Frequently Asked Questions

If your answer that you're looking for is not here, please call us on 07 4946 6492

or come in and see us, and we can assist you over the phone or in person.

What are Smash Repairs?

Smash repairs are the complete process of repairs, painting and other services (including new parts & mechanical work) to a damaged vehicle.

What are the most common smash repairs?

The most common smash repairs are front and rear bumper bar repairs or replacements. Closely followed by door dents, front guard damage and rear quarter panel damage.

Our work here in the Whitsundays can also be seasonal – cyclone season (full body damage and resprays), kangaroo / wildlife damage (usually front end and side damage work), school holiday accidents and vacationer vehicle accidents.

Who do I contact first after a car accident, Airlie Smash Repairs, or my Insurance company?

We recommend contacting your Insurance company first and lodge a claim. Advise them that if the vehicle is not driveable, and they will organise a tow truck for you. Tell your Insurer that you want us – Airlie Beach Smash Repairs – as your repairer. Your insurer will then provide you with a claim number. Then contact us and provide us with your claim number, and we will make a booking for you to come in (or have your vehicle towed in) to do your quote and images for your Insurance claim. We will process all images and quotation work directly to your insurance company for assessing.

What is the process if my car is damaged in an accident?

Call your Insurance Company as soon as you can after your accident. NOMINATE US – Airlie Beach Smash Repairs, as your choice of Repairer.
Bring in your Insurance Claim Number, Insurance company name and your damaged vehicle to us for your Insurance quote (or get it towed in if your vehicle is unable to be driven).
We will take vehicle images, write & quote up your damages and submit your quote direct to your Insurance Company for you.
We follow through the assessment process and obtain authorisation to carry out the Insurance repairs.
We will order your parts and book your vehicle in at a time and date that suits you to commence and complete repairs.
We will courtesy wash your vehicle, then inform you to come and collect it.

Does my insurance cover my repairs?

Most car insurance policies will cover the cost of any repairs needed as a result of an accident. Check with your car insurance provider before starting any repair work and tell us your insurance company & claim number when coming in for a quote.

Can I tell my insurance company where I want my vehicle repaired?

Most insurers will offer a choice of approved repairers. If your insurer tells you that you must use a certain smash repair business, you can always ask for clarification and suggest your own choice. Some Insurance companies also say that they do not have a repairer in the area and try to send you toward Mackay or Townsville. This is definitely not correct! Tell them you want to come to “Airlie Beach Smash Repairs”, and they will find us on their system as we are listed with most Insurance companies.

If I am not at fault in an accident with another car (who is also insured), would I be better to claim against my insurance company or the other person’s insurer?

We highly recommend lodging a claim through your own insurance company and providing all the other persons details to your own insurer, as this is usually more time effective and a better outcome for yourself and the value of your own vehicle. Your insurance company is there to help you as their first priority.

When dealing as a third party to the other persons insurance claim, you may not have the same flexibility in choice of repairer, vehicle value or having the claim approved / repairs carried out in a timely fashion.

Do I pay my insurance excess to you or my insurance company?

Most insurance companies will make you pay your excess directly to them when you lodge your claim. This can sometimes speed up your claim assessment. Some insurance companies will allow you to pay your excess to us once your vehicle repairs are completed. Your insurance company will advise you what they prefer.

It is our company policy that we request that all insurance excesses or private work must be paid for upon or before collecting your vehicle.

How do I get a quote from you?

Call us on 4946 6492 or come in and see us with your vehicle.

Private quotes will incur a fee to you (due to the time involved in outing a quote together etc). This fee is deducted from the cost of completed repairs, should you choose to go with us for repairs.

Insurance quotes will not incur a fee to you, just make sure you have your insurance company & claim number organised first before you come in.

Where is Airlie Smash Repairs located?

Airlie Smash Repairs are located at 3/8 William Murray Drive, Cannonvale QLD 4802.

We are also on google maps.

What is a full car respray?

A full car respray is the painting done to the whole vehicle. It is not a straightforward process of just repainting a car. It will involve stripping back the current layers of paint, repairing any rust or damage, prepping the area for repainting, and then repainting the vehicle.

Are full car resprays covered by insurance?

If your vehicle is damaged in an accident and your insurance claim has been lodged and accepted, depending on the amount and areas of damaged panels, a full car respray may be covered by Insurance and carried out. This can mostly likely happen if your vehicle is damaged in a weather event, like hail, storm or cyclone.

Is Paint Protection covered by Insurance?

Most insurance companies will cover external paint protection on your vehicle under your current claim. Insurance companies like you to provide a copy of your paint protection documentation (like sales details when you purchased the vehicle from a dealer) and sometimes they also like to have it listed when you initially take out your policy with them. We recommend contacting your insurance company regarding paint protection to your vehicle as soon as you have it applied to the car.

Do you replace windscreens?

We do not replace windscreens ourselves; we choose to contact the local windscreen companies who are trained to order, supply, replace and calibrate your windscreen for you. This can be done while your vehicle is getting repaired with us in our workshop, or at their business address.

Do you clean my car after repairs?

After repairs are completed, we will give your vehicle a courtesy wash and basic vacuum before you collect your vehicle.

Do parts already come painted, and you just fit them to my car?

Almost all parts do not come painted from the supplier. We usually do trial fits for major panels (such as doors, bonnets, guards) before the part is prepped and painted by us in our down draft spray booth. We colour match all vehicle paints with our spectro (spectrophotometer) and mix and match the paint combinations, to test sprays, then actually paint the required part. This ensures the most accurate colour matching to the vehicle.

What if I have a problem after my vehicle is repaired?

Come in with your vehicle and see us first. We will want to inspect the issue and see if this falls within your recent insurance claim (as all insurance company work is stored on file with us and also with the insurance companies).

Do I get warranty on the work carried out on my vehicle?

If your vehicle is repaired under an insurance claim, most insurance companies offer a lifetime warranty to the policy holder. Your insurance company can clarify this for you.

For private work, we offer 3 years warranty on paint, as that is the warranty period offered by DeBeer Paints.

Rust will not be covered under any warranty.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept EFTPOS, credit cards (Visa & Mastercard), bank transfer (preorganised) and cash.

It is our company policy that we request that all insurance excesses or private work must be paid for upon or before collecting your vehicle.

What is a Panel Beater?

A formal description of an automotive panel beater is a tradesperson who repairs structural components, frames or panel work of motor vehicles constructed in whole or part from metal, metal alloys, plastic or substituted material and includes the formation of panels by hand /or process.

Informally, panel beaters strip down the vehicle (remove necessary parts to access the damaged area), carry out major (structural damage & realignments) and minor (dents, gouges & scratches) panel repairs, basic mechanical & electrical repairs (replace air condensers, radiators, bleed fluids etc).

What is a Spray Painter?

A formal description of an automotive spray painter is a tradesperson generally assisting in paint shop work including stopping up, rubbing down, masking, cleaning up and/or applying other than finish coats.

Informally, spray painters prepare new and repaired panels and surfaces, mask up areas for painting, colour match the vehicle paint and apply the paint to the areas required. They finish off with clear coat. They may also use buffing techniques and polishing to create the perfect finish for your vehicle.