Can I choose my own body shop in Ontario?
Quick answer
Yes. In Ontario the choice of repair shop is yours, full stop. Your insurance company can recommend a preferred shop, but it cannot require one, and your claim proceeds the same way at the licensed shop you pick. Name your shop once, clearly — for example, Collision Auto Center in North York — and the adjuster works with us from there.
- Drivable or not
- At fault or not
- Free written estimates
What the rule is in Ontario
In Ontario, the decision about where your vehicle gets repaired belongs to you, not to your insurance company. There is no approved list you must pick from and no network you are locked into. An insurance company is free to suggest a shop it has an arrangement with, but it cannot make your claim conditional on using that shop, and your policy covers the reasonable cost of a proper repair at the licensed shop you choose.
There is no statute number to memorize here — and be suspicious of anyone who quotes one at you. The principle is plain and settled: the vehicle is yours, the repair decision is yours, and the insurance company’s job is to pay for a proper repair, not to decide who performs it.
What a “preferred shop” recommendation really means
A preferred or “direct repair” shop is a business arrangement between the insurance company and that shop — the shop agrees to the insurance company’s pricing, paperwork, and audit rules, which keeps the insurance company’s costs predictable. That can be convenient, but it is not a quality ranking and it is never an obligation on you.
It is completely normal to say: “Thanks — I’ve chosen Collision Auto Center in North York. Please send the adjuster there.” Nothing about the claim changes. The adjuster reviews the estimate at our shop off Keele just south of Sheppard, we handle approvals and supplements directly, and you deal with one person from drop-off to pickup.
What to do if you feel pressured
Name your shop once, clearly — and in writing if the conversation happens by email or through a claims app. If the adjuster keeps repeating warnings about delays, warranty problems, or “out of network” costs, write down the date and the exact words. Those talking points are pressure tactics, not policy terms.
If the pressure continues, you can raise it with FSRA — the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, which regulates insurance companies in this province and takes complaints about claims conduct. In practice it rarely goes that far: one firm sentence naming your chosen shop ends the conversation almost every time.
