Another Insurance Question

[glassfixerCO]

Frank,
If you're thinking of just billing the insurance companies directly (like Sneck used to do), you will need to include on your invoice: Full V.I.N. #; Date of loss (whenever the customer thinks the damage occured); Insurance policy #; Name and phone # of customers local agent(I think); Description of damage; Repair charge; Make/model & license # of vehicle couldn't hurt; And of course, Customer signature authorizing payment for repair. The hard part is finding the address or fax # of the corporate office to send the completed invoice to (sometimes in the course of calling the ins. co. to acquire this info. you'll end up being forwarded to the billing network you were trying to avoid in the first place!). Sending the invoice to their local agent is another option but--believe it or not--local agents sometimes are COMPLETELY clueless about the concept of waiving deductibles for w.s. repair! I've had mixed results trying to direct bill and it seems that when I have had success at it, the check in the mailbox is from Glasscomp. Cliff

[Sneck]

Thanks StarQuest for the Efax.com

I will keep that info in my notes.

In the last hour or so I have been trying to educate myself on what ACT is all about. For my situation, I think it makes sense. I have printed out their 4-page sign-up form that I obtained from their website http://www.actclaims.com/actclaims/index.htm

Looks like its a one-time $25.00 sign-up fee, and they take their cut of $14.95 off from the amount the insurance company pays, and ACT can direct deposit the difference into my checking account. With average repair amounts of $50 to $60 (less $14.95) leaves me with a $35 to $45 dollar profit.

Since I don't do a lot of insurance work, this is probably the most cost effective way for me to stay in the game.

I love this forum. It is without a doubt - the best support system for us repair techs.

Sneck

[maxryde]

Your on the right page with the ACT thing Sneck. If you call in the claims directly to the insurance company you can reduce the fee from act to 7.95.
Just call in the claim record the dispatch or claim # and report it to the folks at act and they will complete the transaction for you. Oh and they will recieve all the faxes for you also. Scott:~)

[mafsu]

I'm just curious as to exactly what the benefit of using A.C.T. is if you have already called in the claim and gotten the dispatch #. All that's left to do then is to send in your invoice. Safelite makes that painless(take note I complimented Safelite) by allowing you to enter invoices through their website. It's been awhile since I did this, but don't they waive or reduce any fees to the repair shop when you enter invoices into their website. Lynx only cherges $7 for processing saving you $.50 when you include your stamp and envelope. I thought the point of A.C.T. was to eliminate your having to have contact with the networks, or for new techs who haven't been in business for a year.

[GlassStarz]

The benefit is you do no paperwork Ie billing,followup etc. no need for fax machine etc. and for me thats the point of ACT I find a chip sell the repair put em on the phone and move on to the next one. Generally the only time I even bother with the pre aprov is when called to a job I will ask the customer to call thier ins company and get the pre # before I arrive then its $7.95 instead of $14.95 on the cold call stuff I dont bother. No paper means no stress I go to work sell a few come home and dont think about anything related to work till i get into the car the next day. Except when im here of course

[snoopdog]

OH NO NOT ANOTHER &%@* INSURANCE THREAD

Guys I need some help.I have looked all over this board and done searches about insurance through the forum and cant figure this out.

If I sign up with Glasscomp , and do online billing do I still need

1. To be signed up with Lynx and Safelite.

2. A fax machine.

3. $500,000 insurance policy.

I am new to all of this and am trying to get setup with the networks, currently I use A.C.T. but I dont like giving away 14.95 of my money for every job I do.
Thanks for all y'alls help. :eusa_thin

Yes you will need a fax machine and still have to have a contract with Lynx and Safelite.

[mafsu]

GlassStarz thanks for the response, I see your point. Deja vu I think we've had this discussion before. Anyone else have other reasons?

[Sneck]

I have read on other posts about insurance that every once in a while some sort of problem develops between the insurance company, the person insurred, or the insurance agent. I have not yet used ACT, as I am just now going thru the motions of setting up with them, but I gather that insurance billing thru ACT is sweet and clean. No mess, no hassle, just a nice clean $35 to $45 net profit. And that will work fine for me as I am part-time and have no desire to set up a fax line and try to prove that I am worthy of being on a network list. I may be part-time, but I have been doing repair for about eleven years now. I have gotten out of the loop on insurance billing because the last several years my customers seem to want to pay me out of their pocket.

Before I sign on the bottom line for ACT... has anyone ever had any bad experiences with using ACT? Pretty much every post I found regarding ACT - everyone seems to highly recommend them.

Thanks,

Sneck

[code3wsr]

Thanks for all the valuable input folks. Let me see if I have this right.

Glass comp is nothing more than a data transfer company. they send info to the billing company, network or what ever you call them (lynx,safelite)

and

If I call the number on the insurance card and get ALL info pertaining to that job THEN call ACT and simply pass on that info to them, they will only charge me 7.95 insted of 14.95

Does that sound right? Did I miss any of it? :eusa_thin

[DaveC]

Frank,

You've got it!

Glasscomp provides the service of keying your invoices into an EDI system and transmitting to the appropriate network.

ACT provides the service of acting as your authorized billing agent. They charge a $14.95 fee if they "do it all" (i.e. speak with customer, contact network/insco. for claim#, submit invoice to network/insco., follow up if there are any problems with payment and then deposit funds into your account). They charge $7.95 if you "get the ball rolling" to the point of receiving a claim/referral# and they then handle the rest.