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Three-C Body Shop in OH Wins Lawsuit Against American Family Insurance Three-C Body Shop in Ohio recently won a lawsuit against American Family Insurance. On September 29th, 2014, during a bench trial in the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio, Civil Division, American Fam-
granted, and on April 29, the Magistrate reversed his earlier judgment and ruled in favor of Three-C Body Shop. The facts surrounding this matter stem from when the vehicle owner had a vehicle towed to Three-C Body shop
“We are happy that our customer [the vehicle owner] did not need to come out of pocket for work that was clearly owed by American Family,” —Bob Juniper, Owner and President of Three-C Body Shop
ily, the Plaintiff, levied a complaint against Three-C Body Shop. On April 10, 2013, American Family Insurance filed a lawsuit for replevin against the shop due to a dispute arising from Three-C Body Shop’s billing. On January 21st, 2015, the Magistrate ruled in favor of the insurer. Three-C’s legal team filed a Motion for Reconsideration, which was
for repair. During the repair process, American Family Insurance, recognizing they had not properly evaluated the cost to repair, and after reviewing Three-C’s blueprint deemed the vehicle a total loss. On September 19, 2011 the insurer made a settlement with the vehicle owner (their policy holder), took title/ownership of the vehicle and on See Three-C Body Shop, Page 46
TV News Reports on LA Body Shop Owner Saying State Farm ‘Forces Him’ to Use Recycled Parts by Kiran Chawla, wafb.com
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
See State Farm Forces, Page 46
Miles Paint & Body Shop in LA said his customer’s car insurer State Farm is not allowing him to use OEM parts on his 2014 Kia Sedona. Credit: WAFB
Change Service Requested
A body shop owner is warning drivers that if you get in a wreck, your car insurance policy might only pay for aftermarket or recycled parts. A 2014 Kia Sedona has been at the Miles Paint & Body Shop in Baton Rouge for three weeks after the driver ran into the back of another vehicle. It now needs a new condenser and radiator,
VOL. 6 ISSUE 7 SEPTEMBER 2015
Mike Chaney Defeats John Mosley for MS Insurance Commissioner in GOP Primary by Clay Chandler, The Clarion-Ledger
Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney likely secured another term on August 4, defeating Clinton businessman John Mosley in the Republican primary. Chaney and Mosley had sparred over insurers’ ability to dictate vehicle repairs at body shops. Mosley, whose family started Clinton Body Shop almost 40 years ago, said a series of complaints he and other body shop owners had taken to Chaney’s office regarding insurance companies moving the target as to what they would and would pay for was the primary reason he ran to unseat the incumbent. Neither returned cell phone messages on the night of August 4.
Mosley’s crusade began right after a 2013 hailstorm did millions of dollars in damage to vehicles and buildings in the Jackson area. Insurers were less than clear about what repair procedures were covered, Mosley said, John Mosley (File an issue he took to photo), owner of Chaney in a meetClinton Body Shop, ing attended by ran for Insurance Commissioner representatives of of Mississippi. State Farm Insurance, the company Mosley labeled as the worst offender. The summit seemed to iron out the issues, but it wasn’t long before the insurer reverted. Making the probSee Mosley Defeated, Page 36
FACA / Ray Gunder Real-Time Labor Rate Survey is Underway in Florida, Other States Also The Florida Auto Body Collision Association (FACA) has joined forces with Ray Gunder to sponsor the Ray Gunder Real-Time Labor Rate Survey in Florida. In so doing, FACA supports Florida shop owner, Ray Gunder of Gunder’s Auto Center Inc.’s selection of an innovative young company, National AutoBody Research (NABR), to conduct a series of nationwide Gunder Labor Rate Surveys. One reason is NABR’s Survey Methodology, a second is its unique Survey Criteria, and a third is that its Survey Results are viewed in real-time. The FACA / Ray Gunder Real-Time Labor Rate Survey has two primary purposes. First, to provide Florida collision repair shops with the current Prevailing Market Rate Ranges (PMRR’s) in their markets which more
accurately reflect labor and shop rates than does one single “prevailing rate.” Second, based on their cost of doing business, to provide Florida auto body repairers the opportunity to enter the
fair and reasonable labor and shop rates they would charge to attain sufficient profitability, if insurers did not adversely influence their rates. See Labor Rate Survey, Page 54
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