Is it free or fraud?

[RICHCHIPS]

Hey board just wanted to hear your guys thoughts on it. Is it fraud to say free windshield repair even though the insurance company is paying for it?

[t4k]

I guess it would more appropriate to say " No out of pocket expense to the car owner at the time of the repair". In a sense we have paid for the repair with the paying of the premium.

[Our Glass]

I say free.. my sign says free.. sometime i say no cost or no cost to you.. but i usualy stick with free.. or free to you.. bc the insurance alot of time tells the customer that it is free.. so if they use the world i feel like it is okay if I do.. and alot of times the customer will ask the insurance company on the phone if this is going to be free and the insurance comapny tells them yes.

[screenman]

Ours say FREE! inspection. We then sell on getting the customer to pay up front, normally most will as they know that any claim can effect the premiums paid in the next few years.

The no claims is not effected but the premiums can be, the insurers seldom make this common knowledge.

[Glasseye]

Windshield repair is not free. - Belron ( Safelite. Autoglass, etc.) are not charities. They charge the insurance companies, in some form or other for that service. Insurance companies are not charities, there in it to make a profit. They charge their insured for the cost of this service, plus some, in their premiums. So in actual fact, every motorist insured with that company, pays for glass repair service, even if they never have a repair done to their own vehicle. You very rarely get something for nothing.

[Chips]

I was talking to a guy last night who worked for one of the big windshield repair companies. He said that he regularly had people stopping who thought it was a scam because of the word free on the sign. Then when he would bring up insurance they would get pissed and drive off. I think a better tact would be to do something like (insurance claims accepted) Or (We take Visa Mastercard Cash or Insurance)

[rlb]

I don't use the word Free in our advertising anymore. Customers seem to know that Free means that their insurance carrier will pay. Just advertising the phrase Windshied Repair and Most Insurance Accepted brings the same amount of business as using the term Free. I think over the years the word Free has lost its novelty. Years ago, it was a eye catcher.

[t4k]

How about the phrase " Unbelievably Inexpensive"?!

[Dr.Chipster]

How about the phrase " Unbelievably Inexpensive"?!

This is funny!
When talking to customers I use the terms "with qualified insurance coverage, your insurance co. will waive your deduct and pay for the repair" or "No out of pocket cost to you with qualified insurance. Your insurance co. will waive the deduct and pay for the repair." or "Free to you-I will bill your insurance co." I always give the customer a cash quote too. Customers like options. If they have questions, I say lets call your claims service and they will explain how it works.

[Chips]

"Windshied Repair and Most Insurance Accepted"

I really like that, Sounds very professional. I think we need as a group to think about ways to make our profession seem more professional to the average consumer. I think many consumers look at windshield repair companies as fly by night outfits, here today gone tommorow. I think that things like using the word free to advertise our service (which is never free), is adding to that fly by night perception. I think that many people are leary of the word free today, which is why many are starting to see resistance to it.