News

Sharp Auto Body is all about helping our clients and community. That is why we offer a variety of FREE resources that will save you money. Be sure to share with your family & friends so they can benefit too!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more information about saving money, insurance claims, & other helpful tips to ensure that you make the best decision for your auto body repair needs.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Money Saving Tips

Gas Pumping Tips for Fuel Savings

Only buy or fill up your car or truck early in the morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground.

Gas Savings Tips

Great cash-saving tips like Avoid prolonged warming up of the engine, even on cold mornings – 30 to 45 seconds is plenty and Avoid “reving” the engine, this wastes fuel needlessly.

Auto Body Resources

Getting a car insurance estimate

What to Know About Your Car Insurance Estimate: A Complete Guide

Car Accident, Tips

After a car accident or unexpected damage, one of the first steps in the recovery process is getting a car insurance estimate. This document plays a crucial role in determining how much your insurance provider will pay toward your repairs—and how quickly you can get back on the road. But what exactly is a car…

Why Car Dealerships Prefer Certified Body Shops for Repairs

Why Car Dealerships Prefer Certified Body Shops for Repairs

The average price of a new car in 2023 hovered just under $50,000. That’s a significant investment for both consumers and dealerships. With such high value riding on each vehicle, it’s no surprise that dealerships are extremely selective when it comes to repair work. Whether a car is damaged during transport, while sitting on the…

Phone app

Why You Shouldn’t Rely Solely on Your Insurance App

Auto Insurance, Car Accident, Tips

What every driver should know after a minor accident. You’re backing out of a parking space. You look both ways—traffic is clear. So you proceed. Then, crunch. That gut-wrenching sound of your fender collapsing fills your ears. You slam the brakes and realize with sinking horror: you’ve backed into one of those short cement poles…

What TO DO and NOT DO at the Scene of an Accident

Car Accident, Tips

You’re sitting at a stoplight, or making a turn, when suddenly out of nowhere – BAM! Everything inside the car goes flying as your grip on the steering wheel tightens and you sit there in a fog wondering what the heck just happened. Sound familiar? Hopefully not, but odds are, you will be in a…

Rights as consumer

What Are My Rights as a Consumer?

Auto Insurance, Car Accident, Tips

Being in an accident is stressful enough. Add in the hassle of getting your car repaired and it can feel overwhelming, especially when the accident wasn’t your fault. The third-party insurance company will often work hard to avoid paying the full cost of your repairs, while you, as the claimant, are left trying to make…

Car Insurance

Choosing Your Car Insurance Deductible

Auto Insurance, Car Accident, Money Saving

Selecting a deductible is one of the most important things to consider when comparing coverage across insurance companies. A high-deductible car insurance policy brings different financial consequences than a policy with a low deductible. What exactly is a deductible? If you file a car insurance claim after an incident, the deductible is the amount you pay…

DTC Scan

Why You Want a Full Inspection After an Accident

Car Accident, Tips

We’ve already talked about the importance of airbags after a crash—but airbags are just one piece of your vehicle’s complex safety puzzle. Modern cars are loaded with advanced technology and interconnected systems, and even a minor accident can throw everything off balance. So, after any type of collision—even a low-speed fender bender—it’s critical to get…

Sharp Auto Body

How to Prevent Rollovers

Car Accident, Tips

Most modern vehicles are designed with improved safety features that reduce the likelihood of a rollover during a crash. However, it is important to understand that no vehicle is entirely immune. Certain driving conditions, behaviors, and vehicle types still pose significant risks. Top-heavy vehicles such as SUVs, pickup trucks, and Jeeps are especially prone to…

Car insurance

Why Car Insurance Matters—Especially When Others Don’t Have It

Auto Insurance, Car Accident, Tips

What Happens If An Uninsured Driver Hits You? If you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, you’ll likely need to turn to your own insurance provider for compensation. That’s where uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage becomes crucial. UIM coverage helps pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and other injury-related costs if someone without insurance…

Auto Insurance: A high stakes game

Auto Insurance: The High-Stakes Gamble You Didn’t Know You Were Playing

Auto Insurance, Car Accident, Tips

When you sign up for auto insurance, it might feel like you’re taking a responsible step—protecting yourself, your car, and your future. But take a closer look, and it starts to resemble something far less comforting: a high-stakes bet. Because let’s be honest—insurance is, in many ways, like gambling. You’re wagering that somewhere down the…

Car Insurance

How to Choose a Good Insurance Company

If you’re just starting to look for car insurance—or you’re thinking about switching providers—the number of options can feel overwhelming. On one hand, you’re constantly bombarded with flashy advertising promising rock-bottom rates and can’t-miss deals. On the other hand, your instincts are telling you to dig deeper, to look beyond the surface, and find coverage…

Bundling home and auto insurance hidden costs of cheap insurance

The Hidden Cost of “Cheap” Insurance

Auto Insurance, Money Saving

The Hidden Cost of “Cheap” Insurance: What You Need to Know Before Bundling Auto insurance is mandatory in Illinois—there’s no getting around it. And if you’ve just closed on a new home, congratulations! But you probably also noticed that homeowner’s insurance was another box you had to check before getting those keys in hand. These…

rear-end collision

Rear-end Collisions: What to Do and How to Prevent Them

Car Accident, Tips

A rear-end accident occurs when a driver collides with the vehicle directly in front of them from behind. These types of accidents commonly happen at red lights, stop signs, or in congested traffic where vehicles frequently stop and start. While the majority of rear-end collisions occur at low speeds—such as in city traffic or parking…

Distracted Driving

Practice Safe Driving

Car Accident, Tips

Did you know that there are 13 car accidents in America every 60 seconds? That means over 6.5 million people will be involved in an auto accident this year! An estimated 42,915 people died in car crashes in 2021, a 10.5% increase from 2020. Accidents cost the economy approximately $474 billion in 2020. Some sobering statistics. These statistics show…

Deployed Airbag

Safety First – Benefits and Risks of Air Bags

Car Accident, Tips

Airbags help save lives, but they also come with certain risks. Airbags automatically inflate in the event of a collision. But they don’t always go off. There’s a reason for that and it has nothing to do with a malfunction. It’s all about the electrical connection between the impact sensor and the air bag. The…

Seat Belt

Are You Wearing Your Seat Belt? It May Not Be Enough

Car Accident, Tips, Uncategorized

Safety First In the event of a collision, your airbag and seat belt work together to minimize injury. The airbag alone is not enough to prevent you from hitting the windshield or dashboard if you’re sitting in the front seat. Similarly, while a seat belt significantly reduces the risk of serious injury, it does not…

What Happens When You’re the Claimant in an Accident?

Auto Insurance, Car Accident

Some accidents are straight forward as far as who the claimant is. For instance, if you’re rear-ended, the other party is at fault. You would be the claimant. They are considered the policy holder. If the accident is as a result of a lane change or in an intersection, the responsibility can become muddied. Were…

Calling insurance company

Answers from the Front Line

Auto Insurance, Car Accident, Tips

Sharp Auto Body has been in business over 40 years. They’ve seen and heard it all. So what can you learn from them? If you have any questions related to collisions and auto repair, even if you’re using another body shop, call Sharp Auto Body. There’s questions you should be asking before any repairs take…

Who Should You Trust?

Auto Insurance, Car Accident

Have you ever taken your car to a repair shop after an accident, only to have your insurance company push back on the cost? Maybe they claimed the shop was overcharging you or that certain repairs weren’t necessary. Or worse—have you ever had a repair shop tell you they “discovered” new damage that wasn’t there…

Tips for Sharpening Your Leadership Skills

Shop owner Louie Sharp says to know your values, and strong leadership will follow. No one should wonder how to become a better leader. According to Louie Sharp, owner of Sharp Auto Body in Island Lake, Ill., says everyone is already a gifted leader with different skills, talents, and gifts because everyone is leading somebody,…

Load more

Call Now