What do you think of flat rate insurance referals?

[Dave M]

GlassDoc,
Regarding 3 vehicles on the same policy and only charging $65 for all 3!?
Nonsense! If that has happened to you, than you got screwed. Each vehicle is a seperate entity and would be billed as a seperate claim. The $65 flat rate would apply to each vehicle. How do I know this? I've done this a few times and was paid accordingly!

[splitpit]

How do you direct bill a customer that you never got in the first place? If you didn't get the referal because you refuse to do the work, you get a big fat zero! We are talking about direct referals from the insurance co., not called in jobs from the customer.

And the compromise I speak of is me being willing to make a little less in order to gain another customer, or the compromise the customer makes when they bring it closer to me just so they can have me do the work for them.

I would not drive 100 miles for a $50.00 job alone. I would work it in with my other jobs in the same general areas. It's not that complicated. I have turned down jobs before because it wasn't a reasonable situation but that is rare. In general, the customer and I are able to work out a sensible plan.

You act like you are beating the system by refusing to work with the insurance networks and refusing to accept direct referals from them when you are actually missing income you would have received. And if you are a REAL BUSINESS MAN you would be sensible enough to know that waiting for payment for 30 days is just part of the flow of your business. That's not even a valid excuse.

And they don't assign multiple cars to a single referal. Never have, never will.
And State Farm is not setting the precedent that others are following. State Farms decision is backfiring and I look for them to reinstate waiving the deductible for repair soon. No one else has followed suit and they made their change effective December 31st of 2005, almost 2 years ago. Their replacement claims have gone way up and they've even lost customers over it.

[splitpit]

Hey Brent, I know you don't like to see arguments in threads, but this guy really rubs me the wrong way with his better than thou attitude. So I apologize for my part in dealing with his useless banter and I'm done with this thread.

[Glassdoc]

You are the only one here that placed me on the pedestal. Almost every post you have made has placed me in the "better than you" category. And I can only read between the lines to ascertain that you are indeed jealous that I have what it takes to charge what I do.. Well, before you get your panties in a bunch Mr Internet Tough Guy, re-read your posts.. I have. If you are rubbed the wrong way, then apparently something I said hit home.. With that being said. I only hope you are correct when you stated no other insurance companies will follow State Farm's lead.. (of course, knowing you only stated it and cannot back it with any real proof being the truth). But then as with every other post you have made, I'm sure you will change your story yet again to clarify your stance on what you think you want us to believe.. Oh and please, do some research.. State Farm has not paid for a claim in PA for over a year, it went into effect Jan. 2006 shortly after they sent the letter out in Dec.05..
Yes, I did my research, re-read your posts, and at one point almost felt sorry for you.. According to the US census study Kansas has 39.7 people per square mile, while Pennsylvania has 273.9 per square mile.. So yeah, I could see your fear of raising your prices. You do not have the customer base that would let you feel comfortable doing something so rash.. But ,then again.. Looked up your competition factor and it is almost as void as the population in your area.. That tells me, you could charge double and people would pay it because they have no place else to go..
And in closing.. Nothing has changed, I will still charge what I feel is fair. And you will still settle for what ever you can get.. Do I need to wait on some network to call me to give me an insurance job? ..LOL I guess you don't do much advertising on your own do you? I advertise that my work is accepted by most insurance companies. And guess what? When the phone rings, its a $65 sale not a $50 wait for 30 days to get your money deal. They ask if I do xxxx insurance work, tell them I do,schedule them, do the job and then.. I bill the customer, and they file their own claim.. Have never had one customer tell me their insurance company won't pay the bill, and have a long history of referrals, and repeats from a very solid customer base. Call it what you want, but its Insurance work..
Without the hassles..
And lastly. Brent hasn't locked the topic, warned anyone here or threatened to do either.. Why? because, even he knows as long as shops are begging to do the $50 insurance work the industry will not see any significant monetary increases from any insurance carrier. Why would they actually pay us what we are worth? There's to many shops that don't have a clue and think its a great thing.. You do not see body shops accepting the quotes from insurance companies as the "gospel".. Wonder why?

[splitpit]

I never placed you on a pedestal. In my eyes, you perhaps crawl out from under the pedestal every now and then, long enough to blow your horn!

And I think it's safe to say that many here, besides myself, don't agree with your way. Many here, besides myself, find you arrogant and pretentious.
And many here, besides myself, operate very successful businesses, without buying into your ways. I say buying, because according to your website, for $19.95, we can all buy a book by the famous author, Mike Bernstein, and then all be as smart as you! LOL A sucker and his money are easily parted I guess!

State Farm quit waiving the deuctible in my area begining 12-31-05. A very good friend of mine is also an agent. Do you know the demographics of my state, smart guy? Do you have a clue what the population per square miles is in Kansas City, KS? You are brilliant!

So long buddy, your babbling is no longer worthy of my time.

[Mr Bill]

Hey Guys!
Lets call it a draw!
Nobody is better nobody is worse.
You're just different.
Luckily the windshield repair pie is big enough where all of us can take our own slice according to our needs.
:icon_roll :icon_roll :icon_roll :icon_roll

[GlassStarz]

I know im much better looking than everyone here! LOL Gotta agree with the bill man nuffs a nuff

[Brent Deines]

Sorry guys, the posts digressed from here so I had to do something I rarely do, delete posts. The name calling, etc., serves no purpose, and certainly doesn't help anyone on the forum. Please keep it clean in the future so I can go back to my nap.

Thanks,

Brent