Nevada crash repair shop rights matter when an insurer asks where you plan to repair a vehicle or recommends a shop it works with. A recommendation alone does not mean you must use that shop. NRS 690B.016 gives an insured or claimant the right to choose a licensed body shop for motor vehicle repairs. That law covers repair-shop choice. It does not decide who caused a collision, whether someone has an injury claim, or what an insurer must pay. This article explains the rule, its limits, and ways to document a Nevada vehicle-damage claim. It provides general information for people handling a collision claim.
Nevada crash repair shop rights under NRS 690B.016
NRS 690B.016(1) gives an insured or claimant under a motor vehicle policy the right to have repairs made at a licensed body shop of their choice. The law addresses where the vehicle is repaired. It does not decide fault, whether a person has an injury claim, or the value of medical care and other losses. For a broader look at legal questions after a collision, see our Nevada car accident claim page.
The same subsection requires the insurer to give notice of this right. When someone first reports vehicle damage, the insurer must explain the shop-choice right. It must give that notice to the insured or claimant. If you do not recall receiving it, ask the adjuster to confirm the notice in writing. Save the message and the date with your claim documents.
Subsection 2 bars two kinds of conduct. An insurer or its representative may not knowingly recommend or direct you to a Nevada body shop that is not licensed in Nevada. The insurer also may not require you to use one licensed Nevada shop in preference to another. The law does not ban every recommendation of a licensed shop. Ask whether the insurer is offering a choice or requiring you to use a particular location. If the message sounds mandatory, request clarification in writing.
What the choice does not guarantee
Choosing a shop does not mean an insurer must pay the full amount the shop quotes. NRS 690B.016(3) does not require the insurer to pay more than the reasonable rate required under the policy for repairs. These Nevada crash repair shop rights concern the choice of licensed shop, not the final amount due under every policy. Ask the insurer to compare its estimate with the shop estimate, then identify the policy term or claim fact behind each difference. A total alone does not show which repair item the insurer questions.
An estimate describes proposed work based on what the inspector or shop could see at that point. It may not include damage that remains hidden. If the shop later prepares a supplement, that document does not by itself show whether the insurer accepted the added work. Ask each side to identify the status of each disputed line item.
The shop-choice rule is not a coverage decision. An estimate or repair authorization does not prove that every repair relates to the collision or that the policy covers it. The full policy and claim facts still matter. Keep property-damage questions separate from physical-injury questions. If the other driver has no insurance, different policy questions may arise. The right to choose a repair shop does not answer those questions.
Steps to take before choosing a shop
- Record the vehicle condition. Photograph damaged areas before work begins. Include wide views that show where the damage sits on the vehicle and close views of each affected panel. Keep the original image files and note when you took them. If the car feels unsafe to drive, arrange a tow or other safe transport.
- Ask for the shop’s license information. The repair-choice right applies to a licensed body shop. Ask the shop for its Nevada license number and keep the answer with the estimate. If the insurer names a shop, ask whether it is licensed and whether the suggestion is optional.
- Get the estimate and repair plan in writing. Ask the shop to list visible damage, proposed work, and areas it may need to inspect further. Send the estimate through the insurer’s claim channel and save a dated copy. If the shop finds another issue, ask for a written supplement and supporting photos before it moves ahead with that work.
- Compare explanations, not only totals. If estimates differ, ask which line items differ and why. A written explanation can show whether the disagreement concerns labor, parts, repair method, or damage the first inspection did not reveal. Do not treat an unexplained total as a final coverage answer.
- Before you authorize work. Ask which repairs the insurer approved and which remain under review. If the shop expects added work, ask how it will document the supplement and whether it will wait for a response. Ask about towing or storage charges while the vehicle remains at the shop. An inspection alone does not show that the insurer approved each repair.
How to respond to a shop recommendation
An insurer may identify a shop it knows or recommend a repair option. The statute does not forbid every recommendation. Ask directly, “Is this only a recommendation, or are you saying I must use that shop?” If the insurer says you cannot choose another licensed shop, ask which policy term or rule supports that position. NRS 690B.016(2) bars an insurer from requiring you to use one licensed Nevada body shop over another.
If someone says you have only one option, write down the person’s name, the date, and the exact words you remember. Follow up in writing so the insurer can clarify. If you have a concern about a shop’s license, ask the insurer to confirm its status before you authorize repairs. The law bars knowingly directing a claimant to an unlicensed Nevada shop. An unanswered question does not prove that the insurer or shop broke the law.
Ask your chosen shop whether it can send its estimate directly to the adjuster. Keep your own copy of each estimate, supplement, photograph, and approval. If the shop wants to start work before the insurer reviews a disputed item, ask what happens if the insurer and shop disagree about the estimate. These questions can clarify their process. They do not change your policy or guarantee payment for a repair charge.
After a phone call, send a short written recap with the date, the shop discussed, and what you understood the insurer to say. Ask the adjuster to correct any detail you got wrong. Keep the reply with the claim file. This record can prevent a later disagreement about the advice or instruction you received.
Keep the repair record connected to the collision
Keep the claim number, first-contact date, shop recommendations, inspection notes, estimates, approvals, invoices, and photographs together. Label each document with its date and sender. If the shop removes a part or finds new damage, ask it to record the condition before it repairs or discards the part, when practical. A photo can help show the condition. By itself, it may not prove when or how the damage occurred.
Vehicle repairs can overlap with an injury claim, but a repair-shop choice does not prove the nature or severity of an injury. Keep medical records, bills, and visit dates in a separate file. If you are deciding what to say when you contact your own insurer, our article on what to consider before calling your insurer covers that separate conversation.
A repaired vehicle may also raise a later question about loss in market value. That issue differs from choosing a body shop or deciding what repair charges the policy covers. Our article about recovering depreciation on an auto insurance claim discusses that separate topic. Keep both property-damage questions distinct from any bodily-injury claim.
A simple timeline also helps. Record the date, the person or department, the subject of each call or message, and the next step each side gave you. Separate your own observations from what the shop or insurer said. Keep the original estimates, supplements, and final invoice together so you can compare proposed work with the work the shop completed.
When the shop and insurer disagree
If the shop and insurer disagree, ask each to name the work or amount in dispute. Request itemized estimates and a written explanation for any proposed change. Check that both documents describe the same vehicle, damage, and repair period. Keep the initial inspection photos with later images. This record can help the parties discuss one repair question at a time instead of relying on an unexplained total.
If the insurer requests more information, ask it to identify the missing document or photo and the claim question that item addresses. Keep the request with your response. That way you can see what each side had when it reviewed the repair. When the work ends, compare the final invoice with the last approved estimate and ask the shop to explain any added item you do not recognize.
A shop may find additional damage after it inspects or takes apart an affected area. Ask it to record when it found the issue, which part is involved, and why the proposed work addresses the collision damage. Request photos and a revised estimate before treating the added work as agreed. Send the records to the insurer through its claim channel and keep a copy. If the insurer disputes the item, ask what information it needs to review that specific point.
Track three stages: repairs the insurer approved, items it is reviewing, and work the shop completed. If the shop needs a decision before it can continue, ask when the insurer expects to respond. Ask whether the shop can store the vehicle safely and what charges may apply. A written timeline can clarify a later disagreement about the repair sequence. It does not change NRS 690B.016 or require the insurer to accept every added charge.
NRS 690B.016 gives an insured or claimant the right to choose a licensed body shop and restricts certain insurer conduct. It does not require an insurer to accept every estimate, create a special negotiation process, or pay above the reasonable rate under the policy. If a repair dispute also affects an injury claim, if someone asks you to sign a release, or if written documents conflict with what you heard, consider legal advice before signing.
A repair estimate is one part of a vehicle-damage claim, and shop choice does not decide an injury claim. If you want to discuss a Nevada crash injury, you can request a free consultation with Bourassa Law Group. During the conversation, ask about any proposed contingency fee agreement and how it would handle case costs before you sign.
This article is general information about Nevada law, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
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