Came across an interesting article the other day in Collision Week. They talked about how the IIHS doesn’t endorse the use of aftermarket parts. Read more below: By Collision Week The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says it does not recommend the use of aftermarket structural parts because there is no system in place to guarantee that they would perform the same way the original parts would in a crash. David Zuby, chief research officer for the IIHS, was quoted in Consumer Reports Thursday saying, “The vehicle structure is part of a complex system designed to protect people in crashes, as well as hold up the engine. There’s a lot of engineering that goes into Read entire post...

You’ve had an accident and now you need to get your vehicle repaired. What do you do? Whether you are a claimant or an insured, you need to report the accident to the insurance company.  When you speak to them, they will recommend one of their Direct Repair Shops. Do you have to use a Direct Repair Shop? No. In the end, the choice is yours. The insurance company may tell you that the shop of your choice is not on their “approved” list of shops and that they may not be able to efficiently handle your claim due to your selection of a certain shop, but do not be intimidated by this. It is your right to choose whatever shop you want to repair your vehicle. However, if by chan Read entire post...

From the other side of the tracks Stumbled across a blog post on a great discussion board I’ve been participating on, much to either the delight or dismay of the other participants, as I apparently do not fit in. But that’s ok. I love a good debate. Back to the blog post. AutoMuse® points out a recent news item up in Connecticut where the Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, wants to pass legislation to make sure consumers cars are repaired correctly and safely and demands that insurance companies do not harass or push consumers to use their “DRPs” or preferred shops. Consumers deserve to choose where a car is repaired. No insurer should straightjacket or corral c Read entire post...

One situation many insureds find themselves in today is when they’ve taken their vehicle to a repair center that does not get along with the insurance company that is footing the bill for repairs. Many shops feel that they should not be told how to repair a car or how much they can charge for those repairs. The result is that both sides will take a firm line. When you first choose a repair facility for your vehicle, the shop should tell you if they have problems working with a particular insurance company. However, what happens is, they start repairs and when they run into a problem with either a supplement, or overage on an estimate, they may tell you that the insurance company won Read entire post...

Allstate is in the middle of a heap of trouble down in Florida about a proposed 42 percent rate hike on Property Insurance and other practices. The insurance commission wants their papers and Allstate is balking. “Either you’re going to produce the documents we request or you’re not,’ said Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty. “And if you’re not, we will use all means available under Florida law to enforce our authority over our subpoenas.” This should be interesting to follow: State Suspends Allstate’s License Read entire post...

With the aid of John Fowler of the American Insurance Services, the Houston police department uncovered an insurance fraud operation of huge proportions. “There is no regulation of the auto repair industry. The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimated that every family in the United States pays an extra $1,000 a year in insurance premiums to cover the cost of fraud.” Read more Read entire post...

Direct Repair Programs or DRP’s are commonplace in today’s world of vehicle repair. More and more shops have joined forces with insurance companies all over the United States in order to gain as many referrals as they can in an industry that can be very competitive. DRP’s facilitate the relationship between the body shop and the insurance company and the owner of the vehicle being repaired. Taking your vehicle to a DRP shop is supposed to save a lot of hassle and paperwork on everyone’s behalf.
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If a Direct Repair Shop does not complete the repairs before the rental period approved by my insurance company, who is responsible for rental fees? Always check with your insurance company as to who is responsible for rental fees in any unexpected circumstances. Usually, if you have taken your car to a Direct Repair Shop on your insurance company’s program, then either the insurance company or the repair facility is responsible for all rental fees. This is NOT the case if you have chosen to take your car to a shop off their “approved” list. Again, always speak with your insurance company and find out what their policy is. Read entire post...

Whether or not you are entitled to a rental car is stated in your insurance policy. Generally, for only a dollar or two extra each month, you can add coverage for rental car reimbursement, which provides a rental car for little or no money while your car is in the repair shop or if it is stolen. Check your policy for specifics. The insurance company is generally only obligated to cover the rental car for the amount of time it takes to repair the car. Read entire post...

Most insurance companies take the labor hours divided by a set formula according to their company guidelines. Every insurance company will be different but it is typically an average of a 5 hour word day. For example, if the estimate calls for 45 hours total labor, divide 45 by 5 and your estimated repair time is 9 business days. The majority of repair shops do not have weekend hours.  This repair time can be delayed by parts on back order, additional repairs that require supplements or other unexpected factors. Read entire post...