‘We Don’t Pay for That’
3/1/2008
I’ve been the general manager of a busy independent shop in Maryland
for a number of years. I regularly do supplements and work directly
with about 20 insurance companies and fleet accounts. I love this
business, I love fixing cars and I love the result of a job well done.
I look forward to coming to work every day and also look forward to the
future of collision repair. It has been a lucrative business, and our
shop has done well despite changing times.
The one thing I don’t think I’ll ever understand is the phrase “We don’t pay for that.”
I believe strongly in the philosophy of what’s fair is fair, and a good
job at a fair price is the best deal around. What also troubles me is
the idea that shops are expected to do things for free for an insurance
company simply because those things (clearcoat, paint, overhauling a
bumper, etc.) are part of my procedures.
What motivated me to write this letter was a claim for Progressive for
a 1999 Civic. As always, we tore the car down and wrote a supplement.
We waited five days for a reinspection and then got back a supplement
that was about $500 less than the one I wrote, with the explanation of,
“We don’t pay for that.” After speaking with the adjuster’s supervisor,
faxing her copies of the Mitchell P-pages and explaining what was
proper in this case, she assured me that the book must be out of date
and that Progressive would not pay any more than 0.9 to overhaul a
front bumper.
The small amount of money lost is truly not my concern. What is my
concern is Progressive’s total lack of customer service and the neglect
for what’s really going on here. What I do every day is not fix cars
– I service customers. This business is one of service, and it saddens
me that insurance companies like Progressive have made this more of a
battlefield than anything else.
After two days of conversations and no real explanation, we ended up
fixing the car for the amount Progressive wanted to pay. I
congratulated them on saving some money and explained everything to the
customer. She was also saddened by Progressive’s lack of
responsibility.
I would like to take this opportunity to applaud shops and insurance
companies all over the country that are doing quality work at
reasonable prices and satisfying customers day-in and day-out. I know
there are thousands of small independent shops out there that are doing
the kind of work that everyone else should strive for. I will not
change my procedures, I will not change my quality and I will not
change my lifetime warranty. I will continue to expand my knowledge of
this business in order to get paid for things that I do.
Jeff Silver, general manager
Han’s Auto Body
Gaithersburg, Md.