A study by the Nebraska Auto Body Association (NABA) revealed that the average repair bill for a collision-damaged vehicle was $2,593 during the first quarter of 2012. Insurers used policyholders’ reserves to pay for 72 percent of repairs performed by Nebraska collision shops, while 24 percent of payments were paid directly by customers.
NABA’s survey also underscored the importance of quality parts. OEM parts accounted for 51 percent of parts used to repair collision-damaged vehicles. Certified aftermarket parts accounted for 32 percent, while recycled parts were used 14 percent of the time. Use of non-certified aftermarket parts and OEM seconds was negligible.
“Survey respondents clearly preferred OEM and certified aftermarket parts,” said NABA Director Norbert Zaenglein. “Quality of parts continues to be a top consideration in the repair of collision-damaged vehicles.”
When asked about sales during the first quarter of 2012 compared to the first quarter of 2011, 50 percent of shops reported no change, 8 percent of shops reported an increase and 42 percent of shops reported a decrease in sales.
Another surprise was the number of shops that did not have any DRP affiliations. Approximately 58 percent of survey respondents did not have any DRPs, 8 percent participated in one DRP and another 8 percent belonged to two DRPs. Finally, 17 percent of respondents belonged to four DRPs and 8 percent said they were on at least six DRPs.
The average number of years in business was 24, and 76 percent of shops said they were family-owned.
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