OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts: What Your Insurance Covers in New York (and Why We Only Use OEM)

When an insurance estimate comes back on your car, the parts list is easy to skim past. It shouldn’t be. Whether the estimate calls for new factory parts, aftermarket copies or used parts from a salvage yard changes how the car fits, how it’s protected in a future crash, and what it’s worth later.

This article explains the difference between the part types, what New York’s insurance rules say about non-OEM parts, how private-client policies usually handle it, and why we only use OEM parts at Enthusiast Auto Works.

The three kinds of parts on an estimate

OEM (original equipment manufacturer)

New parts made by or for the carmaker, sold through its dealer network. They’re the same parts the car was built with. When we say OEM, we mean new, from the dealer.

Aftermarket (non-OEM)

Parts made by another company to fit your car. Common examples are bumper covers, fenders, hoods, headlamps, grilles and radiator supports. Some are decent. Many aren’t quite right: thinner material, slightly different mounting points, or a panel that needs to be forced into place.

Used, recycled or “LKQ”

Parts taken off another car, often a salvaged one. LKQ means “like kind and quality.” They’re factory parts, but with unknown history, and they may have their own damage, repairs or wear.

Why it matters more on a high-end car

• Fit and finish. On a Range Rover, Porsche or Rivian, panel gaps are tight and consistent from the factory. A part that’s a few millimeters off shows.
• Sensors and driver assistance. Modern bumpers and grilles hold radar, parking sensors and cameras. Brackets and mounting points have to be exact for those systems to calibrate and work correctly. We perform all ADAS calibration (cameras, radar and sensors) in-house as part of the collision repair.
• Crash performance. Bumper reinforcements, absorbers and structural parts are engineered for specific crash behavior. That’s not where you want guesswork.
• Value. Buyers and pre-purchase inspectors look for non-factory parts. Finding them is an easy reason to offer less. See our article on diminished value after an accident in New York.

What New York’s rules say about non-OEM parts

New York doesn’t ban aftermarket parts in insurance repairs. It regulates them. The rules are in the state’s insurance regulation on claims handling, Regulation 64 (11 NYCRR 216.7(b)(5)). Summarized in plain terms, if an insurer’s estimate uses a non-OEM crash part:

• The estimate has to identify it. The non-OEM part, and who makes or supplies it, must be identified on the estimate.
• It has to be at least as good as the OEM part in fit, form, finish, quality and performance.
• It needs a warranty at least as long as the OEM part’s. If the part isn’t certified, the maker or distributor has to provide a written warranty that lasts at least as long as you own the car.
• Certified parts are expected. The insurer is supposed to specify parts certified by an entity the state accepts. A 2006 DFS circular letter identified CAPA as the accepted certifier at the time.
• Supplier limits. Without your consent, the insurer can’t specify parts from more than three suppliers for one repair.
• If the part fails its warranty, the insurer has to restore the car to its pre-loss condition at no extra cost to you, within a reasonable time.

The New York regulator has said there’s no required wording or font size for how non-OEM parts are shown, so they can be easy to miss. Look at each line on the estimate. Codes and abbreviations like “A/M,” “Aftermarket,” “Recycled,” “LKQ,” or a supplier name usually mean the part isn’t new OEM.

What the rules don’t do

These rules set standards for aftermarket parts. They don’t guarantee you OEM parts. Whether you get them depends mainly on your policy.

What your policy probably says

Most standard auto policies limit what the insurer pays for repairs to the cost of parts “of like kind and quality,” or similar wording. That language is what lets an insurer write an estimate with aftermarket or used parts. If you want factory parts on a standard policy, you may be asked to pay the difference, unless the shop can show a specific aftermarket part doesn’t meet the standard.

Private-client policies are often different. Based on what the carriers publish:

• Chubb says on its U.S. personal auto page that it pays for OEM parts after a covered accident, to restore the car to its pre-claim condition.
• PURE says repairs use OEM parts, with original-equipment-equivalent parts used for replacement glass.
• Berkley One says it uses OEM parts whenever possible.

Policy terms vary, and marketing pages don’t replace the policy itself. Check your own declarations and policy wording, or ask your broker. For more on how these carriers handle claims, see our page on collision repair for high-value insurance policies.

Why we only use OEM parts

We use new parts from the dealer on every repair. No aftermarket body parts, no used or salvage parts. That’s true whether the car is a Rivian we’re certified to repair or a Porsche or BMW we repair without a manufacturer certification.

There are a few reasons:

• Fit. We don’t want to fight a panel to make it line up. OEM parts go on the way the car was built.
• Manufacturer repair standards. For brands we’re certified with, including Land Rover and Jaguar and Rivian, following factory repair procedures goes hand in hand with factory parts.
• Paint protection film. If the car has PPF, we re-film the repaired panels in-house. Film patterns are made for factory panel shapes, and they fit best on factory panels.
• Resale. Our clients care what the car is worth later. Factory parts make the repair harder to spot and easier to document.

How we handle it with your insurer

We tell the insurer up front that we use OEM parts only. Most of the time, especially with private-client carriers, that’s not an issue.

When an insurer does push back on a specific part, here’s what happens:

1. We work it out with the insurer first. That might mean showing that the aftermarket part doesn’t meet the fit, finish or safety standard, pointing to the manufacturer’s repair procedure, or pointing to the policy’s own language. Our goal is no out-of-pocket cost to you.
2. If we can’t resolve it, we call you. We explain the part, what it costs, and the options, and we decide together before any work is done on that part.

You won’t find out about a parts dispute when you pick up the car.

Questions to ask before you approve a repair

• Does the estimate list any aftermarket, recycled or LKQ parts? Which ones?
• What does my policy say about parts? Is it “like kind and quality,” or does it promise OEM?
• If the insurer won’t pay for an OEM part, what’s the price difference, and who is asking me to pay it?
• Will the shop use the manufacturer’s repair procedures and calibrate sensors after the repair? (We do ADAS calibration in-house as part of the collision repair.)

Also remember that in New York, you decide where the car is repaired. An insurer can’t require you to use its network shop. Our article on choosing your own body shop in New York explains your rights under Insurance Law § 2610.

Want a second look at your estimate?

If you’ve got an insurance estimate and you’re not sure what’s on it, send it to us. We work with clients across Westchester, Greenwich and New Canaan, and Manhattan, with pickup and delivery. Call 914-630-1668 or use the estimate form below, and we’ll tell you what parts the car really needs. You can also read more about our collision repair service.

Frequently Asked Questions