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Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

This is just too funny. They actually sat down with insurers and asked permission to raise prices due to energy increases. What backbone!

Hal, is it OK if we discuss how rates might be adjusted to provide some relief from these significant cost increases with you? Pretty please?

How sad is this? I suppose though, that the glass industry has no room to talk.

http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=302536

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

the sad thing is that we don't even have the organizational ablilities to make a pathetic attempt at rasing pricing like those body shops.

i wish them well, but i doubt they will get anywhere with it, unless the insurance companies need a public relations victory for later use.

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

How about, WE ARE RAISING PRICES due to energy increases!

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

after reflection.

the government makes the insurance companies "ask permision" to adjust their pricing.

maybe the insurance companies are confused and think they rule over us like the government? have we slowly been indoctrinated to think like communists, the wonderful, benevolent dictators (insurance companies) only purpose in life is to make sure our lives are wonderful, making us willing servants?

nobody rules their own destiny if they are shackled by TPA contracts.

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

I was watching this issue. My first impression was that this additional expense should be allowed--if gas costs remained high. I felt it is an additional expense, to be treated the same as shipping or crate charges. However, I thought the surcharges were disappearing, so I have taken no real action on the issue.

-What are you seeing?
-Are the surcharges continuing?
-Are they widespread or local?
-Who is charging?
-What are other insurers doing about it?
-Do you take gas surcharges into consideration when you order your glass?

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

Pilkington and PPG are charging $1.50 - $2.00 surcharge per delivery. (milwaukee, WI)

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

HAL,

THE SURCHARGES ARE NOT JUST FROM THE GLASS SUPPLIERS THEY ALSO COME FROM WASTE REMOVAL. THEY ARE ALSO REFLECTED IN THE COST OF HEATING BUILDINGS,AND OUR HOMES WHICH NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT OF PROFITABLITY. ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU.........HOW DOES SAFELITE SUGGEST PRICING FOR INSURES YET THEIR PRICING FOR CASH JOBS AND OTHER FLEETS OR CAR LOTS IS SO MUCH LESS. THE FOX IS WATCHING THE HEN HOUSE....AND TELLING YOU HE'S NOT WITH THE FEATHERS HANGING OUT OF HIS MOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

Joe you are so correct. We hear this a lot from various ins co. that "we(ins. co.) are regulated by the states, and you(AGR) are not so someone has to keep you guys under control. We HAVE to set prices to keep premiums down, blah blah blah." Exactly how many times have any of your premiums gone DOWN, and how long did it take for them to go back UP after that?

See because they are regulated, they think we have to be as well. Do they not understand what a free market is? Maybe after being regulated so long they no longer understand "free market". I guess many of us do have forgotten as well or we would stop working with TPA's, stop letting any ins. co. SET a price for our services, and start selling ourselves to the real customer.

And the funniest part is, even with the states regulating the ins. co., not one of them has the same prices for insurance. Insurance is insurance right? Just like a windshield is a windshield LOL ? Yet they still expect all of us to do a replacement for the same price as the cheap guy, and the same price as we did the same part for last time (even if the second part was glued in with 4 tubes of urethane, has rust from edge to edge, etc.).

You want to have some fun one day, show your customers various TPA prices, from 40off NAGS to 40 above NAGS for the exact same part. It doesn't take a smart customer to figure out how weird that is, that not one ins. co. has the same pricing. Tell them how even if you wanted to you can't charge them all one price without a million hassles. Then tell them that with most TPA's the only requirement to be on their "approved list" is proof of liability insurance and AGREEING to their price, not "what products do you use" or "are you NGA certified, etc." JUST PRICE. Tell them that most TPA's do not verify any products you use, or creditials you say you have(in fact they do not even ask), or even check to see if you really did use the parts you said you did(short trimming a moulding and charging for a new one, for example). The look on the face of a customer when he/she realizes that the main factor in their insurance company choosing an "approved shop" and recommending that shop to them is PRICE ALONE is "priceless".

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

Hal,

our surcharges have gone from 8% wich was hard enough to swallow to 19% on flat glass, as of jan first, so i don't think that will ever go away. autoglass has a delivery charge now as well between 3 and 5 bucks, and unfortunately we won't be seeing that leave anytime soon.

years ago i watched as suppliers tried to raise prices when a group of us changed suppliers, that was the end of their price increase.

i'm not quite sure why the price of things hasn't risen, instead they tack on an extra fee, i guess because they can? you would think that overhead and delivery and such would be included in the price of the product. i'm not sure why they have gone this route? DL?

Re: Collision Repairers Ask Insurers Permission to Raise Prices

Hal,
Can you consider a cost of living increase a surcharge? After all insurance companies raise their rates consistently. Look at the profits posted by the major insurance companies. Then look at the profits posted by someone like Diamond triumph. Glass installers are only looking to get a reasonable price for our services?
Hal, do you use a TPA and if so who? I often wonder if what we get paid by the TPA's is what they turn over to you? I know that we are told that but, I really wonder if these insurance companies audit the pricing between installers and TPA's

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