final Inspection

Before keys leave the office, a second technician — not the one who did the work — performs the QA inspection. Panel gaps measured to ±2mm OEM spec, paint thickness gauge readings (PTG) recorded panel-by-panel, body-line continuity checked under controlled lighting, road test for pulling/drift/noise. The QA technician signs off on a checklist that's filed with your repair record. If anything fails QA, it goes back to the bay before you ever see it.

STEP_09

Delivery & Lifetime Warranty Issuance

We walk you through every photograph, every supplement, every part installed. You leave with a written lifetime warranty on all paint and structural workmanship — for as long as you own the vehicle. A digital copy of the entire repair file is uploaded to your customer portal and emailed to your insurance carrier so it lives in the official claim record. If you ever sell the car, the warranty transfers to the next owner with a signed transfer form on file with us.

Working With Your Insurance

What to Expect From Your Carrier

Every claim is unique, but the carrier playbook is predictable. Here is what you should know about your rights, your options, and how we coordinate the financial side so you can focus on getting back on the road.

You choose the shop.

Every state allows you to pick your collision-repair shop, regardless of what the adjuster suggests. Carriers maintain Direct-Repair Programs (DRP) for shop convenience — but they cannot legally force you to use a DRP shop. We are not a DRP shop because we will not accept the parts-and-labor restrictions DRPs impose. That's a feature, not a bug.

Direct billing on every major carrier.

We bill State Farm, USAA, Geico, Allstate, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, Farmers, Travelers, Erie, AAA, Nationwide, Auto-Owners, and Amica directly. You pay your deductible at delivery; the carrier pays us the rest. No upfront cash from you, no claims-process middleman calling you for status.

We handle the supplement fight.

Carriers initial-write estimates that are often 30–50% below the true cost of a proper repair. We document every hidden-damage item with a photograph and OEM procedure citation, and we file supplements until your carrier covers the actual cost of restoring your vehicle to pre-loss condition. We win 96% of supplements in full.

Rental coordination, no add-on fee.

If your policy includes rental coverage, we coordinate directly with Enterprise (one block from our shop) for pickup and drop-off. You don't pay anything out of pocket if rental is included. We'll also work with Hertz or any preferred carrier — bring the contact and we'll handle the call.

Loss-of-use compensation, if applicable.

If you don't have rental coverage and the at-fault party's carrier is paying, we file for daily loss-of-use compensation on your behalf — typically $35–$60/day during the repair window. Most claimants don't know this exists until we file it for them.

Diminished-value claims.

Your vehicle, even after a flawless repair, is worth less on the resale market because it now has an accident on the CARFAX. If you were not at fault, you can recover that loss from the at-fault driver's carrier. We work with three appraisal firms in the Pacific Northwest who specialize in DV claims and can quote you a recovery range during your initial estimate.

Lifetime Warranty Terms

The Warranty, in Writing

A handshake warranty isn't a warranty. Every repair we deliver comes with a printed and digitally-archived warranty document tied to your VIN. Here are the terms — short, plain, and recorded with your claim file.

What's covered for the life of your ownership

Lifetime workmanship warranty on all paint and refinish work — covers peeling, fading, blistering, and color-match drift for as long as you own the vehicle.
Lifetime warranty on all body and structural repair labor — covers welding, panel-replacement workmanship, frame straightening, and any rework needed to maintain OEM tolerance.
Manufacturer's warranty pass-through on all OEM parts installed (BMW, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Honda, Ford, GM, Stellantis, and others — typically 12 months or 12,000 miles).
Three-year warranty on aftermarket parts when the customer specifically requests them in writing over our OEM recommendation.
Warranty is fully transferable to the next owner with a written transfer notification — keeps resale value of the repaired vehicle higher.
Warranty service is performed at our Seattle facility; we coordinate with affiliated I-CAR Gold Class shops nationwide for out-of-area warranty work.

OEM Authorizations & Certifications

Authorized at Every Marque

Many shops claim "we can fix that." OEM certification means we are factory-authorized — the manufacturer audits our equipment, our training, and our procedure adherence annually. Below is our active certification roster as of the current calendar year.

I-CAR Gold Class annual recertification of every technician and the facility as a whole

Tesla Approved Collision Center including high-voltage structural repair authorization on Model S, 3, X, Y, and Cybertruck

BMW Certified Collision Repair Center including i-Series carbon-fiber structural work

Mercedes-Benz Certified including AMG-only refinish protocols and aluminum-intensive bodyshells

Honda ProFirst Certified full ADAS calibration suite

FCA Certified Mopar / Jeep / Ram / Dodge / Chrysler — structural and refinish

Subaru Certified including symmetric-AWD geometry restoration

Hyundai/Kia/Genesis Certified including K-Series and Genesis ultra-high-strength steel protocols

Damaged Car? Let's Start With a Free Estimate.

Bring it in, have it towed, or schedule an at-your-driveway photo estimate. We'll have a written estimate, a claim opened with your carrier, and a target completion date in your inbox the same business day. No commitment to repair here — but if you do, you have the most documented, photo-archived, and OEM-certified repair process in the Pacific Northwest behind your vehicle.

Request Free Estimate Or call · (206) 555-0471