MASSACHUSETTS PAINT AND MATERIAL HEARING SET FOR JUNE 12 TH AFTER SUCCESSFUL LOBBYING EFFORT BY MABA

For Immediate Release:
May, 2007

Massachusetts Auto Body Association, Inc.
20 East Street, Hanover, MA 02339
(781) 826-0553 • (800) ITS-MABA • Fax (781) 826-0953
Email: mail@massautobody.org
Website: www. massautobody.org or www.itsmaba.com

For Information Contact:
Stephen Regan
MABA: 781-826-0553
Cell: 617-257-1222

The Massachusetts Auto Body Association (MABA) has succeeded in a statewide campaign to help the Auto Damage Appraisers Licensing Board (ADALB) change a state regulation that governs paint and material payments that could help shops get between $100 and $200 more per repair.

In March of 2005, the ADALB ruled that repairers who challenged a dollar times hours formula as inadequate could use a published manual such as Mitchell or PaintEx to determine charges. Insurers argued otherwise, stating Massachusetts’s regulations governing the issue were vague, and one even challenged the Board’s interpretation in court. The ADALB finally decided to change the regulation, and agreed on new language in January of this year.

The old regulation stated: “With respect to refinishing materials, if the formula of dollars times hours does not adequately reflect the cost of a particular repair, a published manual or other form of documentation shall be used.”

The new language would say: “With respect to paint, paint materials, body materials and related materials, if the formula of dollars times hours is not accepted by a registered repair shop or licensed appraiser, then a published manual or other documentation shall be used, unless otherwise negotiated between the parties.”

communications consultant Steve Regan for a strategy. In March and April they held four meetings across the state attended by hundreds of repairers, along with two seminars at the New England CARS trade shows.  

The strategy included having MABA members as well as non-members contact their local legislators. Specific material on what to say, draft letters and legislative contact information was provided. The legislators were then asked by the shops to contact the Chairmen of the committee’s that oversee insurance and also contact the Commissioner of Insurance to get support for the regulation change requested by the ADALB.

“After hundreds of calls by shops I am pleased to say that on April 23, the Commissioner of Insurance signed off on the proposed regulation change,” said Regan. “Then, the very next day the Auto Damage Appraisers Licensing Board scheduled a hearing, as is required by Massachusetts law, for June 12, 2007 to accept testimony. This is clearly a victory for repairers and once again proves the strength they posses when they decide to get involved.”

Regan added that due to the success of the strategy it could serve as a blueprint for other pending concerns of the collision repair industry. He noted that on May 9 th the legislature would be holding hearings on numerous MABA and other collision repair bills filed this year.

“Now that we have their attention we need to continue this effort to ensure that legislators and regulators take seriously all our issues," Regan concluded.

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