ADALB Delays Voting on 212 CMR 2.00 Amendments Once More

For its last meeting of 2021, the Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board (ADALB) gathered in Millbury for its first inperson event since January 2020, providing a chance for Board members to continue discussing amendments to 212 CMR 2.00 which were approved by the previously seated ADALB in 2016.

The ADALB began by continuing its review of the four objections presented by the Division of Insurance (DOI) in a December 2016 letter. Since its previous meeting, the Board received clarification on the DOI’s concerns, allowing for a unanimous vote to accept the DOI’s proposed changes; however, the collision repair representatives who sit on the ADALB made it clear that they had reservations.

“The DOI’s comments continually reference the Massachusetts Insurance Federation and the Automobile Insurers Bureau, but nowhere in here do they reference SCRS, AASP, I-CAR or anyone that actually fixes or manufactures vehicles,” observed Board member Rick Starbard (Rick’s Auto Collision; Revere). “The only people that seem to have had any input into this are the people who pay to repair the cars, not anyone who has anything to do with making or repairing them.”

“The word ‘compromise’ isn’t used a lot nowadays, but everybody spent a lot of time on this, so I don’t have a problem agreeing to some of it if we can move forward,” Board member Bill Johnson (Pleasant Street Auto; South Hadley/Belchertown) urged. “This thing has been hanging around long enough. Isn’t five years long enough to delay the process?”

Board members Samantha Tracy (Arbella Insurance) and Peter Smith (MAPFRE) posed additional questions related to 212 CMR 2.00, and after conversation around those queries, the ADALB completed its review of the regulations. Attorney Michael Powers will compile all of the changes into a single document which the Board will vote on during its next meeting, scheduled for January 26.

AASP/MA members are strongly encouraged to listen to the recording of the November 23 meeting in the Members Only section of aaspma.org for a glimpse into the inner workings of the ADALB. The original proposed revisions can be found on the November meeting agenda, available at bit.ly/ADALB1121. More detailed coverage of this meeting appears in the December issue of the Damage Report members only newsletter.

PROTECTING CONSUMERS AND THE COLLISION INDUSTRY

MASSACHUSETTS