National AutoBody Research (NABR) has announced the launch of its newly revised California Standardized Auto Body Labor Rate Survey, based on the labor rate survey format defined by the California Department of Insurance (CDI). As new California storage laws took effect at the new year, and to respond to market activity in California, NABR added new survey questions on shops’ pricing for storage, scanning and alignment.

NABR states that this revised survey enables collision repairers to understand better their local market prices for these additional services and to make more informed business decisions regarding their individual shop’s pricing for these items.

Upon completing the compliant survey, body shops can also purchase their customized California Prevailing Rate Report, which provides data and documentation for the “prevailing rates” in that body shop’s unique “geographic area,” as defined by the CDI regulation.

The NABR independent report now includes market area shop prices for storage, scanning and alignment, and helps repairers demonstrate true market prices in their area and negotiate more effectively with customers and insurers.

“Once again, we’re pleased to offer this complete survey and reporting solution to all California collision centers,” said Sam Valenzuela, president of NABR. “With new laws for storage now in effect, our new independent market area report will enable repairers to prove what reasonable market rates are both for labor rates and these additional services.

“This solution provides exactly what the California collision repair industry needs: one independent, third-party conducting labor rate surveys and providing one source for market area pricing that both shops, insurers and regulators can use to all get on the same page.”