Extends decline to 16 quarters even as traffic volume increases. An estimated 7,770 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the first quarter of 2026, a decline of about 4.3% from the 8,120 fatalities projected for the same period in 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statistical projection published in […]
UK Motor Insurers Forecast to Remain Loss-Making Through 2027 as Repair Costs Squeeze Margins
The UK motor insurance market is projected to post a net combined ratio of 108% in 2026, a sharp deterioration from the 102% EY estimates for 2025, with losses continuing into 2027 at a forecast 103%, according to analysis the firm released July 23. Repair, labor and vehicle costs are the primary drag on margins […]
Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index Down 0.6% in First Half of July
Wholesale values ease from June even as they hold above year-ago levels. Wholesale used-vehicle prices declined in the first half of July, pulling the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index (MUVVI) down to 211.5 on a mix-, mileage- and seasonally adjusted basis, Cox Automotive reported July 17. The reading marked a 0.6% decrease from June and […]
Kirmac Collision & Autoglass Opens 29th Location in Penticton, British Columbia
Kirmac Collision & Autoglass has opened a collision and glass repair facility in Penticton, British Columbia, the family-owned company’s first location in the South Okanagan and the 29th in its Western Canada network. The opening marks the second time Kirmac has tied a new market to its May 2025 acquisition of Bannister Automotive Group’s collision […]
Auto Physical Damage Premiums Decline in Texas and Florida as Overall Total Rises 1.3%
Florida’s 5.3% drop was the largest among the 50 states, while No. 1 California gained 5.4% to $24.21 billion. Auto physical damage direct premiums written fell last year in two of the five largest states for the line, even as premiums across all reporting jurisdictions rose 1.3% to $177.4 billion, according to a Best’s Rankings […]
IIHS Finds Waymo Driverless Vehicles Crash 68% Less Often Than Human Drivers
Waymo’s driverless vehicles were involved in 68% fewer police-reportable crashes per vehicle mile traveled than human drivers in the same cities, according to a study released July 23 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which also concluded that the federal system for monitoring automated vehicles is inadequate to track a large-scale expansion of the […]
SCRS Partners With Savi to Help Members Navigate Federal Student Loan Overhaul
The Society of Collision Repair Specialists has added a student loan navigation platform to its member benefits, giving collision repair businesses and their employees a no-cost starting point for sorting through federal repayment options that changed July 1, 2026. The platform compares more than 150 repayment and forgiveness options and returns side-by-side recommendations built around […]
Massachusetts Appraiser Board Adopts Ruling Requiring Repair Shops to Keep Licensed Appraisers
The Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board finalized Advisory Ruling 2026-1 at its July 14 meeting, reaffirming that shops must employ or retain a licensed appraiser to prepare damage appraisals. The Massachusetts Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board has adopted an advisory ruling requiring auto body repair shops to employ or retain licensed motor vehicle damage appraisers […]
Root Launches Behavior-Based Auto Insurance in New Jersey, Its 37th State
Root Inc. (NASDAQ: ROOT) has begun selling its telematics-based auto insurance in New Jersey, the 37th state where the Columbus, Ohio-based insurer operates and a step that extends its coverage to more than 80% of the U.S. population. The launch moves Root toward its stated goal of offering coverage across the entire contiguous U.S. by […]
BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford and Google Launch Alliance to Expand Skilled-Trades Training
BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford Motor Company and Google have launched the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades, a coalition aimed at expanding access to skilled-trades training and easing a national shortage of skilled workers. The four founding members said they have independently committed to skilled workforce training initiatives in 30 states. The alliance’s stated focus spans infrastructure, […]