Survey: One-Third of Repairers Not Paid for Test Welds

A recent survey has revealed that over one-third of automotive repairers are not receiving payment for performing test welds, according to a news release.

The latest quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey conducted by Collision Advice and CRASH Network reported that 37% of repairers have not sought out payment for making and destructively testing welds prior to welding on a vehicle.

This is an improvement from a 2015 survey done on the topic, which found that 78% of repairers were never paid by any of the eight largest insurers for the time it takes to destructively test welds.

In spite of this, only 33% of repairers said that they were being regularly paid for the testing process right now, prompting Mike Anderson of Collision Advice to question if the procedure is even being done properly.

“We need to wake up on this one,” Anderson said. “This is a non-negotiable procedure that every OEM says is necessary. If your techs aren’t doing this, don’t delay, get them doing it today. I recently was at a shop that set up and performed a destructive test weld that failed because the welding equipment did not have the latest software update. That was not the first time I’ve seen that happen. Be sure to check with your welder equipment company to know when any updates should be performed. “