INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — The Missouri Collision Coalition (MCC) consisting of Missouri Associations AASP of Missouri, ASA MOKAN and SCRS MOKAN made the following statement in support of SB775. “We wish to first clarify a misconception of the issue surrounding Deceptive Referral,” says Bob Smith, lobbyist for the MCC. “Steering as defined in the dictionary is generally associated with the changing of physical direction of an automobile. Deceptive referral (slang steering) occurs when the consumer’s choice of service provider is swayed, changed, or limited to the choice of another service provider by misleading statements, partial disclosure, deception, promises, coercion, or other inducements. Although the issue of concern in several states is similar, SB775 is referring to the misdirection of or insistence that the vehicle owner should have their vehicle repaired at a particular repair facility often times by use of word tracks that are only half truths or misstatements.” MCC said it feels this bill gives the vehicle owner every chance to hear from the insurer about their programs. However, when the vehicle owner has made a choice, then that choice needs to be respected by the insurer, without any undue pressure to go elsewhere. While the legislative session is approaching its end, we still hope to see SB775 voted out of committee, Smith said. SB775 will set rules for both the insurer and the repairer to follow to assure the vehicle owner their right of free choice without restricting either party from informing the vehicle owner of the physical damage options of the claims process. Apparently the insurance associations feel that the vehicle owner should not have an educated choice unless it meets with the insurance company approval, he said. A vehicle is more than likely the second largest expenditure that a person will make in his life, and the owner of that vehicle and/or their lien holder should have a completely free choice of where that vehicle is repaired. Vehicle owners should not be subjected to quick up front handling of their loss only to find that the finished product is lacking in quality, as shown by a recent JD Powers survey concerning one insurance company’s handling of the entire claims process, he said. The Missouri Collision Coalition represents the collision associations in Missouri as well as many independent repairers in the State. |
