Members of the collision repair industry that want to see the 1963 insurance antitrust consent decree applied to the insurance industry in the 21st century have a few more weeks to make their case to enforce the decree. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division posted on its website detailing the listing of consent […]
U.S. Senator Blumenthal Joins Collision Repair Association in Call to Preserve 1963 Consent Decree
Senator Blumenthal has repeatedly called on the U.S. DOJ to enforce the 1963 insurance industry antitrust consent decree to protect consumers and competition. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut joined members of the Auto Body Association of Connecticut yesterday to warn the public of the potential consequences of the proposed termination of a 1963 consent […]
Louisiana Legislature Passes Collision Repair and Auto Glass Anti-Steering Legislation
Bill expands state’s current anti-steering law and increases fines that can be levied on auto insurance companies. On Saturday, June 1, the Louisiana Senate voted to approve legislation passed by the House of Representatives that would expand the state’s anti-steering law and double fines for an initial offense and a 10 times increase for third […]
Louisiana Legislation Seeks to Increase Fines for Insurance Company Collision Repair and Auto Glass Steering
Legislation passed by the House of Representatives would expand the state’s anti-steering law and double fines for an initial offense and a 10 times increase for third and subsequent offenses. Louisiana House of Representative legislation currently before the Louisiana Senate would expand the state’s existing insurance company steering prohibitions for collision repair and auto glass […]
Minnesota Legislation Seeks to Enact New Collision Repair Steering Restrictions
Legislation would also prohibit insurers from disregarding estimating system procedure pages or OEM collision repair procedures. A bill introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives on May 20 seeks to amend the state’s existing standards for automobile claims handling expanding restrictions on steering prohibiting an insurer from attempting to influence consumers choice of a repair […]
Texas House Insurance Committee Holds Hearing on Bill That Would Define Collision Repair Labor Rates, OEM Procedure Requirements
Hearing includes an emotional appeal in support of the legislation by Marcia Seebachan, the vehicle owner at the center of the $42 million negligence judgment against a Texas collision repair shop for unsafe collision repairs. At a hearing before the Texas House Insurance Committee on Tuesday, legislators heard from supporters and opponents of Texas House […]
Texas Legislation Seeks to Define Prevailing Collision Repair Labor Rates, Parts Choice, OEM Procedures
Bill seeks to address prevailing rates, would require labor rate surveys to establish rates to be conducted by a third party, prohibit insurers from requiring least expensive parts and further restrict referrals. Legislation filed in Texas on February 4 seeks to address a panoply of common friction points between collision repair facilities and insurance companies […]
Indiana House Insurance Committee Amends and Approves Legislation Defining Deceptive Collision Repair Practices
Adds language to Senate Bill prohibiting assignment of benefits to collision repair facilities. Amendment eliminates most restrictions on insurers. The Indiana House Committee on Insurance amended and approved Senate Bill 164 (SB 164) on February 21 by a vote of 12-0. While SB 164 originally included extensive anti-steering provisions, amendments in both the Senate and […]
California Collision Repair Anti-Steering and Labor Rate Bill Dies in Committee
After failing to advance out of committee, the legislation officially died at the end of January. After failing to advance out of a hearing on January 18 of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee, Assembly Bill 1679 (AB 1679) officially died on January 31. The bill sought to overturn California Department of Insurance (CDI) anti-steering and […]
Indiana Senate Approves Amended Bill Placing Anti-Steering Restrictions on Collision Repairers and Insurers
While restrictions on collision repair facilities remain, several proposed restrictions on insurer activities removed from amended legislation. Indiana Senate Bill 164 (SB 164), introduced by State Senator Mark Messmer in early January, that sought to define and prohibit several practices by both collision repair facilities and insurance companies that affect their relationships with customers, was […]