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Insurer to Be Investigated for Steering in Massachusetts
11/12/2009 9:46:14 AM

An unhappy client in Massachusetts who has accused Safety Insurance of violating state law by forcing her to use one of its preferred body shops after she had already chosen a shop has asked the state’s Auto Damage Appraisers Licensing Board (ADALB) to investigate, the Boston Herald reported.

According to the Herald, Lorisa Mansour wrote a letter to ADALB saying that, after getting into an accident in May and receiving an estimate from the shop of her choice, she was “instructed by Safety Insurance that I had to bring my vehicle to their new VIP Claims Center.” Mansour noted she was a longstanding customer at the shop she preferred.

“I was told [the shop I chose] was no longer an option,” Mansour’s letter said. “They then took my keys and put me in a rental.”

Since Massachusetts law forbids steering to preferred shops ADALB agreed to investigate, the Herald says.

Safety acknowledged to the Herald that it indeed has a VIP Claims Service Program, but denied it forced Mansour to use one of its preferred shops.

Mansour, who was dissatisfied by the repairs performed by Safety’s shop, wrote that it should be her right to choose who repairs her car.

“It should not be at the discretion of my insurance carrier who best serves my auto repair needs,” her letter said.

More information:

Read the Boston Herald’s story

Insurer Leaves Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board Amid Controversy

Connecticut AG Calls for Federal Investigation of Steering

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