[Daveycrewcut]

For the insurance companies and their third party networks:

Please view the windshield repair industry as a separate and distinct industry from the windshield replacement industry. All too often the "repair" industry is overlooked and considered just as an afterthought. It is lumped in with the replacement industry. Most, but not all, of the third party networks have an interest in selling more glass due to their affiliated glass manufacturing/distribution operations. Fifteen years ago, most insurance companies offered $60 for the initial repair and $10-$20 for additional repairs in an effort to increase the repair ratio versus the replacement ratio. Since then, costs/expenses have been increasing but offers have been decreasing!

Many insurance companies, not all, treat a claim as a claim as a claim! (All claims are bad and should be denied, delayed etc.) Sometimes it takes upto 60 days and longer to get paid for a simple windshield repair claim, so what is wrong with giving a cash paying customer a discount?

Since windshield repair, (not replacement) is a preventive service that extends the life of a windshield and maintains a good seal and avoids cutting out the old glass (which is not biodegradable) and avoids taking a chance on having air leaks, water leaks or both, not to mention a possible bad installation which could result in more severe injuries to policyholders in the event of a wreck; Why not treat "repair" claims as positive events (a good claim).

Most insurance companies, do waive deductibles, (not all) which is good but still release these preventive "positive" incidents to show up on a policyholders CLUE report! Why not exclude these incidents from CLUE reports?

If you are trying to increase repair ratios, why not compensate a repair only technician, who has no incentive to sell new glass, for a mobile run in the event that the damage is unrepairable? You can bet if the damage is repairable , it will be repaired! You can also bet if he/she says it is unrepairable that it needs to be replaced! You pay adjusters so why not factor in a "fuel" surcharge on every job? Even if it is not mobile, shops need fuel to heat and cool.

Last, but not least, No Insurance company or TPA should ever suggest to their policyholder that the repair technician they have selected is in any way less qualified to do their repair than a so called "preferred provider" just because the "preferred provider" signed the offer agreement.


For windshield repair technicians:

Remember that insurance companies are voluntarily waiving deductibles for all the above good reasons, so they should be able to say how much they are willing to pay for repairs when the deductible is waived. You do not have to sign their "offer" agreements.