Services
Insurance
Loans
Repairs
Advice
About

What do OEM and aftermarket parts mean in terms of car insurance?

I'm getting my car repaired in a shop after an accident. The mechanic is replacing my bumper with an aftermarket part. What does this mean?

avatar
Sophie Newman · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
“Repair shops often use aftermarket parts because they’re cheaper and easier to find when
repairing a vehicle
.
An aftermarket part is a replacement part that is not made by the manufacturer of the vehicle. You may think of it as an off-brand replacement. Some
car insurance companies
will only pay for aftermarket parts as they are known to be of the same quality as an OEM part.
OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. If you opt for this coverage on your car insurance policy, your insurance company will pay to replace your vehicle with OEM parts instead of aftermarket.
If you have a specialty or modified vehicle, it may matter more to you that you have original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, but most vehicle owners won’t notice the difference.
Should you want to add OEM coverage in the future, go to
Jerry
. Jerry finds the best car insurance rates for customized coverage in seconds! And the best part–Jerry does this for free.”
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings