VT studies auto body repair and insurance

By Guy Page on October 14, 2024

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Workforce shortage driving up labor costs, but insurers aren’t responding

by Alex Nuti-de Biasi, the Journal-Opinion

The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation will hold a public meeting tomorrow, Tuesday October 15 to hear from consumers regarding auto repair insurance issues.

The study comes in response to a 2023 law:

“The problem is that when you have damage and you go to an auto body shop, what the insurance company covers and what the actual costs are are getting farther and farther apart,” stated Sen. Ann Cummings in 2023. “The actual labor costs frequently are not anywhere close to what the auto body shop has to pay to get good mechanics.”

DFR also held a meeting in September, according to a report.

The study is examining several topics that include use of aftermarket parts in repairs, appraisal practices, labor rate reimbursement paid to auto body shops, sufficiency of consumer disclosures in automobile insurance contracts, the use of direct repair programs and other consumer concerns related to insurance coverage for automobile repairs.

Tomorrow’s hybrid meeting is from 4-5 p.m. Microsoft Teams link available for remote access. More information about the meeting is here.

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What does Hurricane Helene and disastrous Northeast flooding in 2023 and 2024 mean for ‘climate havens’ such as Asheville, upstate New York and Vermont?

The Albany Times Union attempts to answer that question. Maybe, one migrant who left Houston for upstate New York told the paper, we should prioritize resilience over refuge.