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Getting Off of the Safelite Network

I'm a Sole Proprietor of Pro-Tec Auto Glass working in Florida in the Brevard County area. I started working in the auto glass industry in Colorado when I was 20 years old. I lived overseas for 12 years before coming back to the U.S and starting my own auto glass company in 2008. I'm considering removing my company from the Safelite Network and I'd like to hear from other companies that have done that and their experience with getting jobs and getting paid from the individual insurance companies, if that's how it works. When I started out I was giving Safelite 20-37% off the NAGS, now as most of you know they're seeking over 50%. The majority of the time the job is a referral to my company and rotation jobs from Safelite is nonexistent, but I'm still required to give them the discount.... for what? I would appreciate any information anyone can provide me.

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Drew,
it is a gamble because you will be considered a non-approved shop for any Insurance company that is managed by S L . (if you opt out)

Although there is nothing wrong with that you will need to be ok with explaining it to your customer without sounding like you are taking offense to the statement.

Get your work approved in advance and know where the billing needs to go.

Be prepared, it may take a longer time to get paid.

Doing what you are doing now (asking) is a great way to make a good business decision.

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

37 years and counting and I have NEVER been part of the SL network. Our customers come to us and couldn’t care less that we aren’t a “preferred” company. We assure them that they won’t pay anything unless they have a deductible and we have built a reputation for quality work. Discount NAGS??? No way. We’re doing auto glass as a business, not a hobby.

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Pro-Tec Auto Glass
I\'m a Sole Proprietor of Pro-Tec Auto Glass working in Florida in the Brevard County area. I started working in the auto glass industry in Colorado when I was 20 years old. I lived overseas for 12 years before coming back to the U.S and starting my own auto glass company in 2008. I\'m considering removing my company from the Safelite Network and I\'d like to hear from other companies that have done that and their experience with getting jobs and getting paid from the individual insurance companies, if that\'s how it works. When I started out I was giving Safelite 20-37% off the NAGS, now as most of you know they\'re seeking over 50%. The majority of the time the job is a referral to my company and rotation jobs from Safelite is nonexistent, but I\'m still required to give them the discount.... for what? I would appreciate any information anyone can provide me.
For some reason my post from last night was deleted? Not sure why. Since Pro-Tec is based in FL, I suggested he fight the insurance industry's lobby against the use of assignments, lobby against allowing insurers using biased service providers to administer their claims and lobby against insurer attempts to establish/control pricing by colluding with a biased service provider.

I also suggested that he point out to his customers that under state law, only policyholders determine the preferred provider by choice and that if they choose his company, the insurer, according to the insurance policy, is responsible for paying all reasonable invoices submitted in full whether they are at retail rates or discounted. There is no law that says a service provider must offer a discount for a repair that is covered by an insurance policy.

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

And, in any other industry besides one involving insurance, an insurance contracting directly with a vendor for specific pricing auditing, by the use of "member" providers, under a clause that is NOT in the insurance policy, would be blatant bid rigging.

Imagine if an architectural firm contracted with a TPA for auditing of vendor's invoices, arranging for specific pricing with vendors prior to any bids being let, then using those contracts to audit other contractor's prices once bids were let?

Yet here we are....allowing someone not in the contract of repair to dictate. And no grown ups can supply even one contract of repair between an insurer and repairer to prove me wrong, just berating comments.

LOL, and JMHNLO

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

it is worse in health care. I have been in both industries.
but if we only see it through Auto glass eyes
we cant make the connections.

check out that happens in the Orange Juice industry.

we are not unique or even the worst of it all

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Bob
it is worse in health care. I have been in both industries.
but if we only see it through Auto glass eyes
we cant make the connections.

check out that happens in the Orange Juice industry.

we are not unique or even the worst of it all
Bob, you are way off base! Auto policies are way different from health insurance policies. Health insurance policies define "preferred providers" an provide for penalties for out of network claims. They are contained within the four corners of the health insurance policy. Auto insurance policies don't do that.

If state law says that consumers have the right to go to the service provider of choice, the insurance policy cannot legally diminish that right.

Courts in Florida (and most other states) have been ruling in favor of service providers that charge reasonable rates but do not participate in networks.

Again, insurers have no right to demand discounts from reasonable retail rates.

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Freddy, when we started this business, the TPAs seemed like the right way to go. Now we see they are a rip off. How do we start working and billing insurance companies directly instead of using TPAs? Thanks for the advice.

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Newbie
Freddy, when we started this business, the TPAs seemed like the right way to go. Now we see they are a rip off. How do we start working and billing insurance companies directly instead of using TPAs? Thanks for the advice.
Well, Freddy, I would assume you're going to have to re-post your reply, and only make references to pricing in terms of "fair and reasonable", "your geographic area", "may be in a range of fair and reasonable", or other verbiage that is commonly used by either courts, arbitrations, appraisals, networks, or insurers commonly use, as to not offend the moderators.

Isn't it interesting how that blade of pricing is only single edged, rather than double edged, that parties not in the contract of repair can discuss it openly, yet, those vendors such as gas stations, grocery stores, virtually any other retailer can publicly post their pricing, unless it's involving an insurance industry related forum?

LOL and JMHNLO

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Unbelievable

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

While we still bill through them we are not members since that gets you nothing but deeper discounts. I admit those that can successfully bill all insurance companies direct are doing what we should all be doing. We still do some but not all and may look into that further.

Not being a member of the glass mafia network does expose you to hard steering and YOUR customer's questioning their decision at times to use your shop as they listen to the propaganda they spew forth. You MUST educate them prior to the phone call. Also buy a phone recorder so you know exactly what they are saying to the customer. And be sure to initiate the call and tell the mafia that you are recording the call, it changes the script they use in many cases.

Prior to making the call I have the customer read the following which we have displayed on our counter. If they are going to make the call themselves I try to get them a handout copy, which includes call-in instructions, so they know what to expect. Most people don't take kindly to being manipulated so the mafia will be the ones looking the bad guy not you if you do your due diligence in educating them.

Hope this helps. We all need to work together to keep fighting the enemy...

(handout heading)

YOUR INS COMPANY REQUIRES
YOU AS THE POLICYHOLDER CALL IN TO REPORT THE CLAIM.

Please call (800) __________ and tell them you have an appointment
scheduled with xxxxx Auto Glass. You need your policy # and date of loss.

(counter display)

Quick FACTS when reporting your Glass Claim to a 1-800 #

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE SHOP OF YOUR CHOICE!

*** You are NOT talking to your Insurance Company. ***

Usually you are talking to someone that works for Safelite Solutions
which is a division of foreign-owned Safelite Auto Glass.

During the phone call they may say things to try to manipulate you
into changing your mind about the shop you have chosen
and STEER you to one of their own shops.

xxxxxxx is a locally owned shop that is obviously
NOT part of their network of foreign-owned company shops.
They are our competitor and we do not approve of their business practices.

Manipulative comments they frequently make:
(REMEMBER THEY ARE NOT YOUR INS CO AND THESE COMMENTS ARE MEANT TO SWAY YOU)

…you may have an extra out-of-pocket expense if you use this shop.
(Absolutely not true!)
…the Glass Shop you have selected is not on our list of “approved shops”.
(They are not on ours either.)
…if you use a non-approved shop they won’t be able to warranty the work.
(Imagine that! Neither are we able to warranty their work.)

WE GUARANTEE OUR WORK FOR AS LONG AS YOU OWN YOUR VEHICLE
Since we are doing the work our warranty is the only one that matters.

xxxxx Auto Glass has been serving this community since 1983.

THANK YOU for keeping your business local & in the USA!

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Brilliant

Re: Getting Off of the Safelite Network

Drew Wallace. How do you want more money. When you have some horrible reviews on Google. Geeez SMH i just looked up your company.

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