Most consumers could use some help when it comes to choosing a collision repair shop after they have

had an accident. After all the most recent statistics show that drivers average one accident for every

seven years of driving. But how one gets that help is a hot topic of debate among those in the industry,

as well as at the State House.

As I wrote last month, in addition to the Governor's automobile insurance reform bill there is also

pending legislation that would provide the first major overhaul of collision repair legislation in almost

twenty years. One key provision of that legislation deals with the controversial issue of "Steering."

Steering is the act (currently illegal in Massachusetts) of insurers, their representatives, and/or

appraisers directly or indirectly suggesting that someone who has been involved in an accident go to, or

not go to, a specific collision repair shop. Many insurers have been lobbying very hard for the right to

make a recommendation to their policyholders as to where they should get their car fixed. However,

others are concerned that since an insurer has a financial interest in the decision that their

recommendations may be influenced by cost over quality.

Many repairers and consumer groups on the other hand not only oppose insurance company attempts

to make steering legal, but also are asking the state to impose tougher penalties for what they say is

number one problem in the industry. Many contend that if you can resolve the issue of steering, then

many other problems (repairer-insurer friction, consumer rights violations, etc.) could be resolved as

well. Tougher steering laws they contend would begin the process of establishing a true free market

system of collision repair that would benefit consumers, policyholders, and reduce overall repair cost.

With so many statutes and regulations addressing the issue it is clear that the legislature and regulators

considers steering an activity that they do not want perpetrated in the collision repair and insurer

markets. But what is also becoming clear is that most consumers are more satisfied when they are free

to choose their own collision repair facility. Recent studies by nationally acclaimed organizations clearly

show that consumers prefer to choose their own repair shop and are happier when they do. According

to the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Collision Repair Satisfaction Index Study, "Consumers who use an

auto insurance provider that requires a vehicle to be taken to one of its "preferred provider" body shops

for collision repairs or body work are less satisfied overall than those who are able to choose their own

repair shop." The 2005 J.D. Power and Associates Collision Repair Satisfaction Index Study, released in

December, reached the same conclusion. In addition, the March 2006 edition of Consumer Reports

contains an article that cited a study of 21,228 subscribers who filed a claim between January 2001 and

the spring of 2004 that clearly shows insureds felt pressured to go to a particular repair shop by insurers

and were unhappy with the results. According to the survey, of those who felt pressured "only 49

percent of that group was very satisfied with the repairs, while 72 percent who weren't pressured felt

very satisfied."

However, while that debate goes on, and since it is still illegal for an insurer to refer you to any specific

shop, MABA would like to offer the following suggestions to help you make a choice between collision

repair shops.

CHOOSING A REPUTABLE COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY?

Paul Hendricks, of Hendricks Auto Body in Whitinsville offers this advise to those in need of collision

repair services. "Use the same common sense that you do when choosing a contractor for electrical or

carpentry work," he said. "Check references, don't be afraid to ask questions and make sure the shop

you choose has the right qualifications, equipment and guarantee for the work they are going to do for

you. If you do all that, when you leave your car and your keys, you'll feel comfortable about your

choice," he added.

AAA Approved, Good Housekeeping, Five Star restaurant, Four Star movie! Unfortunately, the collision

repair industry does not have such easily recognizable endorsements. But they do exist, and here are

some things you can look for that may help you make a better-educated choice of collision repair shop.

CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING

While there may be no one company that provides ratings for consumers for collision repair shops there

are specific company and training certifications that may be helpful. The two primary functions that a

collision repair facility will perform to repair your car are repairing the damaged sheet metal and

repainting the damaged areas of the car.

I-CAR, or the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, is the number one training program for

repair technicians. It provides initial and continuing education classes to collision repair technicians

worldwide. Collision repair shops with technicians who are I-CAR trained would likely provide a higher

quality repair and be educated in the latest technologies available for repair as well as the most up to

date manufacturer specifications.

"Today's vehicles are more and more complex," said David Coffey, I-CAR's Regional Field Manager for

the Northeast Region. "Manufacturers are currently using exotic metals such as Boron, Magnesium and

Aluminum in vehicle construction. These metals each require different approaches and our goal is to

achieve that every person in the collision industry has the technical knowledge and skills relevant to

their position to ensure a complete and safe repair," he added.

In addition to I-CAR certification, many of the leading paint companies that provide paint products to

collision repair facilities also provide extensive and ongoing training for their body shop customers.

Today's paints, like the cars themselves, are also very complex with multiple colors and effects that

require specific training and knowledge to apply. Remember that the body shop is in most cases not

painting the entire car. Therefore the paint technician must be capable of blending the new paint into

the old in a manner that is not noticeable to the consumer.

Companies like Sherwin Williams and PPG are two of the leading paint manufacturers that offer

continuous education and certification to their body shop customers. PPG certifies its customers as

Masters when they have attained a certain level of proficiency. Likewise Sherwin Williams certifies its

customers as A-Plus. If the shop you choose has one of these certificates then you can be more

confident in your choice of repairers.

ASSOCIATIONS

Like most businesses, collision repairers who are affiliated with an association show a commitment to

maintaining a competitive edge by being aware of the latest news and information in their field. While

affiliation with an association is no guarantee, it is nonetheless a positive reflection on the business.

Collision repair associations that a collision repair facility may be affiliated with are the Massachusetts

Auto Body Association (MABA), the Central Mass Auto Rebuilders Association (CMARA), Association of

Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts and Rhode Island (AASP-MA/RI), and the National Auto

Body Council (NABC). In addition, membership in the local Better Business Bureau or any other local or

national business or consumer organization should reflect favorably on the collision repair shop.

APPEARANCE AND EQUIPMENT

The automotive industry has come a long way in improving its appearance and professionalism over the

last decade. Nowhere is this more evident than in the collision repair industry. The days of going to the

body shop and being greeted by someone with greasy hands in a dirty room with car parts on the floor is

thankfully becoming a thing of the past.

Today, when choosing a body shop you should pay close attention to the appearance of the reception

area, the professionalism of the employees and, if possible, the type of equipment that the facility has

and its capability to do the repairs on the premises. While appearance and equipment may be no

guarantee of a quality repair, it is fast becoming a high priority for those repairers who are serious about

their business and customer retention.

In fact, MABA is leading an effort to improve the image and responsibilities of collision repairers through

legislation described above. These changes, if enacted, would require collision repairers to have certain

minimum equipment before they could obtain their state license to provide collision repair services. It is

important to note that it was the repairers themselves who advocated for the additional requirements

to ensure that consumers were not having their cars repairers at locations that were ill fit to provide the

service.

INSURANCE REFERRAL SHOPS

One very controversial area of collision repair is the practice of insurers recommending that you have

your car repaired at one of their Referral Shops. First, as stated above, the act of an insurer referring or

requiring a consumer in the state of Massachusetts is already an illegal practice. However, when

insurers provide consumers a list of registered repairers where some have highlights and phone

numbers and others not, and they state that they will guarantee the work if you have your car repaired

at one of these shops, well, you can see how this could influence someone to bring their car to one of

these repair shops.

To be fair, there is no direct reason to believe that a referral shop will do any better or worse repair than

someone who is not affiliated with the insurer program. However, the agreement between insurer and

repairer may limit what the repairer can charge for labor or storage and may require the use of nonoriginal

parts. These limitations may or may not affect the repair, but we at MABA believe that

consumers are better off when they choose a facility on their own, without any influence from their

insurance carrier.

Additional Resources

The best referral source you can use is by asking your family or friends if they have ever used a particular

repairer and what their experience was. In addition, when choosing a collision repairer you may want to

contact your local Better Business Bureau to see if the shop you are considering has any complaints

against it. You can also visit the MABA web site at www.ITSMABA.com and obtain information on how to

choose a repairer and what you rights are regarding your right to choose. We also provide a listing of

our members by town.

In the meantime if you have any questions about the collision repair process, your rights or how to

choose a collision repair shop, feel free to contact MABA directly at 1-800-ITS-MABA or go to our web

site at www.ITSMABA.com