New England Automotive Report July 2021

[LOCAL] NEWS

Repairer Radio: AASP/MA Members Voice Consumer & Industry Concerns on WSAR Educating Massachusetts automotive consumers is the most important work AASP/MA does. With this in mind, AASP/MA Executive Director Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg recently returned to “Everything Auto with Mike Penacho” – the weekly radio show on WSAR 1480 AM/ 95.9 FM hosted by AASP/MA Zone 1 Director Mike Penacho (Mike’s Auto Body; Fall River) – to offer listeners guidance and information to help them better navigate the repair process and deal with their insurance companies.

On June 1, Papageorg and Penacho explored a host of consumer-related topics, including the benefits of insureds communicating with their carriers via email.

“The issue with speaking with anyone is you really don’t have the ability to memorialize what it is that’s being said,” Papageorg explained. He went on to say that when a consumer calls an insurance company, they’re often told that the conversation is being recorded for the purposes of training. However, consumers should keep in mind that this recording is the insurance company’s property. As such, it is important for a consumer to have a record of the exchange for themselves. He suggested that the best way for insureds to memorialize the conversation and how they understood it would be through an email to the adjuster or whoever they were speaking to. The email should clearly state how they

process.

“The insurance company is the one that reimburses you for the damage, which you purchased an insurance policy for. The insurer is not the collision repair expert.

“One of the biggest things the insurance company does is educate insureds to give them ‘first notice of loss,’” he continued.

“The first thing people do when they get into an accident is pick up the phone and call their insurance company. I’m a strong advocate that the first place you should call is the person you’re hoping is going to be able to fix your vehicle correctly – not necessarily the person who’s going to be paying the bill.”

To ensure that all Massachusetts consumers receive the level of insurer reimbursement necessary to have their vehicles professionally repaired, AASP/MA is currently promoting passage of House Bill 1111/Senate Bill 709, legislation that seeks to set a minimum reimbursement rate for auto body labor paid by insurers to Massachusetts claimants.

“We’re here to educate the consumer and protect them,” Papageorg explained in regards to the bill. “By doing so, we’re also protecting the collision repair industry, which is ever-changing. The only thing that isn’t changing is the amount that people are being reimbursed to have their vehicles worked on.”

interpreted what was said and ask that if they are incorrect in their interpretation, then they should be corrected in writing.

“Sometimes, it also helps to involve the insurance representative’s supervisor,” he continued. “Maybe the person is new and not quite sure what it is they’re saying to you. You want to make sure that a supervisor is also made aware of what’s being said and how it could possibly get misinterpreted. If you feel like you’re not entirely understanding something, it never hurts putting it in writing to ask, ‘Did I understand you correctly?’ It avoids any kind of misunderstanding or misstep or making a commitment that you really didn’t realize you were making. Any responses from the insurance company to you should be in writing for your records.”

Papageorg also outlined some of the fundamental truths that consumers should always remember when going through the repair

Above all, he urged listeners to make well-researched decisions on the shops they select and how much input they allow their insurers to have when their vehicles are in need of repair.

“What’s really important is that the consumer is educated. Part of that education is knowing who is being upfront with you and who really has your best interest at heart.”

Papageorg returned to the WSAR airwaves on June 8, this time as a guest host. He welcomed AASP/MA member Jack Lamborghini (Total Care Accident Repair; Raynham) for an in-depth, straightforward discussion on (among other things) some of the main issues impacting today’s collision repair consumers. Perhaps the strongest message Lamborghini offered was that the consumer – not their insurer – has the right to select the body shop.

14 July 2021

New England Automotive Report