Printed in Autobody News Non-DRP shops in New Jersey often receive requests to match DRP pricing from insurers, who cite NJ 17:33B-36.1, commonly known as Section 64. AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant has voiced a plethora of concerns related to this statute and its impact on labor rates, but he recently pointed out that the “terms and conditions” phrase within Section  64 could require insurers to rethink their position on using it to force “prevailing” labor rates. Section 64 begins: If an insurer has a financial arrangement with one or more auto body repair shops or other repair facilities or a network of facilities for the purpose of repairing vehicles…

Published in Autobody News Mike Anderson of Collision Advice recently explained how to turn eight common collision shop owner mistakes into life lessons to benefit their businesses. “When you look at mistakes you’ve made, you have to realize that they aren’t mistakes if you’ve learned from them, and when you learn from them, they become life lessons. I’ve got a lot of life lessons I’d like to share today,” Anderson began. While presenting “Life Lessons of Collision Shop Owners” on Sherwin-Williams’ Ecolean University, Anderson was joined by Mike Lanza, Manager of Business Consulting Services at Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, as they discussed why shops struggle and how to fix it. Anderson’s…

Printed in Autobody News This year’s Collision P.R.E.P.  program commenced on August 6th with “Documenting for Repair Process and Liability, and Building a Bulletproof File,” presented by Mark Olson of VECO Experts. Hosted by the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA), Collision P.R.E.P. is the educational portion of AASP/NJ’s Virtual 2020 NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show. “There’s a much bigger picture than what you’re probably already doing in your shop,” Olson began. “You’ve got to get it right the first time. You don’t have a second chance to get the right information. As soon as the car enters your shop, you need to start taking pictures of the vehicle and the…

Printed in Autobody News New York has been one of the areas hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 15,000 deaths from COVID-19. When the governor closed schools March 16, Anthony DeMieri, owner of Frog Hollow Collision in Bethpage, NY, made the business decision to close his shop doors, even though collision repair shops were deemed essential. “It was a health decision,” he said. “I’m in the middle of New York. It’s a war zone, and these guys just don’t get it. They think it’s a joke, but it’s not a joke.” Frog Hollow Collision is located just outside New York City, but the shop’s employees live in Brooklyn and Queens.…

Printed in Autobody News The Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) hosted its 5th Annual Texas Auto Body Trade Show at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sept. 20 and 21. Attracting hundreds of collision repair industry professionals from Texas and around the country, the show broke every previous year’s attendance record, with attendees excited to network with peers, engage in invaluable educational seminars, and learn about exhibitors’ latest products and services. ABAT also used the opportunity to publicly announce its decision to merge with the Houston Auto Body Association (HABA) to create a larger united front and better serve the industry at-large. ABAT and HABA have had a close relationship…

Printed in Autobody News COVID-19 has ravaged the U.S. for more than a month, but even as social distancing separates us physically, people around the world have come together to support and aid one another. In the collision repair industry, equipment suppliers, paint manufacturers and industry associations have been hosting free informative webinars related to the ongoing crisis and updates on legislation, as well as other important topics. Also, as essential personnel, collision repairers around the country have been hard at work, repairing ambulances, police vehicles and the vehicles of medical and other essential personnel. Greg Murphy of Murphy’s Auto Body Frame in Crossett, AR, reported his shop was repairing three police vehicles.…

Printed in Autobody News The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) reiterated it is offering free retirement savings plan consultations to collision repair industry businesses in partnership with Virginia Asset Management, during a Feb. 26 webinar entitled “SCRS 401(k) Plan: Everything You Need to Know about Switching from an Existing Plan.” “SCRS is really excited to share information about our Multiple Employer Retirement Plan (MEP), a customized 401(k) plan solution created specifically for SCRS members,” said SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. “Our goal is to increase retirement savings for industry professionals.” Schulenburg encouraged collision repair industry businesses to take advantage of this opportunity.  “There’s no fee for the one-on-one conversations with SCRS’s financial advisors to evaluate…

Printed in Autobody News On Feb. 13, CIECA offered a CIECAst webinar entitled “Utilizing Technology to Thrive and Not Just Survive in 2020” with Mike Anderson of Collision Advice.  Topics included eliminating human disruption, how AI will impact collision repair facilities, electronic quality control checklists, text reminders, customer updates using technology and much more. CIECA Executive Director Ed Weidmann began the webinar by welcoming attendees and introducing Anderson. After covering antitrust and competition guidelines, Anderson dove into a discussion about eliminating human disruption. “It is no secret that more and more admin tasks are being added to collision repair facilities,” Anderson said. “Due to this fact, we, as collision repairers, must find ways to utilize technology to…

Printed in Autobody News The Superior Court in Union County, NJ, denied a Motion to Dismiss filed by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance (NJM) in relation to a class-action lawsuit filed in June 2019 alleging steering-related violations against non-DRP collision repair facilities. The lawsuit is being led by Sam Mikhail on behalf of Quality Auto Painting Center d/b/a Prestige Auto Body (now dissolved) and BMR Automotive Service, Inc. d/b/a Robbie’s Automotive & Collision Specialists. The decision means the lawsuit will proceed with NJM facing accusations on a number of offenses, including injurious falsehood and tortious interference with prospective business advantage, as well as violations of the NJ Antitrust Act, NJ’s Consumer Fraud Act, and the state’s Civil RICO Act. Plaintiffs are…

Printed in Autobody News On July 17, Texas Watch, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization, contacted the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), asking for copies of all public documents and information related to “prevailing rate” policy language. When asked why the advocacy group got involved in this topic, Texas Watch Executive Director Ware Wendell explained, “Prevailing rate is really, at base, a safety issue. If repair professionals can’t get paid enough to do the job the right way, consumers ultimately are the ones who suffer. They are under indemnified, their vehicles are devalued, and their lives are endangered. Insurers have been cherry-picking rates and forcing policy language on us that only benefits them. That…

At the end of June, Mike Parker, owner of Parker’s Classic Autoworks in Rutland, VT received a phone call from his attorney Robert McClallen informing him that they’d finally won their short-pay lawsuit against Nationwide. “I was like, ‘Finally, hallelujah!” Parker shared. “There were definitely some useful points made in the case that could be used by shops suing for short-pays in the future, especially against Nationwide – since the Supreme Court hearing utilized a five-panel jury, this could set a precedent that shops’ attorneys would want to point out.” Initially filed in 2015, Parker’s case allowed him to stand in the shoes of 70 customers whose cars had been…

Featured in Autobody News Thursday, 06 June 2019 18:50 Written by Chasidy Rae Sisk Georgia Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck (R) was indicted in May on 38 counts of defrauding a former employer, the Georgia Underwriting Association (GUA), for a total of more than $2 million over a five-year period. In a statement, U. S. Attorney Byung J. Pak said, “Beck allegedly pocketed a substantial amount of money to which he was not entitled while he was the GUA General Manager for Operations. To be clear, the grand jury has charged Commissioner Beck with crimes that occurred before he was elected to his current public office.” Beck denied these allegations which include money laundering as well as…

Featured In Autobody News Texas Auto Body Insurance Accountability Bill Defeated by Clock Written by Chasidy Rae Sisk The Texas Auto Body Insurance Accountability Bill, House Bill 1348, failed to receive a second reading by the end of this legislative session, simply running out of time rather than being defeated by the bill’s opponents. House Bill 1348 was only six bills away from being heard in the House Chamber when the clock signaled the end of the session, but proponents of the bill are still optimistic about the progress that was made. John Kopriva, president of the Houston Auto Body Association (HABA), said, “The 86th Legislative session is in the books. Looking back…

Tuesday, 05 February 2019 18:44 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS Tony Lombardozzi, president of the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence (CCRE) ASA recently announced its support of NH House Bill 664. The bill states, “An insurer shall reimburse a repairer for all repairs if a repairer follows original equipment manufacturer-recommended collision repair procedures, recommendations or service bulletins while repairing a vehicle.” ASA Washington D.C. representative Bob Redding wrote in a letter to the committee: “House Bill 664 addresses an issue of concern for consumers and repairers. The Seebachan v. John Eagle Collision Center decision reminded collision repairers of the importance of having proper repair procedures. The original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) repair procedures are the logical repair processes to…

Wednesday, 24 May 2017 18:28 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS  Mike Jones lectured on the importance of seeking clarity in order to improve communication at the 2017 WIN Educational Conference. On May 10, Discover Leadership Training’s PresidentMike Jones presented “Creating a Better Version of Yourself” during the last day of WIN’s 2017 Educational Conference. Drawing on his personal experiences flying police helicopters, creating programs for high school students to encourage their success, and as a cognitive scientist, Jones noted, “Words are not bad. People use words in bad ways. I urge you all to listen with the intent to be influenced, or you’ll miss the opportunity to be a better you.” Asking everyone to consider…

Wednesday, 03 May 2017 20:49 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS Erica Eversman On April 18, AASP-PA hosted a presentation during CIC Week in Pittsburgh, PA, featuring Vehicle Information Services Chief Counsel Erica Eversman. This presentation focused on the liabilities shops are open to currently, how shops can protect themselves and tips on getting paid for proper repairs. Eversman took time to discuss some of the key points of her presentation. According to Eversman, “The most important thing for shop owners to remember is that they are the professionals. They are responsible for making decisions, and they are subject to the burden of resolving issues with the consumer or insurance companies, whether it’s…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 22:05 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS Tony Lombardozzi teaches shops how to get paid properly. On the last day of AASP/NJ’s 40th Annual NORTHEAST Conference and Tradeshow, Superare Marketing’s Tony Lombardozzi and Peter Abdelmaseh hosted two sold-out sessions for shop owners: “Stop Playing by the Appraiser’s Rules” and “Set Your Own Prices and Make Them Stick.” In his introduction, Lombardozzi stated, “Twenty-five years ago, I made a commitment that I’d leave this industry better off. The word ‘superare’ is Italian for excellence, and we need to be more advanced than we are currently. We play by the insurer’s rules not because we have to but because we allow…

Tuesday, 28 March 2017 21:17 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS With 2017 marking AASP/NJ’s 40th Annual NORTHEAST Conference and Tradeshow, it comes as no surprise that this year’s event, held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center on March 17-19, was bigger and better than ever with a handful of firsts. AASP/NJ hosted a four-part Path to Certification panel series and presented the first James Moy Memorial Award for Dedication to the Automotive Repair Industry. Additionally, this was the first agenda to include presentations from Superare Marketing, and Mike Anderson of Collision Advice presented a brand new seminar on the importance of disassembly. According to AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant, “The 2017 NORTHEAST Automotive…

Thursday, 25 October 2012 16:47 To view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE. As a follow-up to the CCRE legal seminar held in March 2012—which I attended and wrote about in Autobody News (search “CCRE” at autobodynews.com)—the Pennsylvania Collision Trade Guild (PCTG) hosted the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence for the second event in this series of seminars. CCRE’s 2012 Fall Seminar was held Friday and Saturday, September 21–22 at the Airport Embassy Suites in Philadelphia, PA. PCTG decided to host CCRE again due to the overwhelmingly positive responses they received on the 2012 Spring Seminar. An audience of nearly 50 came to Philadelphia from as far away…

Thursday, 23 December 2010 20:08 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS What’s the connection between black gunpowder, auto refinishing, and Jeff Gordon? In a word: DuPont. On December 10, 2010, DuPont held a grand opening to dedicate their new Coatings Technology Center at the Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware, only a short distance from where DuPont’s legacy began with the manufacturing of gunpowder at Eleutherian Mills—now known as Hagley—in 1802. The opening celebration consisted of a tour of the new facility, and Hagley Museum and a memorable lunch with NASCAR-champ Jeff Gordon. DuPont’s Experimental Station in Wilmington is the site of extensive research that has lead to many game-changing inventions, such as nylon, Kevlar…