News - Press Release 1

Wreck Check of Boston finds fraud and unsafe repairs on alarming number of repaired vehicles

Mansfield, MA Wreck Check Assessments of Boston has been performing post collision repair inspections on collision damaged vehicles for 5 years. During that time, we have inspected hundreds of repaired vehicles. During our detailed inspection of repaired vehicles, we found:

46% of the vehicles we inspected had safety defects.

42% of the repaired vehicles had fraud, in one form or another

70% of the vehicles had remaining flaws and defects that should have been addressed by the repair shop or insurance company.

There are a variety of reasons for the alarming numbers.

1. Insurance company cost containment is certainly a major factor. Insurance companies continue to specify “aftermarket generic crash parts” despite the report from the Massachusetts Division of Insurance that found no aftermarket part is equal to the manufactures part in terms of fit, finish, safety and availability. The policy of the Division of Insurance to allow the insurance companies to demand the use of inferior replacement body panels has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in market value to consumers vehicles.

2. The labor rate paid to shops of $32.00 per hour has remained flat for 17 years, despite substantial increases in every area of the body shops cost of doing business.

3. Advances in automotive technology are rapidly changing the way vehicles are being repaired. Repairing these highly advanced automobiles require ongoing training and expensive tools and equipment which many shops cannot afford.

4. Insurance company make no distinction between a high quality repair shop and a budget repair shop, and are concerned only with loss severity.

5. The reluctance of the body shop to insist on proper repairs with fair
reimbursement for fear of insurance retaliation. Shops that have stood up for the consumers rights for a proper repair have been the target of insurance company “steering” Steering is a tactic used by some insurers to influence consumers to bring, or not to bring a vehicle to a certain shop.

About Wreck Check of Boston
Wreck Check Assessments of Boston is a collision repair consulting firm that provides assistance and essential information to people who have had an accident. Wreck Check of Boston provides a clear and credible alternative information source to support the vehicle owner in the loss recovery process of collision damaged vehicles.

For additional information contact bcollins@wreckcheckboston.com