‘I Ran to Fight for the Little Guy’
Richard “Rick” Impallaria of the Maryland House of Delegates.
The Evolution of DRPs
“To every thing – there is a season – and a time – for every purpose – under heaven.” Those lyrics have been repeating in my head since I began outlining this article examining direct-repair agreements. Why? Because to examine DRP agreements without examining their history and evolution would – in my opinion – be
DRPs: Don’t Go Away Mad, Just Go Away
Since so many changes are taking place on the repairer-insurer-consumer horizon, all anyone can do is speculate about the future. Not being a betting man (I’ve never even bought a lotto ticket), I’d venture that the answers to Bill O’Keefe’s questions might be “yes” and “no”–but not necessarily in that order. At a recent NACE,
DRPs: Probing the Legalities
There’s a definite conflict of interest when the payer (insurer) controls the quality of repair work. In fact, without the independence of the professional repairer, some say there’s no difference between the DRP shop and the insurer – just a different organization with the same interest, adverse to the property owner. But that doesn’t make DRPs illegal – or does it?
Independents: Fighting for Truth, Justice, and a Fair Day’s Pay
“Will non-DRP shops that fight to make insurers pay for everything be ahead in five years?” – Pete Kenney, manager, Black Diamond Auto Body, Las Vegas, Nev. That’s a tough question, one with no obvious answers carved in stone. This industry has changed so much in the last five years that it’s anyone’s guess what
Every Claim Is Not the Same
Insurance companies have led most consumers and shop owners to believe there’s no difference between first- and third-party claims – even though entirely different sets of laws and rules apply. And these differences can affect every aspect of your shop, from job scheduling to parts selection to liability to profitability.
When Does Insurer Steering Become Illegal?
Every day, insurers tell customers: "They’re not on our list of shops." "We can’t guarantee their work." "We may not be able to help you as much as we’d like if you take your car to that shop." Fed up, a few shop owners across the country have gathered evidence that insurer actions are depriving them of their right to compete and have filed tortious interference lawsuits. The result: multimillion-dollar settlements.
The Name Game : Protect your Shop Name
For two similarly named body shops in Limerick, Pa., it’s now up to the courts to determine who keeps their name. Want to avoid fighting a similar battle? Learn how to protect your shop name and keep yourself out of court for violating someone else’s trademark.
All In a State Over Allstate
Dear Georgina, After reading your Editor’s Notes in the current issue (June 2001, “All in a State Over Allstate”), I felt compelled to share what we’ve done concerning Allstate. On Feb. 14, 2001, we had a meeting with our Allstate DRP representative. Her boss was also invited but didn’t come to the meeting. Our agenda
Getting Their Hands Dirty
Getting Their Hands Dirty, Charlie Barone, BodyShop Business, July 2001
