Ask the Expert: You’re Always Blaming Insurers for Trying to Save Money!
I’ve worked in the collision industry since the early 80s and now I work for an insurer, and I always feel like you pile on all this blame on insurance companies for trying to save money and not paying for necessary operations, using alternative parts, etc.
Ask the Expert: How Do You Combat Labor-Rate Suppression?
We raised our labor rates at the beginning of the new year, but the insurers are telling our customers we’re over-charging and they will need to pay the difference “out of pocket.” What should we do to combat this?
Ask the Expert: Why Do Insurers Do What They Do?
As service levels from auto insurers deteriorate, it’s up to the independent, quality-oriented repairer to encourage a positive change in behavior.
How and Why Do Insurers Total Vehicles?
We’re finding that insurers are totaling vehicles when the damages are as low as 40 to 50 percent of the vehicle’s pre-loss value. How and why do insurers do this, and what rights do consumers have when it comes to keeping their vehicles?
How to Get Insurers to Pay for Necessary Procedures and Parts
When the insurer refuses to provide for necessary procedures and parts, how can we get them to pay?
Why Do Insurers Require Shops to Use Substandard Parts?
If insurers can’t authorize any repair, how can they specify any part to be used in a repair? The answer is very simple: They can’t.
Administration Fees and Storage
The subject of administrative fees continually comes up in our office as a fee that’s disputed by some insurance companies. How can we get them to pay?
Who Pays for Parts That Don’t Fit?
Is there a form we can create that will make the insurance company pay for both parts if the aftermarket will not fit correctly and we have to buy OEM?
What Should I Charge for Feather, Prime and Block?
We’ve begun charging for feather, prime and block, but we’re not sure what the labor times should be per area or the material rate. Is there a place I can find rates in my area or do you know what the average would be?
Replace or Not Replace?
When a question to repair or replace arises, especially one where distinct liability concerns exist, I firmly believe that if one is to err, they should err on the side of caution.
Is It Illegal to Deviate from an Insurer’s Estimate?
If an insurer pays a customer to do certain repairs and the customer doesn’t want certain things done, is it illegal for the collision repairer to not repair or replace something the insurer has paid for?
Who Polices Auto Insurer Call Centers?
I’ve lost many potential repairs due to State Farm’s strong-arm tactics steering customers to their choice of repair centers instead of the customer’s. So my question is, ‘Who, if anyone, polices these call centers?’
