How-To: Repair Your Ceramic Coating After an Accident
How-To: Repair Your Ceramic Coating After an Accident
Learn how to get your ceramic coating re-installed by your car insurance
We all know the heartache that comes hand in hand with your favorite car, truck or SUV; especially when it has been well taken care of and has a ceramic coating applied. Despite your best efforts to keep the car looking pristine, accidents happen. Someone might back in to your car, you might hit debris in the road, or another driver might've just been a bit too careless. Nonetheless, the great news is your coating re-application will most likely be covered by your car insurance.
Most people do not know that Paint protection film (Xpel, 3m, Suntek, Llumar, STEK, etc) and ceramic coatings (Opti-Coat, Ceramic Pro, Gyeon, Gtechniq, etc) can be replaced through insurance. This is because they are all significant investments that help protect the vehicle so it can maintain its value over time which is good for all parties.
What do you need to provide to your insurance company?
Most insurance companies will require some proof of purchase in order to reimburse or cover the cost of your ceramic coating re-application. In most cases a sales receipt or paid invoice from the original application will suffice. If you lost your original receipt, reach out to the car detailing professional that applied the product for a new copy.
Can you apply a ceramic coating to fresh paint?
As a general rule of thumb, most body shops will want you to wait 60-90 days before applying any sort of protection to your repaired vehicle. This waiting period will allow the fresh paint to off-gas (cure over time as solvents evaporate out of the paint). Waxes and sealants can trap the solvent and cause problems.
We have not seen any ill-effects when applying Opti-Coat Pro and Pro+ to 1-2 week old paint. This is due to the unique way Opti-Coat Ceramic Coatings bond to the clear coat or paint system. They are breathable and allow the curing process to happen, unlike most SiO2 coatings on the market.
Other benefits of having a detail shop look over a repaired vehicle
One of the major benefits of having a ceramic coating re-applied to your vehicle after its time in a body shop is the ability for your professional detailer to look over the repair and provide feedback about the repair itself. Professional detailers and ceramic coating installers look at automotive paint every day and have a great eye for finding possible flaws and issues with a previous repair. This is great for you as the vehicle owner, because you can approach the repair facility with any issues before an issue arises later on.
We hope that this helped you understand how to approach your Insurance company if you get into an accident with your ceramic coated vehicle and why it is always a good idea to have your vehicle looked at by your professional detailer after a collision repair is completed.
