NBC 30 Connecticut to Air Report on State’s Anti-Steering Law

“We will be doing an investigate report tonight focusing on the ‘anti-steering’ law in Connecticut,” says George Colli, an investigative reporter at NBC Connecticut WVIT-TV. The report will air at about 10 minutes into the 11 p.m. broadcast.

“We spoke to a customer who says he was steered away from an independent automotive glass shop,” says Colli. “We will focus on him and his issues. We talk with the glass shop and will cover the law. We are also looking for a reaction from Safelite.”

Full story: http://www.glassbytes.com/2014/07/nbc-30-connecticut-to-air-report-on-states-anti-steering-law/

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/investigations/Auto-Glass-Monopoly-266133701.html

My lord, there are some good ones in this thing. "Steering is hard to prove" ? Just call your insurance company and tell them your windows broke, it's NOT really too hard.

"We haven't heard many complaints " ?????? How do these people sleep at night ?

“We are aware of the complaint from Mr. Petrauskas and are investigating what took place. While Safelite Solutions dedicates significant resources in training its CSRs, sometimes human error may occur and that is what we believed happened here.”

u smell that ?

I sure hope they don't go to church.

This might be a good avenue for the complaint that has been posted and reposted on this website. Purely on emotional grounds might have a receptive audience with the media, who report based on emotion.

Mr. Petrauskas is an exception to the rule and I congratulate him for speaking out.

Usually the consumer complains to the TPA or their insurance company, neither of which has any incentive to notify the Dept of Insurance. That is why there are so few "consumer" complaints. Most consumers are afraid to take thier complaints any further for fear of claim denial, premium increases or even policy cancellation not to mention not wanting to waste time when nothing happens anyway.

Independent shop owners are consumers too and are supposed to be protected from anti-competitive activity such as this.

Why not send your local TV station and their consumer reporter a link to these stories from CT? Maybe some will take the CT story and apply it to their own town and the glass claims of small town USA.

Because it's only a law there in CT

Dear MR,

Most states already have (anti-steering) consumer choice laws on the books.

It can now be established that Safelite Autoglass, Inc & Safelite Solutions, LLC are only separate entities on paper. They are both members of the Safelite Group Inc. and have common board members. Their own attorneys have even stated in court documents that all the members of Safelite Group, inc work in concert.
Also, if they are separate entities, how can Safelite Solutions guarantee an insurance company a Guaranteed Average Invoice when they do not even do repairs or replacements?

One can only conclude that Safelite is a competitor to any non-Safelite glass repair facility. So, each time an insurance company forwards a "glass only" claim to Safelite without informing the policyholder that they have the right to choose any facility to work on their vehicle, the insurance company violates the consumer choice (anti-steering) laws of most states.

Just because Safelite states that they have been contracted by an insurance company to administer glass claims and that they are financially affiliated with Safelite Autoglass, does not fulfill the required notification to the policyholder that they have the right to choose. In fact, it further confuses the average consumer into thinking that they must use Safelite.

Only when a consumer chooses a non-Safelite facility that has not joined the Safelite network, is the policyholder told, "while you may choose any shop that you wish, the one you have chosen does not participate in your insurance company's program so you MAY incur out of pocket expenses and your insurance company will not warranty their work. Do you still want to use that shop?"

In the words of Safelites own attorneys such backhanded notifications, even if true commercial speech, are aggressive and caddish in nature especially when it comes from a competitor to the chosen shop.

Attorneys General and Directors of Insurance all over the country need to enforce existing laws.

I really like Jimmy Cracked corn's idea. We need to get NBC to air this on a nationwide basis.

Davey,

The problem is that most consumers do not care. They will watch these consumer report stories with interest and then that will be the end of it. Most consumers want to get their windshields repaired or replaced on a basis of convenience. Most have no clue about the safety factors. And they do not want to create waves by filing complaints. There is no doubt that steering does exist and it is widely known by state and federal representatives, including the folks at the DOJ. The only way that the landscape in your industry will be changed is if you can get the consumers involved on a widespread scale. If the consumers don't care, no one else will. This will continue to be a fight between glass shops and the insurance companies and the insurance companies have the policy makers convinced that the current scenario is working in the best interests of the policy holders. BTW, I do remember when Mr. Feeney told that audience at an IGA Conference that the two companies do not share information. I doubt that anyone believed him then.

Mike,
It is all about bad press. We can continue to "educate" consumers one at a time or we can educate thousands at a time and at the same time give the insurance companies that use Safelite the bad press that they deserve.

Exposure on a nationwide basis may also be what it takes to get the said state Attorneys General and Directors of Insurance to address the violations. Maybe even the FTC will take them to task.

Consumers do care. Nobody wants to be fleeced.

Here is the NBC reporters email address George.Colli@nbcuni.com

If everyone would send him an email this could really take off. Right now he is getting emails from consumers and shops in CT but if he received emails from all over the country maybe the story would make it to the NBC evening news or even one of the Dateline programs.

At least thank him for exposing the corruption. So far he has hit only the tip of the iceburg.

Yes! Send him your stories whatever they may be it's important to establish a pattern. One can be chalked up to "human error" many cannot. Send him whatever you think is relevant and it doesn't have to be just SGC. Teleglass, Glass America any TPA that owns a glass installation centers needs to;

a. Tell the consumer "they have the right to choose the glass shop of their choice. if you have a shop please tell us now."

b. If the consumer does not have a preference and the TPA is going to provide the name of an affiliate then they have to provide the name of at lest one other shop in the area the glass is being installed.

That's the CT law!

The more of you from around the country and in CT that can contact him the more we get awareness

Thanks
Daveycrewcut

Make sure you include in the letter to the reporter that safelite is not the only network doing the steering. they all do it, there is no good network.

JBL,

Is it worth trying to determine the extent of improperly replaced windshields? As an industry, you should make that determination. It is about more than pulling cowls and using a superior glue. Steering has been going on for a long time and you won't see it end any time soon. Having a debate about the safety interests of the motoring public will have more traction than the ongoing complaints of steering. It is worth taking a look at.

Human error? This is the Safelite mentality. Lie, lie, lie some more then pass the buck to the CSR when I'm sure she was required and probably paid a bonus for. This is how the whole organization works and the employees are becoming keen. Curious if the CSR is still there. Wonder how severe her write up was...

Wake up people. If there was a real fair market Safelite may have half a dozen shops and no one would remember their name. Make it a reality.

Sound far fetched? Stop with the fud? Well that goes against my 1st amendment right.