A modern bumper is more than the painted plastic cover you see. Behind the cover sits a crushable energy absorber, and behind that a reinforcement bar typically made of ultra-high-strength steel or aluminum. I-CAR notes that energy absorbers are typically designed for one-time use, and automakers such as Honda and Nissan prohibit straightening a damaged reinforcement.

A scuff or small tear away from the sensors can sometimes be repaired on the cover itself, but the rules depend on the automaker; Hyundai, for example, does not recommend plastic repairs to bumpers with corner radar. I-CAR points out that body filler made for metal cracks on a flexing plastic cover, so cover repairs call for plastic repair materials instead.

• Cover, absorber and reinforcement work as one system
• Energy absorbers are typically one-time-use parts
• Honda and Nissan prohibit straightening a damaged reinforcement
• Plastic covers need plastic repair materials, not metal filler

Many late-model vehicles carry radar, cameras and ultrasonic parking sensors in or behind the front and rear bumpers, and AAA has found these parts can be damaged in low-speed bumps. On vehicles with Blind Spot Information, Honda says not to make bumper repairs over or near the radar units, and Nissan does not support any repair, filler or paint work near its rear side radars.

Recalibration rules vary by brand. Nissan requires front radar recalibration after any repair that shifts, removes or jolts the radar, while Honda calls for radar aiming after a front fascia repair within 300 mm of the unit. AAA recommends choosing a repair facility equipped to repair and calibrate these systems and asking for proof of the work, so ask how calibration will be handled on your vehicle.

• Sensors often sit in or behind bumpers
• Honda: no bumper repairs over or near BSI radar units
• Nissan: no filler or paint work near rear side radars
• Ask for proof that calibration was completed

Damage to an absorber or reinforcement can hide behind an intact-looking cover, and Honda says collision forces can damage electrical circuits in ways that are not easily diagnosed by visual inspection. Honda, Hyundai and Kia each expect a scan of the vehicle's systems before repairs begin and again once they are finished, since an unlit dash does not prove every system is working.

When a Nissan bumper cover has to be replaced, the new part ships as raw plastic, and Nissan calls for washing, scuffing and an adhesion promoter before paint. The shop uses computerized paint matching systems, and I-CAR describes blending as carrying the basecoat color into the panel next to the repair so the eye sees one color rather than two.

• Estimate first, then a closer look for hidden damage
• Pre- and post-repair scans called for by Honda, Hyundai and Kia
• New covers are prepped before they are painted
• Computerized paint matching systems

Honda's 2024 statement on bumper covers for some models with Blind Spot Information says new Honda Genuine covers must be used when replacement is necessary so the driver-assist systems can perform as designed, and Nissan does not approve aftermarket, reconditioned or recycled fascias on models with sonar sensors because small differences can affect sensor alignment.

Under Florida's aftermarket crash parts law, an estimate that uses a non-OEM aftermarket crash part must identify each one, and the Motor Vehicle Repair Act requires the invoice to note any used, rebuilt or reconditioned part. The shop also offers a lifetime warranty on all repairs performed at Jenkins Collision Centers.

• Honda: new Genuine covers on some BSI-equipped models
• Nissan does not approve aftermarket fascias on sonar-equipped models
• Florida estimates must identify aftermarket crash parts
• Lifetime warranty on all repairs performed at Jenkins Collision Centers

The Florida Department of Financial Services is direct about it: you have the right to select the repair shop that fixes your vehicle after an accident. Its guide notes that insurers often keep preferred-shop lists and are not responsible for rental charges caused by a non-listed shop's delays.

Florida's Motor Vehicle Repair Act also entitles you to a written estimate once a repair is expected to exceed a threshold set by state law. At the Leesburg shop, staff help with insurance claims, put together repair estimates and keep you updated as the work moves along.

• Florida DFS: you have the right to select the repair shop
• Staff assist with insurance claims
• Online form with preferred appointment times
• Written estimates under Florida's Motor Vehicle Repair Act