It’s time to get the auto insurance companies out of your vehicle repair labs. They are jeopardizing your customer’s lives.
Did you notice that I called your business a Vehicle Repair Lab? The growing complexity of vehicles demands the skill set of a spine surgeon. Think about the certifications and sophisticated equipment required today.
You are no longer Body Shops or Collision Repair facilities.
You are Vehicle Safety Professionals. You work on the front lines of safety at your Vehicle Repair Labs.
Everyone in your Vehicle Repair Lab should always ask questions about the crash. Your Vehicle Safety Professional needs to analyze what parts they should replace. Restore the vehicle’s safety systems to pre-accident crashworthiness standards.
A bad day at work in a vehicle repair lab or an operating room can cost a life or limb. The slip of a scalpel is no different than sending a customer home in a vehicle that is not crashworthy.
Resist Insurance Adjuster Bully Tactics
This why vehicle safety professionals must resist pressure from insurance adjusters. Insurance companies want to substitute cheap parts from eBay. The insurance bullies insist on using imitation parts instead of Original Equipment Manufacturer. I hear such horror stories from your industry everyday.
I’m talking about cheap imitation (aftermarket) parts that are critical to crashworthiness. Our crash tests last year demonstrated aftermarket parts caused severe injuries.
A glued roof panel rather than one welded to OEM standards, caused a young couple to get crushed and burned. They should have walked away from the accident.
A Dallas County Jury sent a message with a $42 million damage verdict in that landmark case. Collision repair facilities should perform according to high standards.
3 Steps for Vehicle Safety Professionals to get Insurance Bullies out of your Repair Lab.
- Embrace a New Philosophy focused on EDUCATING Vehicle Safety Professionals about Crash Science.
- Engage your customers to Fight with You Against the insurance companies
- Energize your fellow Vehicle Safety Professionals to join the fight.
3 Responses
EVERY…SINGLE…DAY… I’m told from my prospective clients that, on the telephone mind you, adjusters inform them that “If you go to another shop other than what we suggest, you may have to pay some money out of your pockets,” or “that place is known to be VERY expensive” or “that place takes a long time, our shop will be quicker.” They also use misinformation from CAPA and the IIHS (both funded directly by the insurance industry giants) to mislead people about the “safety” of imitation parts. In my eyes, an “aftermarket” part is a Holley carb, Hooker headers, or Keith Black pistons. Auto Zone, CarID, Keystone, Empire, etc. are imitators, not innovators. It’s time people know the truth. I want to start holding small public forums with the general public to educate them BEFORE they need our services. You can also share who I am and what I do.
Unfortunately you are only seeing part of the problem, while Insurance companies and direct repair relationships with shops is a huge conflict of interest and a major source of the issues you’ve outlined the collision industry is being rapidly reshaped by consolidators that are 100% on board with whatever garbage parts the Insurance companies want to use. These body shop consolidators have bought up hundreds of shops and turned them into hack factories, the one that bought up the last 2 shops I worked at will not use OEM parts unless there is no other alternative. Even if a brand new OEM part is exactly the same price or cheaper they will still buy the junk because they get a kickback at the end of the year and make more money. Having worked for them, I’d say that having a consolidator shop repair your car is no different than having your insurance company fix your car directly. I’ve been a tech 20+ years and I quit that company both times they bought my employer out. Their policy’s put the customer dead last and profits first. I felt like a crook working there because of it.
I want to get my car out of collision center but they want to charge my storage fees can I get my car out without paying one penny I need to know now