The California Senate Insurance Committee has blocked SB 631, a restitution bill that would give explicit authority to the California Insurance Commissioner to order restitution as part of an enforcement action against an insurance company, as of May 9.

The insurance agent and broker community opposed Senate Bill 631, arguing it would have given the commissioner "unprecedented new powers to punish broker-agents and other licensees ‘in all instances’ where he finds any violation of the California Insurance Code,’" according to Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West. According to Sen. Noreen Evans, who sponsored the bill, existing law permits the commissioner to order restitution in some circumstances, Commissioner Dave Jones’ office believed that even when there are legal violations in which Californians are entitled to refunds or restitution, in many circumstances the commissioner had no specific authority to order refunds or restitution under current law.

The Northwest Louisiana Collision Repair Association held their monthly meeting in the Collision Repair Classroom at Louisiana Technical College in Shreveport, LA on May 3. The meeting was brought to order by President Chris Fielder by reading the anti-trust statement, which is required to begin every NWLCRA meeting. Also hosting the meeting was Secretary-Treasurer Bill Burnside.

The group discussed the recent SkillsUSA Competition and asked for all the local winners that were attending the meeting to stand, introduce themselves and tell a little about themselves. Joshua Taylor is a Senior at Northwood High School and is a Collision Repair student of Caddo Career & Technology Center. Joshua took First Place in the Collision Repair Technology category. He is currently working at Shouse Collision Repair & Frame Center. Jerry Shouse, owner of Shouse Collision Repair & Frame Center, said Joshua is currently working with estimating. Joshua Taylor is going to compete at the National Skills competition.

Hunter Lyman is a Senior at Captain Shreve High School, and is a Collision Repair student of Caddo Career & Technology Center. Hunter took First Place in the Auto Refinish Technology category. He has been working with Red River Chevrolet while at school and has been offered a full-time permanent position with Red River Chevrolet.

In April CCC Information Services Inc. announced the availability of its 2011 Crash Course, titled “Changing Expectations of the Connected Consumer.” In addition to an analysis of traditional market trends, the document developed by CCC Lead Analyst Susanna Gotsch focuses on new technology’s ability to provide transparency to the companies and customers doing business in the auto- physical damage industry. Gotsch has been selected as one of AkzoNobel's most influential women of 2011.

“People’s willingness to be much more transparent as potential customers, means they expect their demands/needs at a minimum will be met,” said Gotsch. “But companies that go beyond simply meeting demands to delight their customers will see their efforts rewarded. A company demonstrating that it knows a customer’s needs/desires, meets them, and exceeds them, is creating an experience that the customer will want to talk about with family and friends. And when a company fails to do any or all of these, the consumer will also talk about it.”

In addition to the Adobe® PDF version of 2011 Crash Course available on the CCC News and Insight page, Gotsch will presented a Crash Course webinar on April 21st.

For more about CCC Information Services Inc. visit www.cccis.com.

Drivers make do or the insurers ‘total’ it, eliminating repair work

Collision repair shops are taking a hit. Today’s automobiles are safer, fuel-efficient and generally more technologically advanced than vehicles built years ago. Those strides have resulted in an array of on-board gadgetry that is costly to replace after a crash. In many cases, insurance companies cut their losses and will designate a vehicle as “totaled.” “There does seem to be more of that than it used to be,” said Terry Larson, owner of Terry Larson Insurance in Huntington. He said when a repair bill is more than a car’s current market value, the insured usually is handed a check for the vehicle’s worth.

to read the rest of the article with photos go HERE

The national average for body and paint labor rates has risen only modestly year-over-year since 2006, according to figures from CCC Information Services. The average body labor rate rose from $41.42 in 2006 to $44.67 in 2010, up an average of 2.1 percent per year (paint labor rates rose similarly). The national average hourly rate for paint materials rose slightly faster, from $22.26 in 2006 to $25.37 in 2010, an average increase of 3.5 percent per year. Overall, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for autobody work rose an average of 3.44 percent per year for that 5-year period. By comparison, the CPI for all products rose an average of 2.2 percent per year. The CPI for auto insurance rose an average of 2.6 percent per year, and the CPI for vehicle parts and equipment (other than tires) rose an average of 3.92 percent per year.

Pick A Part, an automobile recycling company headquartered in Phoenix, has announced the expansion of its self-service division with the addition of a new location  at 83rd Avenue and Sherman in Tolleson, Ariz. Pick A Part is a Phoenix auto wrecker who allows customers to remove used auto parts using their own tools after browsing inventory for a 2 dollar entry fee, saying the self service concept ensures the absolute lowest prices (up to 70% off retail).

Pick a Part, which opened in 2006, also has locations Phoenix and Mesa, for a total of three yards. The company claims the largest inventory of used auto parts and auto body parts in Arizona with thousands of of vehicles on site.

Pick A Part says its newest facility will allow the company to meet the growing demand for self-serve auto parts. It also purchases virtually any scrap metal offered.

JSL Management, Phoenix, owns Pick A Part. The company also is the corporate holding company for eight companies in the auto recycling, towing and scrap metal industries.

Instructor Michael Pellett/Sherwin-Williams “Estimating Solutions for Profit (ESP) Workshop”

CAA San Diego says it is very fortunate to have Michael Pellett, Regional Training Center Manager at the Sherwin-Williams Dallas Automotive Training Center be our instructor for a One-Day Saturday Class. The best way to characterize this class would be this. Everyday shops utilize processes, procedures, and materials to return the car to pre-loss condition and restore the crash worthiness of vehicles they repair. The goal of this class is to help participants recognize those costs of doing business, effectively build them into the estimate, and aggressively negotiate payment for them. We want to maximize the opportunities on each vehicle we repair.

Michael Pellett has been involved with the collision repair business since 1973. He has been employed by Sherwin-Williams for 25 years, and operates a Region Training Center as well as a SW Body Shop Consultant.

Class is limited to first 40 Check in starts at 8:00am Class Starts at 8:30am

**Note Class qualifies for 12 AMI Credits and 1.75 I-CAR points (after applications and fee are mailed in)

download flyer and registration form HERE

Mitchell International and CAA join together to give you a unique insider's view into the world of collision information software and development. We invite you to join us and your colleagues at this engaging and enjoyable Open House at Mitchell's Technology Campus in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego. With personal tours of the famous Mitchell editorial and software development complex, you'll see how enormous amounts of information is turned into state-of-the-art tools for the collision professional. You'll also have plenty of time to meet our experts and talk shop while enjoying food and beverages in a fun setting.

Make your reservations now. Limited Seating.
Meeting Kick-Off 6:30 PM. Mitchell Facility Tour 6:40 - 8:40 PM
Additional Activities:
Mitchell Expo with Product Experts
Casual Dinner and Drinks Included
8:45pm Special Raffle iPad2 $5.00 / ticket

download registration form HERE

BMW North America filed another motion for judgment on the pleadings in a case involving a California paint jobber. The jobber, Nicolosi Distributing Inc. (NDI), alleges that BMW North America intentionally interfered with a contract NDI had with a BMW-certified shop.

BMW North America began making its BMW certified repair shops use only BMW certified paint during their repairs while the repair shop in question, German Motors Collision Center, was still under contract with NDI for their paint materials.

NDI contends that “BMW intentionally interfered with NDI’s contractual relationship with German Motors Collision Center... by the following conduct: BMW has decided to product its own paint line ... BMW requires auto body shops painting a BMW automobile to only use BMW paint. BMW forced German Motors Collision Center to enter into a written agreement ... which requires German Motors to use BMW paint on any BMW car painted at German Motors.”