I have worked as an auto body mechanic in a small New Jersey body shop for the last 12 years. I have a 2-year degree from a technical school that I attended right after high school. However, most of what I have learned about auto body repair was done so on the job. It’s a great job and pays well too, I have been able to make a decent living and enjoy it as well.

There are only three of us here, including the owner, and we have a reputation of being a quality shop. Most of our business is repairing vehicles after an automobile accident. We are a recommended body shop by a few auto insurance companies.

A common problem that I am seeing lately in this tough economy: people are starting to raise their deductibles on collision and comprehensive coverage, and are unable to pay them after an accident. Some people even drop their coverage altogether after they pay off their car loan.

No-one thinks that they are going to be in an accident and have to come up with their deductible. I’ve seen numerous hardships in the last couple of years as a result of this. I recommend the following: if your vehicle still has a fair amount of value after paying off the loan, wait a while before totally dropping your comp and collision. Also, consider giving another look to increasing your deductibles if at all possible until things improve with the current economic situation.

I just wanted to take some time and remind people of this fact. We are a busy shop and each day we see new customers coming in for an estimate. Car accidents are a common occurrence and happen when you least expect them, and the price to repair them is always increasing.