Be a Part of the Success
by Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg, AASP/MA Executive Director
As with every new year, we have the opportunity to make resolutions that – when acted upon – will have a lasting and positive impact on our future well-being.
2025 is no different than any other year, except for one VERY important factor: it marks the first time the collision repair industry has a seat at the table where decisions will be made about a minimum fair and reasonable labor reimbursement rate from insurers. This achievement is the result of years of hard work by collision repairers, particularly the members of AASP/MA, our Board of Directors and our legislative agent.
On November 19, 2024, the Governor signed the Economic Development Bill, which created the Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board (ABLRAB). This is a huge victory and a symbol of the positive change occurring in the legislature. For years, the insurance industry had a firm grip on decisions affecting the labor reimbursement rate, but that control is now weakening. The efforts of our association and legislative agent, facing off against two powerful insurance associations – one Massachusetts-based and the other national with over 50 lobbyists – were successful, thanks to the support of key legislators in both the Senate and the House.
Now, are you ready to take on the new challenge? Are you ready to raise your voice and contribute to the efforts that will help us THRIVE in ‘25? If you’re a member of the ALLIANCE and have answered the call to reach out to legislators, involve your employees and customers – THANK YOU! If you’ve completed the National AutoBody Research (NABR) Labor Rate Hero survey – THANK YOU! If you’re taking steps to free yourself from detrimental referral and program shop contacts that have been used to artificially suppress labor rates for decades – THANK YOU! If you decided you no longer want to just “survive” and are willing to stand up for fair rates like the medical profession does by refusing to accept below-market labor rates or deny payment for OEM-recommended procedures – THANK YOU! These actions are key steps in ensuring you will THRIVE in ‘25.
If you’re a shop that hasn’t yet realized the power you have to positively impact your business’s future – WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, not wanting to “rock the boat,” while a relatively small group of dedicated, involved, hard-working shop owners do the heavy lifting, SHAME ON YOU! Think of how much further ahead you and your business could be by:
• Joining the ONLY association that has been fighting and, now successfully, advocating for your interests;
• Staying informed about changes in the marketplace and the evolving needs of modern vehicles;
• Recognizing that if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll only get what you’ve always gotten; and
• Preparing for the year-long task of making the most of the ABLRAB and its potential to address the artificially suppressed labor rates.
Keep in mind, this process will take a year to develop a recommendation for the Insurance Commissioner. Can you afford to wait a year? What’s stopping you from taking action now to position yourself to THRIVE by the end of the year? Many shops across the state have been charging their posted labor rates for years, staying busy and benefiting from educating vehicle owners, empowering them to seek – and receive – full reimbursement from insurers.
Just as they have done with our legislators, insurers are losing control over more of their policyholders, especially those who have been forced to transition from “policyholders” to “claimants” seeking fair compensation for their losses. These claimants are learning firsthand the differences in how they are treated by insurers once they need vehicle repairs. They’re also discovering why insurers steer them toward certain shops.
Once again, THANK YOU to everyone who worked so hard to get us to the ABLRAB table! We all owe you a debt of gratitude and look forward to working together to ensure continued success in ’25 and beyond.
For those who have been observers rather than participants, I hope that as you read this, you recognize the incredible opportunity before you. Don’t just ride along on the coattails of others – be a part of the success. Yes, whether you decide to participate or not, you’ll benefit from the efforts of others, but how much more fulfilling will it be to say, “I HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN”?
JOIN NOW! See the application on page 7, or visit the AASP/MA website (aaspma.org) and click on the “JOIN NOW” tab on the home page.
YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!
Want more? Check out the January 2025 issue of New England Automotive Report!