Western Edition California Nevada Arizona
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Insurance Companies Manipulate Repair Costs Says Shop-Sponsored Complaint in Mississippi Court A host of body shops has alleged in Mississippi federal court that a group of insurance providers, including State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. and GEICO General InsurSouthwest ance Co., of conspiring to manipulate Edition car repair costs in order to reduce their payments. The complaint was filed in the Texas U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Northern DiOklahoma vision-Jackson. Defendants named inLouisiana cluded: State Farm; Progressive; New Mexico Allstate; Nationwide; GEICO; United Services Automobile Association; USAA; Safeco; Shelter Mutual Insur-
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ance Co.; Direct General Insurance Company of Mississippi; Mississippi Farm Bureau; and Shelter General Insurance Co. The repair shops are represented by John Arthur Eaves Jr. of John Arthur Eaves Attorneys At Law in Jackson, MS. The suit named 16 separate insurance firms as defendants, but repeatedly alleges that State Farm largely orchestrated the scheme, which the body shops said involves the artificial suppression labor, repair and material costs and the enactment
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See Insurers Sued, Page 4
Northern California Tech School Gets $50K Makeover Grant from Education Foundation
Northeast Edition
Maryland Connecticut Rhode Island Massachusetts
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PATRICK DORAIS Appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. effective November 8, 2013, Patrick Dorais is the new Chief of the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). In this position, he oversees all operational matters, including licensing and enforcement activities and the administration of the Smog Check Program. Dorais served as BAR Deputy Chief of Smog Check Operations, Engineering, Research Administration and Consumer Assistance Division from 2007 to 2013 and has been working in government in some capacity since 1986, with a focus on consumer rights.
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ABN: In this position, you’re overseeing 600 people; an annual operating budget of approximately $200 million and a statewide network of 12 field offices. It’s an enormous responsibility, so where do you begin? Are you planning on making significant www.autobodynews.com changes and if so, what will they be?
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
Southeast Edition
The Collision Repair Education Foundation’s 2013 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover school VirginiaanFlorida were originally grant winners nounced at the organization’s 2nd Tennessee Georgia annual industry reception held durNorth Carolina Alabama ing the SEMA show in Las Vegas where over $250,000 in grants were South Carolina Mississippi awarded. Over 125 high school and college collision school programs from across the country applied for this coveted grant and each of the 2013 winning schools received $50,000 to fulfill their respective wish lists while several runner-up
Meet California’s NEW BAR Chief
programs received $10,000. In addition to the two Makeover grants that were provided by the Education Foundation, two additional Makeover grants were sponsored through AAA Northern California ABN: What have you learned about the job that you didn’t and the Atlanta I-CAR Volunteer know initially within your first two months in the position? Committee. PD: As Deputy Chief, my focus was the administration of the Smog The AAA Northern California Check Program. Since my appointment as Chief, I have learned 2013 Ultimate Collision Education www.autobodynews.com more about BAR’s other programs and objectives that are aimed at Makeover $50,000 School Grant ensuring a fair and competitive automotive repair marketplace for Winner is Contra Costa College California consumers. I’ve also learned that we have a great num(CCC) in San Pablo, CA, an autober of qualified and professional people her at the BAR that are motive tech program that has been committed to promoting consumer protection and the automotive praised for being one of the finest of repair industry. I’m honored to work with these individuals and apits type in the country. preciate their dedication to maintaining BAR’s mission and values. See Makeover Grant, Page 53 Lastly, I’ve learned that although our stakeholders come from varying perspectives, we all share in the same objective –to provide consumers with quality automotive repair services.
Change Service Requested
by Ed Attanasio
New York Delaware New Jersey Pennsylvania
VOL. 32 ISSUE 12 FEBRUARY 2014
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INTERVIEW by Ed Attanasio
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