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Lets sell insurance to our customers

If the insurance companies are getting rich, lets sell insurance to our customers!!!!!!!!
Really it would be a service contract not insurance, but here is the just of it.

10% of purchase price for six month 6000 mile warranty against breakage no exceptions. Option by glass shop of chip reapir when possible.
20% one year 12000 mile
25 percent two year 24000 mile.

Mileage to protect against commercial accounts. maybe different on semi trucks etc.

just examples but then they wouldn't have to worry about is it going to get broke again tomorrow????

MOST will not get broke again within two years not to mention how many will trade off vehicle.
warranty expires with change in ownership.

Just a basic example. It can work.

How to handle if someone intentionally damaged their own repeatly? Ideas?????
Option by shop to not offer warranty option for customer at shops discretion or a dedutible option as well as customer must buy insurance again for replacment windshield each time.

Must come back for inspection every ninety days so chip repairs could be completed when needed.

Inspect wipers and sell new ones when needed to protect against scratching. Loss of warranty if not back every 70 to 90 days.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

not a totally bad idea, i have heard of this being done, somewhere around the late 60's or early 70's.

i'm not sure how it actually turned out, but i have been toying with the idea also.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

I forgot to mention, that I am working with an attorney on drawing up the contract that customers would get. IF anyone else is interested maybe we could pool the expense instead of every one paying for their own. Would need to make sure of any differences that would be state specific, but I am sure that could be handled.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

SB-
Interesting idea. Here are some additional thoughts--

Would your plan work with dealerships? On leased cars? What about newly purchased used cars?

For historic reasons, it might prove difficult to wean the public from the glass claim coverage of the insurance policies, but......

Your program could be attractive in States such as MN due to rate reductions becoming available as glass coverage is removed from the insurance contracts--perhaps via a high [$1,000.00] policyholder deductible?

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

the instance i spoke of was for w/s, that the shop had installed. i can't imagine offering it to the general public.

maybe that is part of the downfall, not thinking big enough

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

I hate to say it, but it's not an original idea. Check this out from a 2004 GlassBYTEs link



Advance expands insurance kiosk partnership

Advance Auto Parts is trying Nationwide kiosks in other Virginia locations after a test at some Roanoke Valley stores.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

In my area it's called"extended warranty".Did this with stone chips after a w/s was installed.Sold 1yr,3yr,5yr and lifetime.Worked out pretty good,until,the competition decided that this should be free with every installation.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

VT
You say they started giving it away for free. Are you saying they were as cheap or cheaper than most others not offering the service or was it more expensive for the replacment through them?

IF they were not incorporating the liability into the replacment cost I see only a few options.

1. They go broke prividing a service they did not charge for.
2. They refuse to provide the service if and when a customer returns, so they get sued and/or get a bad repuatation, etc.
3. That market had enough of a blanket that they could absorb the cost without issue, which in turn could be seen as customers were being overcharged before the service was added.

Am I missing something on that?

Just trying to think out as many of the problems that might come up as I can. Thank you everyone for your input.

Some of you were looking for additional sources of income. I really feel this could be an excellent one. Also think of the word of mouth when you do have to warranty one for a customer and they mention the free windshield that ABC shop did for them.
Most of our business advertising is by word of mouth. I get excited thinking about how much I believe that would improve when they got a free windshield.

Something else someone mentioned to me on the phone was warranty the windshield and adhesives but charge your normal labor charge. That might be another way to keep a customer honest and not just breaking the glass to break it.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

Also
Thanks Hal for your input. Be careful offering input. There always has to be us good guys and you bad guys. Quit trying to blur that line for yourself. HA HA

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

SB.Not every shop goes beyond 1yr,but a good number of them do.Unfortunatly when a shop sees another making money;well by god,it's time to put a stop to that.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

VT
Just curious what is the population of the market you service?
I like to compare with other markets and see the differences.
Without a doubt I understand the frusteration of people like that. I always joke (and cry) that every time one closes two more open.
I used to try to figure out what to do about them and complain about them.
Now I still see them as a thorn in my side, but I let them help me get the prices I deserve. By that I mean I price every job Glass only(cheap), you carry it out the door and it is yours then I price it "Installed Complete". There is quite a bit of difference in those two prices.
When they want I price them a installation kit(two tubes of urethane, glass primer, pinchweld primer, primer applicators, wet scrubs for the frit, glass cleaner, cold cut out knives, razor blades, urethane cleaner, Lint free towels, nitrile gloves etc.)

I tell them if they are looking for cheap I will sell them the glass as cheap as anyone and that they can find someone that will probably do it for $25.00 or $30.00 even though I wouldn't let them do mine.
I also offer them a sheet I have made up that covers the basics of "installing your own glass" if they want to install it themselves.

this weeds through the cash customers. If price is all they care about here is the glass and here is a phone book that has people that will install for nothing. I can get you another glass if you need it when they are done.

If they care any at all I have them sold.

Now we do most all the reputible body shops service departments, mechanic shops, etc. Let them break one or two or scratch the paint or cut a dash and they don't even want to do the rope ins that they used to do without a second thought.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

SB. If we take a 10 mile circumferance we are looking at abt 100,00 people with 21 shops to service them.It has been a cut throat state since the early 80's.I try to explain the differance between the two prices,but it usually goes in one ear and out the next.If they could have used glass they would much rather have that instead.So we also have;free lunch,free pizza/doughnuts for all employees at dealers,fleets,free loaner cars,free state inspections,free mobile,free gas and to a point free labor.I really can not see how some of these shops do it,and still put in a safe w/s.

Re: Lets sell insurance to our customers

We did in NY State. Check out the web site...www.autoglassinsurance.com. Last I knew the company needed money.

Also done successfully in Canada. www.ambi.ab.ca

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