- Section
Visual Repair Diagrams
Simple diagrams help show the areas of your vehicle involved in the repair, including damaged panels, replaced parts, refinished areas, and safety-related components.
For car owners after a collision
Your repair estimate, explained clearly.
Understand your repair, every step of the way.
Repair Explainer helps your selected body shop show you what your vehicle needs, why each repair step matters, and how insurance decisions may affect the process.
- Private and read-only. Use the secure link your repair shop sent you to open the explanation for your specific vehicle.
Repair plan9 sections, plain language
Section 02Windshield
Explained
Why it exists
Collision repair estimates should not feel like insider baseball.
For years, collision repair estimates have been written in a way that makes sense to shops, estimators, insurers, and parts systems, but not always to car owners.
A typical estimate may include dozens or even hundreds of line items: remove and install operations, repair time, refinish labor, scans, calibrations, one-time-use parts, corrosion protection, trim access, safety system checks, and more.
That information matters, but it is rarely explained clearly.
Repair Explainer was created to help close that gap.
For most car owners, an estimate is the first time they have ever seen this kind of paperwork.
- See it side by side
An actual estimate, translated line by line.
Same vehicle, same repair, same totals. On the left is the estimate most car owners actually receive. On the right is the same repair inside Repair Explainer.
- BEFORe
Typical body shop estimate
Dense codes, abbreviations, and totals. Written for adjusters, parts systems, and accountants, not for you.
- After
Repair Explainer body shop estimate
The same line items, grouped by what was done and why. With visuals, plain words, and the context you actually need.
Your repair, explained
2022 Volvo XC90
Prepared for Alex Morgan by ABC Body Shop
RO 18949
07/09/2024
Repair total
$2,129.65
Sections
5 areas
Insurer
Northbridge Mutual
Sections 01
Protect the vehicle before work begins
Before anyone opens a door or sands a panel, the car is washed and the interior is wrapped so dirt does not end up under fresh paint.
- Pre wash to remove road grime and contaminants$25
- Steering wheel cover, seat cover, floor mat
- Cover and bag the vehicle for paint
- Final cleanup and removal of repair debris$25
- Why it matters: contamination is the leading cause of paint defects and warranty issues after a repair.
Section 02
Diagnostic scans and system checks
Your XC90 runs on dozens of computers, cameras, and sensors. The shop scans the car before any work and again after, then verifies everything reads normally.
- OEM repair procedure research
Volvo-published instructions for this exact vehicle - Pre-repair scan and diagnostic$436.62
- Post-repair scan and calibrations$193.75
- Disconnect and reconnect battery
- Memory function resets
- Road test and normalize functions
- Why it matters: a hidden fault code or an uncalibrated sensor can disable lane keep, automatic braking, or airbag systems without any warning light.
Section 03
Glass removed for a proper repair
Windshield, back glass, and quarter glass were removed by a glass specialist so panels could be properly accessed and refinished without damaging the seals.
What this area looks like
The same exploded view your shop uses, shown so you can see exactly which panels and trim pieces had to come off to access the repair area.
- Remove and reset windshield glass$106.66
- Post-repair scan and calibrations$106.66
- Remove and reset driver quarter glass$66
- Why it matters: refinishing around fixed glass risks overspray, primer breakdown, and future leaks. Removing the glass is the OEM-recommended path.
Section 04
Color match and paint application
Paint is custom-tinted to match your factory color, sprayed, then finished so the new panel matches the surrounding original surface.
- Color tint and color match
- Spray-out test card
- Sand and polish to match OEM texture
- Why it matters: Volvo paint codes shift slightly with age and sun exposure. A color tint plus a spray-out test card prevents a visible mismatch.
Section 05
Final touches
Small details that signal quality work and protect the underlying repair from corrosion.
- Touch-up and refinish exposed bolts and fasteners
- Why it matters: bare or chipped fasteners are an early entry point for rust. Touch-up keeps the repair sealed.
What it shows
A clear, calm walkthrough of the parts of your estimate that matter most.
Real diagrams. Plain words. No jargon. Below are the kinds of things your repair shop can show you inside Repair Explainer.
- Section
Plain-Language Explanations
Technical estimate language is translated into clear descriptions so you can understand what is being repaired and why it matters.
- Section
Repair Process Guidance
Learn how disassembly, documentation, supplements, approvals, reassembly, and quality checks fit into the repair process.
- Section
Safety and Calibration Information
Modern vehicles often require scans, calibrations, OEM repair procedures, and system checks. Repair Explainer explains why those steps may be needed.
- Section
Insurance Pushback Explanations
Some repair operations may be questioned or reduced during insurance review. Repair Explainer helps explain why the shop may need to document and defend them.
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Short Pay Explanations
If an insurer does not fully pay for a necessary repair item, Repair Explainer can help explain what was short paid, why the vehicle still needs it, and what the shop is doing next.
Diagrams shown are illustrative examples. They are not official repair procedures.
- How estimates evolve
Your first estimate is often , not the final repair plan.
Collision damage is not always fully visible at the beginning. Once the vehicle is disassembled, your repair shop may find additional damage, hidden parts, broken clips, damaged brackets, corrosion protection needs, or required manufacturer procedures.
That does not mean something went wrong.
It usually means the shop is documenting the repair properly and updating the insurance company as more information becomes available.
Repair Explainer helps explain those updates so you can better understand what changed and why.
- Hidden steps that matter
Why protective coatings and related refinish steps matter after metal and paint work. These items are often added once damage is fully exposed.
- Insurance & short pays
Insurance approval and proper repair are not always the same thing.
Your repair shop writes an estimate based on what the vehicle needs. The insurance company reviews that estimate and may approve some items, question others, or ask for additional documentation.
Sometimes legitimate repair operations are reduced, delayed, or denied.
Commonly challenged items
- Pre-repair and post-repair scans
- Camera and sensor calibrations
- OEM repair procedure research
- One-time-use parts
- Interior trim removal for access
- Corrosion protection
- Refinish preparation
- Wheel alignment
- Glass cleanup
- Safety system inspections
- Why calibration is not a simple reset
Camera and sensor calibrations require a controlled setup with specific distance, target alignment, and lighting. That is why they show up as separate, documented steps.
- Repair Explainer helps you understand why these items may matter, why they may be challenged, and what your shop is doing to support the repair plan.
- Short pay explainer
When insurance does not fully pay, you deserve a clear explanation.
A short pay happens when an insurer pays less than the amount requested for a repair operation, procedure, part, material, or service.
When that happens, Repair Explainer can help explain:
- How much was short paid
- Why the repair operation is still needed
- Documentation to support the shop's position
- What the shop is doing to request payment
- Potential risks if the insurer does not fully pay
- Your rights
You have the right to understand your repair.
You should be able to ask:
- What is being repaired?
- Why does this part need to be removed, repaired, replaced, or refinished?
- Does this repair follow manufacturer procedures?
- Are safety systems being scanned, tested, or calibrated?
- What has the insurance company approved?
- What has been questioned, reduced, or denied?
- What could I be responsible for if the insurer does not fully pay?
- Who is responsible for the repair
When insurance pressures shops to cut corners, the shop, not the insurer, bears the liability for the repair. That is why proper documentation matters.
- In many states, you have the right to choose the repair shop you trust. You do not have to switch shops just because an insurance company recommends a different facility.
- What it is, and what it isn't
A helpful explanation, not a legal or insurance guarantee.
- Repair Explainer is
- A plain-language repair explanation
- A visual guide to your estimate
- A way for your shop to help you understand the repair process
- A tool for explaining claim-related issues
- Repair Explainer is not
- A guarantee that insurance will pay every line item
- Legal advice
- A replacement for your repair shop's guidance
- A final invoice unless your shop specifically says so
- A promise that no additional repair needs will be found
- Coming soon
More repair visibility is coming.
Today, Repair Explainer helps explain your collision repair estimate.
In the future, participating repair shops may also use Repair Explainer to help customers track repair status, view updates, understand claim progress, and see where their vehicle is in the repair process.
Think of it as a clearer window into your collision repair journey.
- FAQ
Common questions
Why did my body shop send me to Repair Explainer?
Your repair shop uses Repair Explainer to help explain your estimate in plain language. It is designed to help you understand what your vehicle needs, why certain procedures are included, and how the insurance review process may affect the repair.
Is Repair Explainer my actual estimate?
Repair Explainer is an explanation of the repair estimate and repair plan. Your repair shop can tell you which documents are official estimates, invoices, supplements, or final repair records.
Why does my estimate include scans or calibrations?
Many modern vehicles have cameras, sensors, driver assistance systems, restraint systems, and electronic modules that may need to be checked, reset, scanned, or calibrated after a collision repair.
Why would insurance question repair items?
Insurance companies may review estimates line by line and question certain procedures, parts, materials, or labor operations. Your shop may respond with documentation, photos, repair procedures, and other support for legitimate repair items.
What is a short pay?
A short pay happens when an insurer pays less than the amount requested for a repair item. Repair Explainer may help explain what was reduced, why the item may still be needed, and what the shop is doing to pursue payment.
Who should I contact with questions?
Contact your selected repair shop. Repair Explainer helps explain the repair, but your shop is the best source for questions about your vehicle, repair status, charges, insurance communication, and next steps.