No matter what kind of part is involved, you can choose what you want to put on your car. Under law, the repair shop must inform you in their estimate exactly what kind of parts they will use in the repair. Insurance companies might be unwilling to pay for more expensive parts, and you might have to pay out of pocket if you want either new or even used OEM parts. Additionally, when it comes to body work on the plastic and metal on your car, non-OEM parts are often used. This is allowed by Connecticut law. Again, this must be detailed in the estimate you receive from your repair shop. There are a lot of technical terms thrown at you regarding parts after a car accident. Here’s a quick guide to some common ones:

• OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer parts are brand new parts made by the company that made your car.
• Non-OEM or Aftermarket parts are brand new parts made by third party manufacturers to fit your car.
• Recycled parts are either used, refurbished, or otherwise salvaged. Recycled parts can be either OEM or aftermarket parts.