CarShield

All policies administered by American Auto Shield

Included in this article:

To start a claim

Call 800.531.1925 or visit https://americanautoshield.com/report-a-claim/

To view their plans and coverages:  https://carshield.com/protection-plans/

What is the process for getting CarShield repairs approved by American Auto Shield?

Diagnose the vehicle based on the customer’s concern and determine the repairs/parts needed. Before performing any additional work other than the diagnosis, use the appropriate AAS phone number listed above to call in the claim for authorization.  Be sure to identify your shop as a RepairPal network shop.

Will I have to change my labor fees or parts markup rates?

  • There are preferred labor rate guidelines when completing these repairs. Upon completing the RepairPal certification process, RepairPal will address any questions regarding labor rate. Typically, most providers want to keep the labor rate below $120, but this may vary depending on where your shop is located. 
  • You must use an approved labor guide (CarShield uses All Data). 
  • Parts markup is not to exceed OEM MSRP.*
    • How this works in practice: you source parts for your customers as usual.  You can use an OEM part or an aftermarket part, as you deem appropriate.  When you request approval for this repair, you use OEM list price for the parts you used which should create margin between your acquisition cost and the parts price you will be paid.
    • CarShield / AAS will only cover like kind and quality and will source parts over $250.  This will impact repair facility margin.  Contract Holder may decide to go with shop parts and would be responsible for any difference between what we cover and shop cost, but this must be agreed to in advance by the customer if they wish to choose this option.

Can I charge shop supply fees?

None of the Providers pay shop supply fees.  You will not be reimbursed for anything you don’t itemize fully on the invoice.  You should not add these fees to the invoice.

Can I use my usual parts provider?

RepairPal generally recommends using a quality aftermarket parts provider when possible in order to help you earn a reasonable margin on the repair and to keep the costs low.  In this case, CarShield / American Auto Shield may ask you to receive parts they ship you or may ask you to use their preferred vendor.  We ask you to be cooperative with these requests.  

Note:

  • If you accept a part from one of the Providers, then they will be responsible for the part warranty.
  • If you use their vendor, but make your own arrangements, you are still responsible for the parts warranty.
  • Make sure the final invoice you provide to the customer has notes that indicate any special warranty considerations for their specific repair.

What do I need to put on my invoice in order to get paid?

Your invoice should include the date, customer name and address, vehicle year, make, and model, mileage and VIN. 

  • It should include line item detail about the services and repairs performed.
  • It should include parts numbers.
  • It should show the breakdown between parts used and labor hours/ charges.
  • It should include a total at the bottom.
  • It must be signed by the contract holder.

How much back and forth can I expect once I have the car in the bay?

Once you call in the claim, the providers will give an answer quickly on approval and confirm the customer’s deductible, and any coverage exclusions.

For large jobs, the provider may request additional teardown to the point of failure with the customer’s approval.  The provider may also utilize third-party inspectors.  In some cases, additional information may be needed from the contract holder, such as maintenance records.  These processes may create delays that are outside of the service contract provider’s control.

How will I be paid for completed repairs?

Follow the reimbursement instructions provided during the claim authorization phone call. Typically, the Provider/ Administrator offers a credit card for prompt payment.  You should be able to provide an email address for facilitation of this payment.

What is covered under these policies?

There are a variety of plans sold by Carshield.  You can see the basic coverage for each of these here:  https://carshield.com/protection-plans/

What do I have to do to get signed up with each of these providers?

Once you opt into this program with RepairPal, we set you as a preferred vendor with each Provider.

How do I handle non-covered repairs (such as regular maintenance, brakes, etc.)?

The customer would pay you directly. If combined with a claim, the customer would pay you directly for the non-covered services as well as the deductible, with the provider covering the rest.

Is my diagnosis covered?

Yes, the Provider will cover reasonable diagnostic charges as part of the repair order for covered repairs. If a deeper diagnosis is required (longer than 1 hour), call AAS to seek approval.

Is tax covered?

This will vary by policy and provider.  There are 3 possibilities, and you should allow the Provider to guide you:

  1. Tax is covered and will be reimbursed to you.
  2. Tax is not covered and needs to be paid by the customer.
  3. Tax does not apply to the repair at all because:
    1. The customer already paid tax on the policy
    2. Local laws do not require tax payments on vehicle service contract work
    3. The Provider has filed a tax exemption certificate

My customer needs a rental or loaner car. Is this covered?

When a customer’s vehicle is inoperable or unsafe to drive and the repair requires the vehicle be held overnight (or longer) for repair, many Providers will pay the actual expenses to rent a replacement vehicle from a licensed rental agency.

Very important: You must request rental car authorization at the same time you call in authorization for the repair, once the diagnosis is complete and you have an estimate for parts, labor and sublet work. You’ll need to know when you’ll have the repair completed, so it’s important to have accurate ETAs for any parts needed. The Providers will only authorize a rental vehicle for the time needed to receive the parts and complete the repairs in a timely manner, up to maximums defined in the contract. Once the rental has been authorized, the authorization number must be provided to the rental company.

What if my parts are delayed or the job takes longer than I thought? Can the rental car be extended?

Most policies specify a maximum number of days (5 or 7 is typical), regardless of any failures from the parts vendors, your shop or the customer. This is why timely completion of the repair is critical to customer satisfaction. If issues arise beyond your control, and the customer is upset about the loss of rental car reimbursement, please contact RepairPal so that we may explore other solutions for the customer.

Will my customer need to pay for the rental car up front?

Your customer will be required to leave a deposit for the rental car, according to the rental car provider’s policies. The customer will also be required to pay any additional fees above the covered amount or for extra days. Some policies may require the customer to pay up front.  Please check with the Provider for details.

What happens if my customer rents a car before the repair is approved by the Provider?

Your customer runs the risk that they’ll be responsible for the rental car fees, if the repair is not approved by the Provider.

If I am not able to charge a customer the full amount I’d normally charge for the repair (because the full cost isn’t approved by the ESP), can I charge that back to the customer?

No, you cannot charge the customer over and above the approved ESP claim amount, unless the customer opts to have extra work done (such as brake work, regular maintenance, etc.) that isn’t covered at all by their plan. The exception is that the customer approves additional charges based on more expensive parts.

What do I have to do to prove which repairs are necessary?

  1. Provide vehicle mileage and VIN, as well as customer name and contact information.
  2. Provide detailed diagnostic notes and test results.
  3. Where appropriate, include pictures.

Sometimes, depending on repair severity and cost, you will also need to:

  1. Do a thorough “tear down” diagnosis.
  2. Work with an independent inspector who will review and help to determine whether a repair is necessary.
  3. Collect maintenance or other vehicle service records from the customer.

What if I disagree with the Provider?

Contact RepairPal immediately.  We can help sort through the issue so that good customer service is provided. 

Do NOT badmouth the partner or the policy coverage; the Provider is referring customers to you so that you will provide amazing service and they will not continue to do so if you don’t represent them professionally in that process.

Anything else to be aware of?

Yes, here are some other guidelines:

  • You may only test drive the customer’s vehicles to verify the concern and repairs.
  • You may not use the customer’s vehicle for personal use.
  • You may not use the customer’s vehicle for shuttle service.
  • The customer’s vehicle cannot be driven home and/or taken to lunch.
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