RV Collision Repair and Insurance Claims
An RV collision claim is not a car claim with a bigger number on it. The panels are fiberglass and composite rather than steel, the structure behind them is wood and aluminium framing rather than a unibody, the paint is often a multi-stage graphics scheme that has to be recreated rather than sprayed, and half the damage is usually behind something that has to be opened up before anyone can see it. That last part is why RV estimates move and car estimates mostly do not. We handle RV collision repair and the claim that comes with it at our shop at 13788 Oaks Ave in Chino.
What happens first after RV collision damage?
Get the coach somewhere it can be looked at properly, then get the damage documented before anything is moved, cleaned up or taped over.
When the coach arrives here we photograph it as it came in, walk it with you, and write down what is visible. Then we look for what is not visible, which on an RV is the part that matters: a front cap impact that pushed the framing behind it, a sidewall hit that broke the bond between the skin and the structure a foot beyond the visible damage, a roof edge that is now open to water, a slide that no longer seals because the wall around it moved.
That documentation is what the whole claim runs on. A claim built from three photos of the outside of a coach is a claim that gets supplemented twice and takes an extra month.
Do you work directly with insurance companies?
Yes. We handle the claim side in-house rather than handing you a written estimate and leaving you to argue it. In practice that means we document the damage, provide the estimate and the supporting photographs to your adjuster, and deal with the back-and-forth on supplements when we open the coach up and find more than the original estimate covered, which on RV work is normal rather than exceptional.
We have direct working relationships with adjusters at the major carriers, which is usually the difference between an approval that takes days and one that takes weeks.
What we will not do is tell you what your policy covers. That is between you and your carrier, and anyone who tells you otherwise before reading your policy is guessing. What we will do is tell you exactly what we found, what it takes to repair it properly, and what that costs, in a form your adjuster can act on.
Can I choose my own RV repair shop?
For auto body damage covered by an insurance company in California, the Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights is direct about it. It says a consumer is entitled to "SELECT THE AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP TO REPAIR AUTO BODY DAMAGE COVERED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. AN INSURANCE COMPANY SHALL NOT REQUIRE THE REPAIRS TO BE DONE AT A SPECIFIC AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP." That language is in the California Code of Regulations, title 10, section 2695.85.
In practice an adjuster may suggest a shop on their network, and a suggestion is not a requirement. If you would rather have the work done here, say so. We will work with the carrier from there.
What kinds of RV damage do you repair?
Collision damage of every kind, from a clipped mirror and a scraped side to a front cap replacement. Fiberglass and composite panel repair, including cracking, punctures and separation. Sidewall delamination, which is often the after-effect of an impact rather than a leak. Structural framing repair behind the skin. Roof damage, including tree strikes and low-clearance hits, which are the two most common ways an RV roof gets destroyed. Hail damage. Window and glass replacement. Awning and slide damage caused by an incident rather than by wear. Full and partial repaint and graphics recreation, in our own 40-foot enclosed booth.
We also repair the things a collision quietly causes that nobody claims for at the time: a floor that got wet through an opened seam, or a slide that has stopped sealing because the wall it sits in has moved.
How do you match RV paint and graphics?
In our own booth, with PPG colour matching, and the honest answer about RV paint is that matching it is harder than matching a car. RV finishes are frequently multi-stage with graphics, gradients and clear over the top, and they have usually faded unevenly, so a factory colour code alone will not give you an invisible repair. We match to the coach as it is now, we blend into adjacent panels rather than stopping at a hard edge, and on a graphics scheme we recreate the layout rather than approximate it.
The paint and body page covers the refinishing side in more detail.
How long does an RV insurance repair take?
Longer than a car, and the honest reason is that the sequence has more gates in it. The claim has to be opened, the damage documented and the estimate approved. Then the coach is opened up, and on RV work that reliably reveals damage the first estimate did not include, so a supplement goes to the adjuster and has to be approved before that portion of the work starts. Then parts, some of which are model-year specific and slow, especially on older coaches. Then structural repair, then bodywork, then paint, and paint has its own cure time that cannot be shortened by wanting it shortened.
What we can control, we do. You get a drop-off date and a pickup date rather than an open-ended queue, and when the adjuster is the thing holding the job we will tell you that rather than let you assume the coach is sitting here for no reason.
Do you offer mobile RV repair or house calls?
No. McBride's is an in-shop repair facility at 13788 Oaks Ave in Chino, and we do not send technicians to your location or to a storage lot. Collision and structural repair needs the coach immobilised, supported and opened up, and refinishing needs a controlled booth for dust, temperature and cure. Bring the coach to Chino, or arrange transport if it is not drivable, and the whole repair happens under one roof. More on why we work this way is on our in-shop repair page.
Frequently asked questions about RV collision and insurance repairs
My RV is not drivable. Can you still take it?
Yes. Coaches arrive here on transport regularly. Arrange transport to 13788 Oaks Ave in Chino and we take it from there.
Should I file a claim or pay out of pocket?
That depends on your deductible, your premium and the size of the repair, and it is your decision rather than ours. What we can do is give you a real estimate first so you are deciding with a number in front of you instead of a guess.
Will you meet with my adjuster?
Yes. Adjusters inspect coaches here regularly and it is much better than photographs going back and forth.
What if the adjuster's estimate is lower than yours?
That is common on RV work and it is usually because the first estimate was written from the outside. We document what we found with photographs and provide it as a supplement. That process is a normal part of an RV claim rather than a dispute.
Do you repair towables as well as motorhomes?
Yes. Travel trailers, fifth wheels and toy haulers all get collision and body work here.
Can you handle hail damage?
Yes, including roof and upper-sidewall damage, which is where RV hail damage tends to be worst and hardest to see from the ground.
How much will my RV collision repair cost?
Not answerable from a description, and any shop that gives you a number over the phone is quoting a job it has not seen. Our estimates come with photographs, and every estimate carries a budget for parts with the final price adjusting to the parts actually used.
What are your hours?
Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM, closed weekends. Call (909) 627-7566.
Hear From Our Satisfied Customers
They are always professional, courteous and they have resolved any and every issue I had.
If your coach has been hit, bring it to a shop that can document the damage properly, deal with the adjuster, and do the structural work, the fiberglass and the paint in the same building. McBride's RV has been family-owned in Chino since 1967, we have a 40-foot enclosed paint booth and match with PPG, and we show you the problem before any work begins. Walk-ins welcome. Call (909) 627-7566 and we will book you in.
McBride's RV Service & Paint, BAR ARD 314817, 13788 Oaks Ave, Chino, CA 91710, (909) 627-7566.