Whether the accident is your fault or the other driver's, make sure you go to an appropriate repair shop -- and ask for what you require.
By Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine
1. That fender bender will be a major expense. If the accident is your fault and you have the typical $500 deductible for a collision, kiss your money goodbye. A survey of repair shops in the Washington, D.C., area by Consumers' Checkbook, a nonprofit consumer information group, shows that replacing a fender on a 1998 Buick LeSabre can cost as much as $982. A new front bumper on a 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class can go as high as $1,350.
7 things auto-body shops won't tell you - MSN Money