N.H. repair procedures legislation: DOI opposes bill; Rep. proposes Safety Dept. play tiebreaker

Yesterday, we covered what is likely the end of a New Hampshire bill that would establish a rebuttable presumption that insurers should cover OEM scanning and calibration procedures and repairer’s paint and material estimates. But [...]

2020-06-26T07:05:06-04:00June 26th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

IIHS: Convertibles not producing more crash deaths than roofed vehicles

New research from the IIHS-affiliated Highway Loss Data Institute found that convertibles tend to protect drivers no worse than traditional vehicles. This doesn’t mean that the roof and associated safety-cage structure like roof rails are [...]

2020-06-25T17:40:21-04:00June 25th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

SCRS: Automated auto body repair ‘Blueprint Optimization Tool’ estimate software now available

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists on Thursday announced collision repairers can now buy its Blueprint Optimization Tool, an award-winning piece of software which allows repairers to automatically apply the “SCRS Guide to Complete Repair [...]

2020-06-25T14:54:19-04:00June 25th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

Urgently: Traffic could reach 130% normal levels by July

This week saw some positive news for auto body shops trying to recover from a volume decline during COVID-19 coronavirus-related shutdowns and precautions. Roadside assistance platform Urgently on Wednesday said its modeling predicts traffic would [...]

2020-06-25T07:09:07-04:00June 25th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

N.H. scanning, calibration OEM procedures bill among those tabled after COVID-19 pause

A bill holding insurers to a rebuttable presumption that automaker scanning and calibration procedures are necessary for safety and pre-loss condition has effectively died in the New Hampshire Legislature this year. House Bill 1455 passed [...]

2020-06-24T18:23:35-04:00June 24th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

Longtime jobber: Cash advances, higher discounts led to reduction in support

Upset at the lack of training or support from your auto body shop’s distributor? Blame the discount or advance you’re getting, according to a veteran jobber. Auto Care Association PBE segment committee Chairman Joe Mattos, [...]

2020-06-24T14:23:55-04:00June 24th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

AISI: New fracture research could mean thinner automotive steels

Further research into metal failure has found current automotive steel material cards predict fractures earlier than what occurs in the real world, American Iron and Steel Institute automotive Vice President John Catterall said earlier this [...]

2020-06-24T07:11:11-04:00June 24th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

A look at due diligence, paint advances following FinishMaster, FBI allegations against Calif. shop

FinishMaster late last year sued California collision MSO GMP Cars, alleging it and two individual locations combined failed to make good on 2018 promises to buy more than $5 million in in paint and materials [...]

2020-06-24T07:10:40-04:00June 24th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

FBI: Calif. body shop owner misled lenders for $6.7M, including on PPP loan

The Northern District of California U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a collision repairer with two counts of wire fraud and and one count of making a false statement in a loan application, alleging June 5 [...]

2020-06-24T07:10:09-04:00June 24th, 2020|RDN News Feed|

COVID-19 aid: CIF fund closes after 600+ applications; senators urged to preserve NOL help

The Collision Industry Foundation on Monday announced its COVID-19 fund had officially closed, with more than $250,000 dispersed to those in the auto body ecosystem financially impacted by the pandemic. The organization said it received [...]

2020-06-23T07:08:40-04:00June 23rd, 2020|RDN News Feed|
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