Just called in a Safeco ins, claim and from the beginning to the end

Safelite and Safelite solutions was mentioned 6times before we even got started

with the claim.

How can we bypass this and bill direct?

This is plain stupid we are putting our customers in front of this BS.

They should never be allowed to mention their name 6 times to our customers.

Do you know of any other business in the world where you would be subjected to

listen to a competitors name being driven into your F-----g Skull

prior to doing business with the company you choose to do business with?

This is going to stop and Texas auto glass I want to speak with your ATTY.

Call without your customer on the line and when the Safelite csr is finished with all the disclaimer bs, then go to speakerphone or put your customer on an extension. They will still mention Safelite solution but not six times. Make sure you or one of your employees stays on the line at the same time in case the steering starts and then butt in if it does and tell them your shop has been selected and all you need is the referral number.

The scripting is really hilarious especially when you have a little time to educate with "FREE SPEECH" to YOUR customer. Let them know straight out what to expect.

As far as "how can we bypass this and direct bill". Direct billing is so simple once you know some simple steps. First I have to ask you, glass shop, were you in business before networks took over? What did you do before their dominance?

For me, direct billing is far easier than going through some bogus network.

Let's make it simple.

Customer comes to your shop needing service. 1. what form of payment would they like to use. Barter, cash, check, credit card, or maybe an insurance policy????? All forms are simple just require a different type of administrative effort on your part. Barter and cash require a little negotiation, but very little administrative expenses. What are you willing to trade, or pay. Follow me so far?

Credit, accounts receivable, like fleets, and Ins policy requires you to have more administrative expenses, and what you charge could be effected by that form of payment. Are you still with me?

So lets get to this thread. How do you direct bill? SIMPLE if your customer is coming to you and wants to use their policy as payment, have them bring it in. Not too much to ask since they want you to trust them and their Ins Co. to get paid. Learn how to read it. get all necessary info. Policy #, date of loss, agent, if you can verify coverage and deducible, either with agent of the Ins co itself. Once verified you can proceed to service your customer. With a proper assignment on your invoice it not only covers the customer but your shop. The customer is only obligated by policy language to pay their deductible if they have one. If they do not have coverage they are liable to pay your invoice, simple. Protects everyone.

Once you verify coverage and deductible then do the work and send the invoice to the Ins Co. listed on policy. ALSO Send a short, to the point letter of "intent to collect" of what you are wiling to do to be paid in full. DONE DEAL you are now direct billing.

The last Safeco job I did, I followed this simple example. They short payed, I filed arbitration, they lost big time. paid me not just the short, but all fees and admin fees, late fees, and arb fees. My settlement almost equaled the whole job they shorted me on, plus they paid for an attorney to represent them and they LOST! the short pay cost them 10-20 TIMES what they shorted my shop. I wonder what they paid that lawyer to lose. WOWOWOWOOWOWOW!

Just for the heck of it I google searched a few states for arbitration. another WOW put in your state no fault arbitration and follow through and make some calls. Example: Neb no fault arbitration, or wisc no fault arbitration. You might be surprised how many state chapters have a means to resolve ins Co. issues.

Sorry but what is really stupid is the fact there are not ALLOT more shops following through to by pass the networks. IT IS NOT THAT HARD I DO IT EVERYDAY and have been for ah ....... the last 20-30 years..... WOW how can that be? am I the only 1????

Actually Davey I do not need their stinkin ref # If I do not agree to the network pricing that has been "fixed". Or "broken" depending on how you want to look at it. The ref# and the work order from a network is worthless and a waste of paper. BUT it does create a track record so we attach at times to the claim, just to DOCUMENT the illegsal practices being committed by ins co's and their TPA's.

If direct billing a network ref # is ALMOST worthless, although it might help the ins co to reference the claim, but wait a minute.... most ins co's claim #'s are not the network # so again the network referral# has little to no value.

Too many shops give that ref# more value that what it really is worth.... NOTHING!

I have never had an arbitrator or judge give a rats azzz about some stupid ref # EVER! IRRELEVANT! JMHNLO

This is awesome info, I recently went in to business and i really care less of being a network shop. So far i have had some success with most companies. I have yet to fight a geico or progressive. How do you go about sending them a bill direct if there really is no fax or email online? any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Kind of on a side note here concerning referral numbers... Safelite goes to 999 999 and then repeats the numbers so it's kinda like they are trying not to make it look like they process a lot where as Lynx keeps on going but it seems each claims resisters as x10 their numbers go so high. They seem to want to look like they are doing more.

Just an observation been doing this since 91