Auto Insurance Claims: Claim Payment, lienholder, bodyshops

Question
An insured hit my parked car and did $5000 in damages. That is not disputed, I took it to two bodyshops that the ins company deals directly with to get the estimates. The problem is that I want them to send me a check and they are insisting that I take it to a bodyshop to get it fixed and they pay the bodyshop. Shouldn't they have to pay restitution directly to me if that's the way I want it?
Thanks!!

Answer
Hi David,

I'm not sure what state you live in but, in many states an insurance company is required to protect the interests of a lienholder. If you have a loan on your car the lienholder is named as an additional insured. So the insurance company must make any claim check out to you and the lienholder or you and the bodyshop to insure that the vehicle will actually be repaired.

If there is no loan on the car then you can insist that they make the check payable to you only.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh