Glossary

Direct repair program

An arrangement between an insurer and approved body shops that accept its pricing and procedures in exchange for referred repair work.

Also called: DRP, preferred shop, network shop, insurer-approved shop

A direct repair program (DRP) is a network of collision repair shops that have contracts with an insurer. The shops agree to the insurer's labor rates, estimating guidelines, parts policies and turnaround standards, and in return the insurer refers customers to them. Insurers may call them preferred, network or select service shops.

Using a DRP shop can mean less hassle. The shop often writes the estimate itself, settles additional damage directly with the insurer and starts work sooner, and many insurers guarantee repairs at network shops for as long as you own the car. Progressive, for example, offers a lifetime guarantee on repairs at its network shops.

The trade-off is that the shop has a business relationship with the company paying the bill, so ask whether it will use aftermarket parts or OEM parts and whether ADAS calibration is included. You do not have to use a DRP shop. Many states let you choose any repair shop; California and New York, for example, bar insurers from requiring a particular shop, and New York also bars insurers from recommending one unless you ask. If you go elsewhere, the insurer pays a reasonable cost of repair, and you may do more of the coordination yourself.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Claims adjuster The insurance company employee or contractor who investigates a claim, decides what the policy covers and sets how much is paid. OEM parts Replacement parts made by or for the vehicle's own automaker, as opposed to aftermarket parts from other makers or recycled parts. Aftermarket parts Replacement parts made by companies other than the carmaker, usually cheaper than original-equipment parts and often specified in insurer repair estimates. ADAS calibration Re-aiming a car's safety cameras and radar after a repair or windshield replacement so features like emergency braking work correctly. Claim number The unique reference an insurer assigns when a loss is reported, used to track every call, document and payment on that claim.

Related guides

Driver-assistance sensors and the cost of repairs Why cameras and radar in bumpers and windshields raise repair bills, what calibration involves, and why equipped cars still cost insurers less overall. Choosing a repair shop: direct repair programs and your rights Your right to pick the body shop, how insurer direct repair networks work, the trade-offs of each choice, and what to ask any shop before it starts work. Full glass coverage and zero-deductible windshield repair Which states require zero-deductible glass claims (Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina), where it's optional, and how to handle a cracked windshield. How to choose a car insurance company A practical way to choose a car insurer: shortlist on price for identical coverage, then compare financial strength, complaints and claims service. OEM parts endorsements: guaranteeing factory parts What an OEM parts endorsement changes in a repair, which cars qualify, what it does not guarantee, and how state parts laws already protect you. Scams that target drivers after an accident The scams that follow a crash, from tow trucks you did not call to runners, clinic referrals, fake adjusters and buried deductibles, and how to avoid each one.

Related insurers

AAA (Auto Club Enterprises) AAA insurance from the Southern California-led Auto Club Enterprises clubs, for members in about 20 states; top-ranked by J.D. Power in Texas in 2026. Allstate Publicly traded "Good Hands" insurer sold by exclusive agents, online and by phone, and owner of National General; offers Drivewise and pay-per-mile Milewise. Bear River Mutual Utah's oldest mutual property-casualty insurer, founded in 1909, selling auto and home coverage only in Utah through independent agents. California Casualty Family-led insurer founded in 1914 that sells group-endorsed auto and home coverage to educators, first responders and nurses in seven Western states. AAA (CSAA Insurance Group) The AAA insurer for Northern California, the Mountain West and much of the Mid-Atlantic, selling only to AAA members in 23 states and D.C. Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance Idaho's Farm Bureau insurer, founded in 1947 and the state's third-largest auto writer, now also selling in Washington through Western Community Insurance.