Insurance Company Steering Is Illegal In Massachusetts
Here’s a bit of a legal refresher when it comes to your rights as a customer working with an insurance company:
“(c) Contact with Claimant and Selection of Repair Shop. No staff or independent, appraiser, insurer, representative of insurer, or employer of an independent appraiser shall refer the claimant to or away from any specific repair shop or require that repairs be made by a specific repair shop or individual.” – Commonwealth of MA Regulation 212 2.0.4
Simply put, the choice is entirely yours. And even more importantly, the insurance company has no legal right to insist that you should go to one body shop over another. It is against MA regulations for anyone representing an insurance company to steer you to one of their insurance shops or away from the shop of your choice.
They also cannot tell you that they won’t pay for the repairs completed in a body shop of your choosing. Some of the things you’ll hear from insurance representatives after a car accident will be intentionally misleading. Their motivation for doing this is to increase their profit margins, often at the expense of the quality and safety of your repair. They also may not pay for some necessary procedures that are critical for your vehicle. This is not in your best interest and we are your advocate in this process.
Even though these actions are illegal, we see it all the time in our line of work. However, as a collision repair shop with a reputation to uphold, we will never cut corners to complete the repair for you.
At Hogan & Van Auto Body, we’re dedicated to educating our customers about their rights after a car accident. We’ve been in the accident repair business for more than 80 years, so we have the experience that consumers need to help navigate them through conflicting and confusing information provided by insurers. We work for you, not your insurance company. And above all, we are here to be your advocate for a safe, worry-free repair and a hassle-free claim process.
We care about you, our customers, and your safety. We’ve developed long-standing, repeat relationships with the people in our community over the last eight decades. We want to help you get the information you need to protect yourself from unsafe, low quality repairs. One of the ways we do this is by providing you with these consumer resources so that you’ll understand your rights and avoid the steering that’s all too common in the industry today.
Remember: Your Car, Your Choice.
Here’s a brief summary of your rights when you’re in search for the right local body shop for you, and when dealing with your insurers:
- You have the right to have your vehicle towed to any location that you choose.
- You must notify your insurance company before repairs begin.
- You do not have to go to a drive-in claims center. Your insurer must inspect the vehicle at any location you choose.
- You do not have to get multiple appraisals.
- Your insurer must negotiate in good faith with the shop of your choice.
- You have the right to choose Hogan & Van Auto Body!
Our reputation speaks for itself. After so many decades of quality repairs and exceeding our customers’ expectations, we can safely say that you are our top priority. We do not answer to any insurance company or their bottom line. Our loyalty lies with you.
Have Your Vehicle Repaired With Hogan & Van Auto Body!
We care about your safety first!
