The latest “Who Pays for What?” survey from Collision Advice and CRASH Network indicates that 44% of shops are getting paid regularly for feather, prime and block — double the percentage of shops that said they were paid “always” or “most of the time” (by the eight largest national insurers) 10 years ago. Back in 2015, when the “Who Pays for What?” surveys were started, just over one in five shops (22% of those billing for feather, prime and block) said they were paid for this “not-included” operation when it was necessary and performed as part of a repair.
“In terms of actual numbers, these results indicate there are over 9,000 more shops regularly being paid for this in 2024 than there were in 2015,” said Mike Anderson of Collision Advice. “The surveys are important to keep raising shop awareness. Even today, about one in 20 shops still are not billing for this procedure when they perform it, despite the fact that 77% of shops that do bill for it get paid at least some of the time by those same eight insurers.”
Ten years ago, 53% of shops that negotiated to be paid for feather, prime and block said that insurers “never” paid them for it. But this year, just 23% of shops said they “never” get paid for it.
The “Who Pays for What?” survey series is now in its 10th year and offers evidence that shop awareness of not-included repair operations they’re performing but may not be billing for has improved — as has shops’ ability to successfully get paid for that work.
The latest quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey is now open through the month of April. It focuses on not-included frame and mechanical labor operations. Shops can take the survey by clicking here.
Survey participants receive a free report with complete survey findings along with analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented.
The survey can be completed in about 15 minutes by anyone familiar with their shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of at least some of the largest national insurers. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence; only aggregated data is released.
The results of previous surveys are also available online here.
Collision Advice is an independent training and consulting firm featuring some of the most respected and experienced experts in the collision repair industry. CRASH Network is a subscription newsletter offering news and information not available from other industry sources.
