Do You Have to Use Your Insurance Company's Body Shop in Florida?
You do not have to use your insurer's body shop in Florida. Here's what the law actually says, how DRP shops work, and the steps to keep the shop you choose.
No. You do not have to use your insurance company’s body shop. In Florida, you choose the licensed repair facility that fixes your car, not your insurer. Your insurer can suggest a shop, but it cannot force you to go there, and it cannot force an inferior repair at the shop you trust.
This question comes up on almost every claim, usually because an adjuster mentions a “preferred” shop or a “network” location. That recommendation is real, and those shops are often fine. But a recommendation is not a requirement. Below we explain what the law says, what a preferred or DRP shop actually is, and how to keep the shop you want on your claim.
Do You Have to Use Your Insurance Company’s Body Shop? The Short Answer
Florida drivers have the right to select their own licensed repair facility. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services outlines these motor vehicle repair consumer rights, and if you ever hit a wall on a claim, the Florida Department of Financial Services handles auto insurance consumer questions and disputes.
When an insurer pushes hard toward its own shop, that practice is often called “steering.” You are allowed to decline it. Picking your shop is your call, and a good shop will handle the insurer conversation with you.
What Florida Law Actually Says
Two parts of Florida Statute 626.9743 matter most here.
On requiring a specific shop, section 626.9743(3) states: “An insurer that elects to repair a motor vehicle and specifically requires a particular repair shop for vehicle repairs shall cause the damaged vehicle to be restored to its physical condition as to performance and appearance immediately prior to the loss at no additional cost to the insured or third-party claimant other than as stated in the policy.”
In plain terms: if an insurer insists on a particular shop, it owns the outcome. The car has to come back to pre-loss condition, and you should not be paying extra beyond your policy terms to get there.
On parts, section 626.9743(4) states: “An insurer may not require the use of replacement parts in the repair of a motor vehicle which are not at least equivalent in kind and quality to the damaged parts prior to the loss in terms of fit, appearance, and performance.”
So the law does not let an insurer force cheaper, non-equivalent parts onto your repair. That protection matters most on parts that affect fit, safety, and how the vehicle performs in a future crash.
What a “Preferred” or DRP Shop Really Is
A DRP shop, short for Direct Repair Program, has a business agreement with an insurance company. The shop agrees to certain pricing, documentation, and turnaround terms, and in exchange the insurer sends it a steady stream of claims. Many DRP shops are skilled and reputable.
The honest nuance is who the arrangement serves. The DRP agreement is between the shop and the insurer. When a repair decision involves a trade-off between cost and thoroughness, it helps to understand where the incentives sit. The shop you choose independently answers to one person on the estimate: you.
Here is a fair, side-by-side look.
| Consideration | Insurer “preferred” / DRP shop | The shop you choose |
|---|---|---|
| Primary agreement is with | The insurance company | You, the vehicle owner |
| Speed of insurer approvals | Often faster (pre-agreed terms) | Approvals negotiated per claim |
| Parts on your car | Bound by network agreements; law still requires equivalent parts | Advocates for OEM-correct parts; law still requires equivalent parts |
| Warranty of the repair work | From the shop performing the work | From the shop performing the work |
| Your leverage in a dispute | You can still choose to leave | You picked them; they answer to you |
Neither column makes a shop automatically good or bad. The point is simply that the choice is yours, and you should make it on the quality of the work.
How to Use Your Own Shop on a Claim
Keeping the shop you want is straightforward when you know the steps:
- Tell the adjuster, clearly, which shop you are using. You do not need permission, only to state your choice.
- Have your car taken to that shop for the estimate and blueprint rather than to a network drive-through location.
- Let the shop and the insurer talk directly. A shop that manages claims will document the damage and negotiate the repair on your behalf.
- Ask to see the estimate, including which parts are OEM and which are aftermarket, before the work is authorized.
- Confirm the repair warranty in writing from the shop before the job starts.
- If the insurer refuses a proper, OEM-correct repair, ask for that position in writing, and know you can contact the Florida Department of Financial Services.
We do this with drivers every week. Our team handles the paperwork, the supplements, and the back-and-forth, which is exactly what our insurance claim assistance is built to do. You can also read how the broader claim fits together on our insurance claims overview.
What About the Parts on Your Repair?
Parts are where “use our shop” pressure often shows up, because parts choice affects both cost and quality. Florida’s aftermarket crash parts rules require that when non-original-equipment aftermarket crash parts are used, “the written estimate prepared by the insurer or the repair facility, or both, shall clearly identify each such part,” with a required disclosure attached. You have the right to know what is going on your car.
That transparency matters most on structural and safety components. Choosing OEM-correct parts and following the automaker’s published repair procedures also helps protect your factory warranty and keeps your safety systems intact. If you want the full breakdown, see our guide on OEM versus aftermarket parts, and learn how we rebuild vehicles on our collision repair page.
If you have not filed yet and you are still at the beginning of this, our walkthrough on what to do after a car accident in Orlando covers the first moves that protect your claim.
The Bottom Line
You do not have to use your insurance company’s body shop. You choose the shop, the law requires a pre-loss-condition repair with equivalent parts, and the right shop advocates for you through the whole claim.
If you have been in a collision anywhere in Orlando or Central Florida, call us at (321) 972-1549 or start your estimate. We will handle the insurer, use OEM-correct procedures, and get your vehicle back to the way it was before the loss.
