Again this is too funny to not be true. We bill insurance companies and wait weeks, months, or longer only to find out that the insurance company paid Safelite immediately, but for some strange reason Safelite never passed the payment on to us. Now they’re offering this fantastic service. Wanna bet whether or not they’ll low ball the customer hoping they’ll settle fast to get the cash?

Ingo Money keeps 2% to 5% (minimum of $5) of each payment!

You think the customer will be low-balled? How do you come up with such an absurd notion?

Let's start with "one question at a time" to try to stay on topic of this and think it through.

1. What is the reason that suddenly, now, SS needs a way to pay a "VEHICLE OWNER" directly?

I can offer only one answer. I'd like to hear others.

JMHNLO

Maybe for all the damage they’ve done to the customers car? Come on a Mark, you’re much smarter than me. What’s going on here?

LOL, Freddy, probably not, you're pretty sharp.

We've asked the question for years (decades now), why networks and insurers don't simply take a claim from a customer, and say "your check is on it's way!", at the "allowable rate" of course. Then let the vehicle owner go find a WS. I mean, simply, hey, if they are SO sure of the rates they pay, why not? Consider the absolutely seamless simplicity of that system.

Now, play that scenario out, and follow it through, some 8+ million times per year, a number that's diminishing, not growing, as deductibles rise. OR....at least it HAS been diminishing, until some more expensive parts started showing up, perhaps?

So, finally, ask my above question to yourselves again, and play it through.

I see one answer. I'd like to see what others think. (I didn't think of or consider your answer, Freddy, I suppose that's possible...)

JMHNLO

work around assignment of proceeds.

An interesting possibility, Dizzy.

JMHNLO

I assume the money they receive will be "honored at every location"!
Oops, forgot to tell you about the recalibration, disposal and our other fees.

They do what they do well!

Other press releases have turned up. Apparently it's for other-than-autoglass claims. Seems they process up to a couple of mil of them, for those that didn't know that SS, like Lynx, is moving to expand their footprint outside of auto glass claims.

In the press releases, it's pretty much stated that they want to go to a seamless system that they just send the customer a check after phone (or app/smartphone) contact with the customer, on behalf of the insurer of course.

JMHNLO

And SS will do their best to pay a fraction of what they should. Insureds will think they have no choice but to accept what they’re offered. How do I know? It works with glass shops. “That’s all you’re going to pay me? Ok, I guess I have no choice.”