Vermont State Rep. Bill Botzow (D-1) has introduced House Bill 362 which would regulate the use of aftermarket parts in automobile repairs covered by insurance. The bill has been referred to Vermont’s House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.
The language of the bill includes the following provisions:
• No insurer shall require the use of aftermarket parts in the repair of an automobile unless the aftermarket part is at least equal in like, kind and quality to the original part in terms of fit, quality and performance. An insurer that requires the use of aftermarket parts shall consider and be liable for the cost of any modifications that may become necessary when making a repair.
• All aftermarket parts manufactured after Jan. 1, 2014, shall carry sufficient permanent identification so as to identify their manufacturer. Such identification shall be accessible to the extent possible after installation.
• Aftermarket parts may not be required by an insurer in the repair of automobiles placed in service during the two years immediately preceding the claim report and which have 30,000 or fewer miles recorded on the odometer.
• An insurer shall identify clearly on the repair estimate all aftermarket parts installed on a vehicle, if any. If aftermarket parts are installed, the insurer shall disclose to the claimant in writing, either on the estimate or on a separate document attached to the estimate, the following information in bold-faced, capitalized font no smaller than 12-point type: This estimate has been prepared based on the use of non-original manufacturer parts. Parts used in the repair of your vehicle by other than the original manufacturer, also known as aftermarket parts, are required to be at least equal in like, kind and quality in terms of fit, quality and performance to the original manufacturer parts they are replacing.
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