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Vol. 11 / Issue 4 / July 2020
Hundreds of Individuals in the Industry Get Much-Appreciated Help from CIF (Foundation) by John Yoswick
Bryan Kim’s collision and mechanical repair business, like many others, was struggling this spring as the COVID-19 virus and economic shutdown hit the Catonsville, MD, area. Sales at ASE Auto Center were down as much as 50% some months, not enough to cover rent and payroll. “We started bleeding money a little less than some shops, that actually shut down for a week or two, but once we started, we bled a lot of money,” said Kim, who has owned the nine-employee business for sev-
en years. Adding to the challenge: Kim’s fiancé and his shop manager’s wife both contracted COVID-19, forcing Kim and his manager to each stay away from the shop for several weeks. “I didn’t want to bring it to the facility, and luckily no one who works here got sick,” he said. The situation was made a little bit easier, he said, because of some assistance from the Collision Industry Foundation, the nonprofit dedicated to providing emergency financial See Help from Foundation, Page 12
NY Shop Owner Forgives Rent for 200 Tenants by Ed Attanasio
A lot of body shop owners end up being landlords, and sometimes it can be a pain in the you-know-what. When you’re trying to fix cars and keep your customers, insurance partners and employees happy, you don’t want to have to worry about late rent or Mrs. Smith’s leaking faucet in apartment 5. When this pandemic blindsided many of us, people all over the world started asking about their rent or mortgages. To placate his tenants and take the high road, Mario Salerno, own-
by Stacey Phillips
When the coronavirus restrictions were first put into place, the Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) recognized the challenges being faced by the industry. As a result, the nonprofit organization set up a special COVID-19 fund to support collision repair professionals impacted by the pandemic. “Since 2001, CIF has been dedicated to raising, managing and donating funds to provide emergency relief to collision repairers who have
Mario Salerno is a second-generation shop owner whose children, Sal and Mario Jr., will eventually take over the businesses See Rent for 200 Tenants, Page 20
been impacted by natural disasters or other catastrophic events,” said Michael Quinn, CIF board president and SVP of business development at AirPro Diagnostics. “The donations we received for the COVID-19 fund were vital to help repairers across the country.” CIF established the fund with $100,000 raised previously, and CCC Information Services matched that amount. Other industry organizations and individuals then donated to the fund, including AirPro Diagnostics, Guy Bargnes, Colette See CIF Assistance, Page 16
Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner and ADALB Requested to Direct Attention to COVID-19 Exploitations by Chasidy Rae Sisk
PERMIT #288 ANAHEIM, CA
PAID
Change Service Requested P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE Northeast_Issue_0720.indd 1
How CIF Assistance Has Benefited Collision Repair Professionals in Time of Need
As shops focus on providing a safe environment for both customers and employees during the COVID-19 outbreak, AASP/MA has received notice of a variety of collision repair industry related concerns. As a result, AASP/MA Executive Director Lucky Papageorg requested “immediate steps to stop exploitative practices being employed by insurance providers” in a letter to Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance Gary Anderson, copied to Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Attorney General Maura Healey. “As the ‘first responders’ meeting the needs of the motoring public, the collision repair industry and the customers we serve are subjected to the potentially life-threatening exposure of the pandemic virus,” Papageorg wrote. “New procedures and protocols are now required to protect both the customer and our entire workforce. This requires that insurers must acknowledge and pay for the procedures and the associated costs that
will help protect the vehicle owners and the dedicated professionals who repair collision-damaged vehicles.” AASP/MA requested Anderson issue “a directive to the insurance industry to ensure the health and safety of vehicle owners requiring collision repair services and collision repair technicians during the COVID-19 pandemic,” identifying four items requiring immediate attention: • A proper time allowance for the application of disinfecting materials; • Proper reimbursement for additional PPE items required, including covering of vehicle interiors and high contact components, such as steering wheel shifters and door handles; • Proper reimbursement for additional administrative costs, such as pick-up and drop-off services, preparing documentation and uploading required documentation to the insurer; and • The inclusion of “hazard pay,” similar to what other industries have implemented. Papageorg concluded his letter by See COVID-19 Exploitations, Page 25
6/16/2020 5:20:52 PM