The Insurer Can Say No. The Customer Can Say Hurry. But the Liability? That’s All Yours.
- Casey Brothers
- Apr 1
- 2 min read
Let’s say the radar was removed.Let’s say the bumper was replaced.Let’s say the OEM says calibration is required.
And let’s say the insurer says:
“We’re not paying for that.”
Now what?
If your answer is:
“Then we won’t do it,”
you’ve just accepted all of the liability. Not the insurer.You. The body shop. The final link in the chain.
You Touched the Car. You Own the Risk.
Courts don’t care what your DRP said.They don’t care if the adjuster told you to skip it.They don’t care if the customer didn’t want to wait.
If you delivered a vehicle with known incomplete repairs, and something goes wrong—you’re on the hook.
That’s not opinion. That’s how liability works.
Examples of Real Risk:
Forward collision system fails to engage
Blind spot monitor misfires
Lane keep assist overcorrects
Emergency braking doesn’t activate
If any of those failures can be traced back to a skipped calibration, every finger points to the shop that put the keys back in the customer’s hand.
It’s Not Just Legal Liability. It’s Ethical.
You’re not repairing sheet metal anymore.You’re restoring safety systems that keep people alive at 70 MPH.
If you skip a calibration because someone didn’t want to pay for it, you’re gambling with more than a claim denial—you’re gambling with someone’s life.
“But the Customer Signed Off On It…”
That doesn’t remove your responsibility either.
Customers trust you to know what’s required.They don’t read OEM position statements. They don’t understand ADAS sensors.They expect their car to come back safe—even if they try to rush the process.
And if it doesn’t? Guess who they blame first?
“But It Wasn't Approved…” Still Doesn’t Work in Court
Insurance companies aren’t responsible for the work done.They’re responsible for what they pay for.
If you choose to leave something out? You’re the one who “signed” that repair as complete.
And that’s all a good attorney needs.
Final Word: The Liability Lives With the Wrench, Not the Wallet
Whoever touches the car last — owns the results.You don’t get to rewrite procedures based on who paid. You follow the OEM.
Even if the insurer says no, even if the customer wants it rushed, even if your estimator wants to keep the cycle time short.
Do it right, or don’t do it at all.
Because when that system fails?
“They didn’t approve it.”“They didn’t want to wait.”“We’ve never had a problem before.”
None of those hold up in court.
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