What inflation?
“Do you think we’re going to just give you a blank check to pay for whatever it takes to repair the vehicle?!?” —Insurer senior claims manager’s retort to our shop seeking his assurance, on behalf of the vehicle owner, that the insurer would pay in full for an itemized cost-accounting of all repair materials.

“Though the insurer I work for doesn’t choose to understand that the price of everything has increased significantly, I do understand. But my insurer has no plans to meet the prevailing rate.” —A comment from an insurance robot, to whom we were pointing out that the insurer he works for refused to reimburse their policy holders at the so-called “prevailing rates” in our area, even though their insureds had to make up the difference out of their own pockets. Only one other insurer in our area reimbursed their policy holders at below the prevailing rate.

Blogs: Speaking One’s Mind
“Until shop owners become activists in their own industry, they will suffer miserably at the hands of insurers and data providers…and they will deserve their misery!” (Blog comment)

“Every month I pay a database provider to help [the insurer] steal money from me. I then buy materials from a company looking for a way to make their product “usual and customary” in order to take more money from me. Oh, but wait. I then pay a hideous amount for insurance to the very entity that has destroyed my dire hopes of turning a profit. I must be some kind of freakin’  idiot! (Blog comment)

Twilight zone    
Both Allstate and State Farm want to keep their personal status exempt from the antitrust laws, yet both rejected my offer to come here today and explain to the Committee why they deserve it…The bottom line is, right now we do not know what anti-competitive acts insurers may be engaging in because the antitrust immunity insurers enjoy acts as a curtain that hides their activity from federal antitrust authorities. —Statement by Senator Patrick Leahy regarding repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

(Insurer) guarantees that it will replace the Quality Replacement Parts identified on this estimate if a defect is discovered. (Insurer) further guarantees that the parts will be C.A.P.A when applicable. This guarantee will be in effect for as long as you own the vehicle described in this estimate, and is not transferable to another party at any time. This guarantee covers the cost of the part, labor to install, paint and materials if required, and cost of a temporary replacement vehicle during the repairs. This guarantee does not cover consequential damages. —Estimate “disclaimer” notes at the back of an insurer estimate.

This estimate has been prepared based on the use of a motor vehicle crash part not made by the original equipment manufacturer. The use of a motor vehicle crash part not made by the original equipment manufacturer may invalidate any remaining warranties of the original equipment manufacturer on that motor vehicle. The person who prepared this estimate will provide a copy of the part warranty for the crash parts not made by the original equipment manufacturer. —From an insurance company estimate disclaimer page: we’re still at a loss why anyone reading this statement with comprehension would even consider having anything but OEM parts installed on a vehicle.

Dick Strom, Modern Collision Rebuild, 9270 Miller Road, NE, Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110; (206) 842-3621; e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it