01/17/2026
DID YOU KNOW you have the right to pick your own repair facility in MN? MN Statue 72A0.201 states "is considered unfair settlement practices....requiring as a condition of payment of a claim that repairs to any damaged vehicle must be made by a particular contractor or repair shop...or engaging in any act or practice of intimidation, coercion, threat, incentive, or inducement for or against an insured to use a particular contractor or repair shop.....At the time a claim is reported, the insurer must provide the following advisory to the insured or claimant: "You have the legal right to choose a repair shop to fix your vehicle. Your policy WILL COVER reasonable costs of repairing your vehicle to its pre-accident condition NO MATTER WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR REPAIRS MADE. Have you selected a repair shop or would you like a referral?" After an insured has indicated that the insured has selected a repair shop, the insurer must cease all efforts to influence the insured's or claimant's choice of repair shop." Does your agent try to coerce you to their preferred shop? Or demand multiple estimates from multiple shops? You have the right to decide what shop you would like your vehicle repaired at. Their preferred shop does not mean it is the best shop for your repair, but rather the best shop for them to have you repair it at. Also, most insurance companies write their own estimates, so the estimate submitted by the body shop (regardless if one or three is submitted) is not used anyways and just waists your time and the body estimators time. Want to learn more about your rights in an accident with regards to the repair or replacement of your vehicle- MN Statues are located here: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/72A.201
