Insurance company, repair shop 'lose' woman's car after crash

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — After a serious car crash, one Ohio woman's insurance claim quickly turned into a nightmare.

Her car seemingly disappeared and a repair shop tried to charge thousands of dollars for work that was never done.

Our Better Call 4 Investigation got her money back, but not her time; what should have been a straightforward insurance claim turned into a months-long stressor that left her in the middle of the age-old insurance versus auto shop disagreement.

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"I was in an accident in November, on Nov. 19, and just from there, things just kind of got, it was like a snowball effect," Breanna Schultz said.

While Schultz was in the hospital, her husband started the insurance claim with Allstate.

"They text us our claims number, which is great, and then the very next day, we got a message," Schultz said.

That message read: "Hi Breanna, this is Ernie – your auto claims specialist." He sent authorization forms, which Schultz signed, thinking they were Allstate-approved.

"He said, 'Here's your claims number. I'm going to get your rental car.' All right, OK, great. Awesome. Like, let's do it, you know, get the claims process moving, so then I don't hear anything from Allstate for like two weeks," Schultz said.

When she did, Allstate could not find her car.

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"I was at work and my jaw just kind of like dropped," Schultz said. "It said, 'We can't locate your vehicle.' Like, what do you mean? Like, how did you lose my entire car?

The car had been towed to M Work Auto Body, a company with multiple locations across Ohio. However, Schultz said Allstate told her they never reached out to M Work to have them tow the car. Allstate emails show they planned for the car to go to a different repair shop. Schultz does not know how M Work got her information.

Emails show Allstate tried to get M Work to release the car and were told it would cost nearly $7,000.

"Airbags deployed, the vehicle caught fire, like, there's nothing that you could do to fix this car," Schultz said.

Schultz went to the shop to look at her car. So did Allstate, and they said most of the work the shop tried to charge for was not done. Allstate negotiated the bill down to $3,500 to get the car back, with $1,000 of that an out-of-pocket cost for Schultz.

"I was already in, like, a rough situation," she said. "I already had missed a couple of weeks at work due to my injuries. So yeah, I was extremely frustrated."

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Over the last three years, M Work received 21 complaints through the Better Business Bureau, which they have responded to on the BBB website. NBC4 Investigates read every one of the complaints and at least three detail stories similar to Shultz's.

Schultz also said the business appeared to be an Allstate-approved shop at the time of her crash. That means a shop that meets Allstate's specific standards of care. It no longer appears on the Allstate-approved search.

NBC4 Investigates reached out multiple times to M Work for comment. When we did not hear back, we went to two of their central Ohio locations. At the Kenny Road location, we saw multiple certifications, including from Honda, Acura and Subaru.

One M Work employee said they pull information from crash reports in public records, which is legal. Another employee said he feels insurance companies influence clients away from them because M Work uses original manufacturing parts that tend to be more expensive. They denied any fraud or wrongdoing.

An employee we spoke with at the Kenny Road location sent a statement reading:

"At M-Work Collision, we take any customer concern seriously and appreciate the opportunity to clarify how this situation occurred and how our business operates.

"We want to be clear that we do not misrepresent ourselves as an insurance company, nor do we claim to be an "approved" or "network" shop for any insurer. We are an independent collision repair facility. While we do not participate in Direct Repair Programs or contractual networks, we regularly and successfully handle claims with all major insurance companies, including Allstate, State Farm, and Progressive. This is standard practice in the collision repair industry.

"When a customer is involved in an accident, we explain that the insurance company is financially responsible for the claim, but that the vehicle owner has the legal right to choose where their vehicle is repaired. Under Ohio law, insurance steering—pressuring or directing a policyholder to use a specific repair facility—is prohibited. Insurers may recommend preferred shops if asked, but they cannot require a customer to use them or imply that coverage, guarantees, or affordability depend on that choice.

"Confusion can occur when insurers emphasize that a shop is "not a network shop" without clearly explaining that this does not limit a customer's legal options. For customers who do not regularly deal with insurance claims, this messaging can create the impression that they are not allowed to use an independent repair facility, even though Ohio law explicitly protects that right.

"All documentation, communications, and towing paperwork clearly identify M-Work Collision as the repair facility. We do not disguise who we are or who we represent. Insurance companies are discussed only because they are the liable party for covered damages. We are transparent that we work with insurance companies, not for them, and that we advocate for repairs performed according to manufacturer-recommended procedures and safety standards.

"Our decision to remain independent is intentional. Many insurance networks prioritize cost-driven repair practices that may involve aftermarket or non-OEM parts or deviations from manufacturer repair guidelines. We prioritize vehicle safety, repair quality, and proper restoration, even when that requires additional discussion with insurers.

"We regret any confusion or frustration this situation may have caused and understand how overwhelming the claims process can be. We remain willing to explain customer rights, clarify insurance responsibilities, and work toward a fair and transparent resolution. We welcome open dialogue to ensure the public has an accurate understanding of independent collision repair and the consumer protections in place under Ohio law."

Schultz did get her car back and began the total loss process, but she's sharing her story to help others avoid being in the middle of a disagreement between insurance and car shops.

"I can't understand why people take advantage of people the way that they do," Schultz said.

We reached out to Allstate throughout this investigation. After we did, Schultz received a $1,000 refund for the out-of-pocket cost to get her car back.

Allstate also sent a statement reading:

"I wanted to thank you for bringing this issue to my team's attention…We have been in contact [with] the customer and resolved the claim according to her policy. Customers may select a repair shop from the Good Hands® Repair Network or choose their own shop. Please visit our website for information, including shop requirements."