WINDSHIELD REPAIR JOURNAL

May 2008

 

Lawsuit update:

 

On March 19th Ultra Bond and Richard Campfield had Oral Argument at The United States Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit, in Denver, Colorado on our case against State Farm and Lynx (case # 06-1442). We were pleased with what we heard from the three judges. We hope and pray there will be a favorable ruling by the middle of July.

 

Notice to the Insured Consumer:

 

This is a Notice you can give the insured consumer when you do a crack repair and are going to have to do the frustrating task of calling the insurance/network. This will make it easier for you and the consumer because the consumer will have an idea of what is going on and that you are their advocate in getting a repairable windshield repaired and saving them money. You may download and print this notice to use in your windshield repair business. Make sure you give it to the insured so they have plenty of time to read and digest the information before you call the insurance/network.

 

Endorse the ROLAGS:

 

We are encouraging windshield repair companies to read the ROLAGS and if you agree with the standard then email and place your name on the website as a company or person that endorses the windshield repair standard. We know many of you use The United States Windshield Repair Guidelines and so do we. You can use both.  Email your name and/or company name and state that you endorse the ROLAGS to p.stroka@verizon.net

 

Star Flexor:

 

The new Star Flexor windshield repair tool is a hit with windshield repair technicians and users of the Star Flexor say it is the most needed windshield repair tool because the common vacuum and pressure tools cannot always completely fill the break. Below are two companies that need one.

 

This was repaired by a full-service glass shop that the insurance company referred the insured to six months ago.

 

This is an example of a repair that does not meet the ROLAGS and would fail under the

United States Windshield Repair Guidelines.

 

All of the legs were connected to the bullseye. It did not require drilling. This would now require drilling each of the six legs to save the windshield.

 

The Star Flexor - a needed tool.

 

 

 

This is a repair from a large national full-service windshield company. This is not an isolated incident with this insurance recommended/preferred shop. This break also had a bullseye that connected to all the legs. We were able to drill once through the resin in the impact point and bullseye of the break and fill the legs completely. 

 

Commentary:

 

How come some larger full-service shops don’t possess the knowledge to perform a simple star- break proficiently?

 

In my experience (13 years repair-only and 10 years full-service), some of the larger full-service providers that insurance companies refer/steer consumers to intentionally do not possess the knowledge to perform the repair of stone-breaks and as we saw on ABC- 20/20 and Fox News these same O&A/Network Participants/TPAs cannot do a proper replacement either. The windshield repair technology is and has been available for decades to do star-breaks. You can tell by the photographs that they need a different windshield repair tool or a Star-Leg Flexor as the equipment they use obviously does not have proper vacuum or pressure as neither one of these breaks needed to be drilled. Their technicians obviously need training as they do not know the head-on angle from the profile if they thought that those legs were filled. It is not the technician’s fault that their repairs turn out this disgraceful, it is the executives that do not buy proper equipment and resin and do not train their technicians on something that is far easier and far less expensive than doing a replacement, which really scares me about their replacements.


This is all a result of the insurance-network interference with the market. These shops do not have to advertise for business and do not have to do good work for repeat and referral business because business is being steered to them by the insurance/network. Look at all the anti-steering legislation going on to try to stop this problem. When you mess with competition and free enterprise, quality and safety suffer. Competition and free enterprise is the best anti-steering law and standard you can get.

 

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