June 3, 2015—On May 12, the Montana State Commissioner of Securities and Insurance filed action against Safelite Solutions and Lynx Services for operating as a third-party glass broker without an official third-party administrator’s license.
The license in Montana requires paying a $100 fee to the state. If this is not done, and companies are acting as glass administrators for insurance companies and not a licensed third-party administrator, pursuant to Montana code 33-17-317, a fine not to exceed $25,000 per occurrence may be issued. Insurers will not face state action for using an unregistered glass administrator.
The Montana Collision Repair Association played a key role in working with the Montana State Auditor’s Office to pass this legislative action.
“As an association we believe this is a significant action by the Montana Insurance Commissioner’s office – where these third party glass brokers (Lynx Services and Safelite Solutions) operated in Montana with no oversight the TPA would then put them under the authority of the Insurance Commissioner’s Office,” said Bruce Halcro, MCRA past president and association legislative liaison. “We believe this is a huge step forward for the consumers of Montana to be fairly compensated when they have glass work done.”
