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Gauging What Lies Ahead for the Collision Industry in 2017 Based on the Events of 2016 by John Yoswick
As another new year begins, the collision industry can expect more big changes in terms of vehicle technology, repair requirements, judicial and regulatory actions, state and federal legislation, and insurer involvement in the claims process. Here’s a look at some of what’s in store for the coming 12 months. Changes in insurance industry regulation. Look for insurers to see a Trump presidency and Republicancontrolled Congress as an opportunity to scale back federal regulation of the insurance industry.
The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA), for example, has already urged that the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), established following the Great Reces-
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ing,” said John Drinkwater, legislative director for the Massachusetts AFLCIO. Business groups generally opposed the new rules. “The stay is a bit of good news for employers,” said Steve Clark, director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. By law, a worker who works over 40 hours a week deserves overtime pay—but not if they are working in an executive, administrative or professional capacity. Under current regulations, a worker must be paid at least $23,660 a year to qualify for that exemption. See Overtime Rules, Page 8
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A federal judge’s ruling in Texas could affect the way Massachusetts businesses calculate overtime pay. U.S. District Court Judge Amos Mazzant last week issued an injunction blocking new Department of Labor regulations from going into effect as scheduled on Dec. 1. The regulations would have increased the number of workers who are eligible for overtime pay by an estimated 4 million workers nationwide. “We saw this as a necessary change in the spirit of what the overtime law has always been, so we’re definitely disappointed with the impact of this rul-
they repeal the FIO,” Jon Gentile, PIA’s vice president of government relations, said. “Doing so would reaffirm that regulation of insurance should continue to be the responsibility of the states.” But Matthew Josefowicz, president of a Boston-based insurance technology consulting firm, cautioned that such reductions in federal oversight of insurers could embolden some state attorneys general and insurance commissioners, resulting in insurers “dealing with aggressive state regulators.” That could be good news for colSee Ahead to 2017, Page 23
Last-Minute Court Ruling Delays New Overtime Rules by Shira Schoenberg, The Republican
sion, be scrapped. “With Congress poised to significantly roll back key provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, we ask that
VOL. 7 ISSUE 11 JANUARY 2017
VA Shop Owner Inspired to Help Mother After Paddle Impales SUV
The paddle’s impact broke all the brackets across the bumper on Judy’s Judy Hinchey says she will never car and on the bottom of the lights. forget the day a kayak padThe single mom knew dle flew off of a truck on inshe couldn’t afford the more terstate 64, piercing the front than $1,000 repair bill on of her SUV. her own. The quotes that she “I screamed. It scared me got to replace the fixture ran because it looked like it was between $1,200 and $1,800. coming at my face,” Hinchey CBS 6 shared Hickey’s said. story a couple of weeks ago; David Lindsay The driver of the truck little did she know it would never stopped, so Hinchey didn’t file a tug on the heartstrings of just the right police report. people. That’s also why her insurance “It was a blessing,” Hinchey said would not cover the repairs. of Lindsay’s Auto Body Shop, which reached out to Problem Solvers to help. “We have some single moms in our family and they kind of have it tough sometimes. We saw this on the news and unfortunately, it was an accident... Not like she did anything wrong,” said David Lindsay. The single Chesterfield mom says the company went above and beyond what she expected. She said they fixed all of it and not just Judy Hinchey’s SUV is now repaired thanks to by Shelby Brown, WTVR
Lindsay’s Auto Body Shop
See Shop Owner Inspired, Page 15
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