Collision IndustryTask Force Renews Standards for Insurer Direct Repair Programs

For much of 2006, the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) Best Practices Task Force addressed the lack of standard Direct Repair Program (DRP) practices. And as the new year began the task force had some unfinished business and planned to continue examining ways for the industry to standardize proper repair procedures and DRP processes.

The group hopes it can get insurance companies and collision repairers on the same page - in a manner that is mutually beneficial to both industries.

In mid January the CIC annual planning meeting took place in Scottsdale, Ariz. The 2007 focus of the Best Practices Task Force and other groups was being determined.

Right up to the meeting, the Task Force had been focusing on the administrative tasks associated with DRPs. Each program has specific administrative requirements, yet the Task Force believes there are common tasks that can work for several different insurance programs.

"Having even a few standardized administrative tasks will benefit everyone: repairers, insurers and customers," says newly named CIC Chair Stacy Bartnik, who is director of franchise services for CARSTAR Inc.

Bartnik agrees that it's not easy to identify these tasks due to each company's policies and procedures, but the group believes if just a few practices were standardized, the benefits would have a positive impact throughout the nation's collision repair community.

The Task Force has been trying to determine what repairers would recommend, as well as what insurers would recommend, that would be consistent within different programs. To accomplish this, surveys were sent out asking shops to define three to eight administrative tasks that are currently required as part of their programs that they believe may be candidates for standardization. One example is the number of photographs required during the repair estimation process or customer communication.

The Task Force intended to review the responses and make their recommendations at last year's NACE show in Las Vegas, but the group felt it needed more time to gather information. At press time, it was still collecting surveys.

To download the questionnaire, visit http://www.ciclink.com/insform.pdf

Prior to the January CIC meeting Bartnik noted that the group would decide what the next steps would be concerning the standardization of DRP practices and the future actions of the Best Practices Task Force.