Can I Charge Insurers for Cleaning Panels Prior to Painting?

Can I Charge Insurers for Cleaning Panels Prior to Painting?

Why do I, as an auto painter of 40 years, have to face a sandblasted, tar-covered, mud-filled vehicle with no time whatsoever to treat these problems? Aren't paint times based on clean factory panels?

There are many states where a vehicle comes into a body shop covered in road tar and sandblasted in rock chips with mud crammed into every crack and crevice. These states, for example, Alaska, have a lot of blacktop and rural, unpaved roads. I thought paint times were based on clean factory panels? Why do I, as an auto painter of 40 years, have to face a sandblasted, tar-covered, mud-filled vehicle with no time whatsoever to treat these problems? I spend the majority of my time detarring and pressure washing out mud and sanding out road rash before I can even start to prep a panel for paint. Can I charge the insurance company for these procedures?

Paint times are not based on clean, factory panels. They’re based on new, undamaged panels, the difference being that a painter needs to use a solvent to wipe down the panel. This step should eliminate fingerprints and light tar. Heavy tar is another story, as are rock chips, mud and fresh blacktop.

An observant estimator should note rock chips at the time of drop-off. If they happen to be on a blend panel, this is an opportunity for an up-sell. Another consideration would be the severity of the rock chips. Mild ones may be fixed as a goodwill gesture for a loyal customer. Heavy tar and fresh blacktop present a different set of problems.

Since your question is, ‘Can we charge the insurance company for additional prep time?’ I would have to say no. This situation would need to be addressed at the point of drop-off. This is sadly where many estimators fall short. It’s easy to say, ‘Just wipe it down.’ But you and I both know it isn’t easy. The additional monies should come from the customer, period. You didn’t drive through mud and tar before you worked on their car. It’s no different than that ding in the rear of the fender that was blended to match the hood. Now, if the customer got caught in a sandstorm driving through the desert, that would be a legitimate insurance claim under the comprehensive part of your policy.

I once worked on a car that had cement splattered all over it. It wasn’t fresh either. That was an insurance claim because our customer had parked their car unknowingly near a building where construction was about to be done. The claim went against the construction company’s carrier.

Another example of a legitimate insurance claim would be road stripe paint. If you happen to drive through this material, you might end up with a two-tone car, most likely yellow and whatever color your car is. If I were  your employer, it would make sense to hire a lower skilled person to pressure wash your cars for you. As a  a shop owner, I certainly would want a journeyman painter in the spraybooth, where he can make money for himself and my shop’s bottom line.

You May Also Like

The Digital Blitz

We talk so much about how much collision repair is changing, but so is the world of media!

We talk so much in the pages of BodyShop Business about how rapidly the collision repair industry is changing, but the world of BodyShop Business is changing drastically too — the world of media, that is. Change is everywhere! Is there anything that is not changing? Change, as they say, is inevitable. I liken it to a freight train that will steamroll you unless you get on board.

Auto Body Shops: Building a Foundation for the New Year

For the new year, it’s important to conduct a thorough audit of your finances to look for areas of opportunity and things to change.

Auto Body Consolidation Update: There’s a New Buyer in Town

The good news for shops that want to sell but do not fit a consolidator’s
profile is that there is a fresh pool of new buyers.

Is Your Auto Body Shop a Hobby … or a Business?

So you want to provide safe and properly repair vehicles to your customers … even at a financial loss?

BodyShop Business 2023 Executives of the Year

Greg Solesbee was named the Single-Shop Executive of the Year, and Charlie Drake was named the Multi-Shop Executive of the Year.

Other Posts

BASF Partners with INEOS Automotive on Global Body and Paint Program

INEOS Automotive and BASF’s Coatings division have signed an agreement on global automotive refinish body and paint development.

Navigating the Intricate Landscape of Coatings and ADAS

With refinish and ADAS, the theme time and time again comes back to: check the OEM repair recommendations.

BASF’s GLASS Tool Helps OEMs Gauge Carbon Footprint in Paint Shops

BASF’s Coatings’ GLASS Tool offers an analysis approach that enables transparency and supports customers in making informed decisions for sustainable surface solutions.

Carlisle to Hold Spray Finish Technology Workshops

Carlisle Fluid Technologies — Binks, DeVilbiss, Ransburg, MS and BGK — and Owens Community College have teamed up to present Spray Finishing Technology Workshops.