Collision Repair in Beaverton: What to Do After a Crash

A fender bender on Canyon Road or a real crash on 217 leaves you with a lot of questions at once: who to call, what you have to report, and who gets to fix the car. Here’s the body shop we trust, what Oregon law says you have to do after a collision, and how the insurance and repair side works, in plain English.

No one pays to be listed on this page. Jeff has used Caliber Collision himself, several times.

Which Body Shop Do We Trust in Beaverton?

Why this one? Jeff: “I’ve used Caliber Collision several times and had good luck.”

• Caliber Collision: Beaverton, at 4400 SW Rose Ln, by SW Farmington Road, a few minutes from our shop. Collision repair, dent and paint repair, with free estimates: send photos online or stop by. They work with all the major insurance companies, and their repairs come with a written limited lifetime warranty. Open Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 5:30. Phone: 503-643-1159 | Website

What Does Oregon Require Right After a Crash?

• Stop. Oregon law requires you to stop at the scene, or as close to it as you can without blocking traffic. If no one is hurt and you’re on a highway, move the car to the shoulder if it’s safe to.
• Help anyone who’s hurt, and call 911. Don’t move an injured person; leave that to emergency crews unless they’re in danger where they are. If someone is unconscious or killed, you must stay until a police officer arrives.
• Exchange information with the other driver: name, address, driver license number, license plate, and insurance company and policy number.
• Take photos of the scene and the damage to every vehicle, even in a one-car crash, and get the names and phone numbers of any witnesses.
• Hit a parked car? Try to find the owner. If you can’t, leave a note with your name and address and a short description of what happened.
• Tell the police. If the crash meets the DMV reporting rules below, you must notify the police right away. If no one is hurt, use the non-emergency number. Depending on the situation, an officer may not come to the scene.
• Car can’t be driven? Our towing and roadside guide covers who to call and how to stay safe while you wait.

When Do You Have to File a DMV Report?

Every driver involved has to file an Oregon Traffic Collision and Insurance Report with the DMV within 72 hours if any of these is true:

• Anyone was injured, even slightly, or killed.
• Your vehicle has more than $2,500 in damage.
• Any vehicle has more than $2,500 in damage and any vehicle was towed from the scene.
• Property other than the vehicles, like a fence or a building, has more than $2,500 in damage.

You still have to file even if the police wrote a report, and if you don’t, the DMV is required to send a suspension notice. The quickest way is online through DMV2U. Keep a copy, because the DMV can’t give you one later. Details are on the Oregon DMV collision reporting page.

When Should You Call Your Insurance Company?

• Call soon. Most policies require you to report a claim promptly.
• Know what you’re covered for. The declarations page at the front of your policy lists your coverages. Check it, or ask your agent, about your deductible and whether you have rental car coverage before you book the repair.
• Expect an investigation. The insurance company has up to 45 days to investigate and decide who is responsible for what share of the damage.

Who Chooses the Body Shop?

You do. This is the part a lot of people don’t know. Under Oregon law (ORS 746.280), your insurance company can’t require you to use a particular repair shop to get your claim paid. Before an adjuster recommends a shop, they have to tell you that you have the right to choose your own. Body shops even have to post a sign saying so.

• Their shop or yours. Many insurers have shops they work with, and some people like that. It’s still your call.
• If you choose your own shop, the insurer can’t limit what it pays for the repairs needed to put the car back the way it was before the crash, in safety, function and appearance, except as your policy states or the law allows.
• Talk to your insurer before you sign with the shop. The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation suggests making sure you understand what the insurance company will pay first. If you pick the most expensive shop in town, they may not pay the whole bill.
• Look the car over before you sign off. Make sure you’re happy with the finished work before the insurance company pays the shop.

What Should You Know About Estimates, Hidden Damage and Parts?

• Get it in writing. If you ask, an Oregon body shop has to give you a written estimate before it starts, and it can’t charge more than that estimate without your OK.
• Hidden damage is normal. The first estimate covers what can be seen. Once damaged parts come off, the shop often finds more and writes an updated estimate, often called a supplement, for the insurance company. The extra work still needs your OK.
• Factory or aftermarket parts? Insurers can choose aftermarket or recycled parts to help keep premiums down. Oregon law says an aftermarket body part can’t be used without your consent unless an independent testing lab has certified it equal to the factory part in fit, finish, function and corrosion resistance.
• Read the estimate. If it uses body parts not made by the car’s manufacturer, the estimate has to say so and warn that they may void what’s left of the manufacturer’s warranty on that part. You can ask for the parts warranty, and your insurer has to offer one if you request it.
• Keep the invoice. It has to list all the work and parts, and say so if any used parts went in.
• Ask about the sensors. Many newer cars have cameras and sensors in the bumpers and behind the windshield for driver-assist features. Ask the shop whether yours need to be checked or recalibrated after the repair. A new windshield usually means a camera recalibration; our windshield and auto glass guide covers where to get that done.

Questions about a claim? The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation’s consumer hotline is 888-877-4894, toll-free, and its repair shop page answers the common questions.

What Should You Check Under the Hood After a Front-End Hit?

The radiator and the A/C condenser sit right behind the grille, so a front-end collision can reach them too. In the weeks after, watch for an engine running hotter than usual, coolant under the front of the car, or A/C that no longer blows cold. That side of the car is ours: MotorCar Doctors handles cooling system repair, radiator replacement and A/C repair, including the condenser, and the visual check of the cooling system is free.

Smaller Damage?

• A door ding, a crease or a scuffed bumper is often a same-day fix. See our dent repair and detailing guide for our dent repair neighbors on Canyon Road.
• A rock chip or a cracked windshield goes to a glass shop. See our windshield guide.

What If Something Sounds, Feels or Smells Different?

Bring it to MotorCar Doctors. Keeping a car running right is our side of things. Our digital vehicle inspection sends you photos and notes, so you see exactly what we see before you approve anything. More local answers are in our Beaverton Car Owner’s Guide.

MotorCar Doctors Auto Repair, 13203 SW Canyon Rd, Ste C, Beaverton, Oregon 97005 · 503-626-4810

Frequently Asked Questions