AK / CA / HI / ID / MT / NV / OR / WA / WY
Vol. 42 / Issue 12 / December 2024
2024
How the 2024 Election Might Affect the Collision Repair Industry by Brian Bradley Autobody News
The election of Donald Trump to a second presidency and the coming shift in party control for at least one chamber of Congress will impact the collision repair industry.
namely the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and the U.S.-MexicoCanada Agreement. To make sense of the shifting regulatory climate, Autobody News spoke to Bob Redding, president of The Redding Firm, a Washington, D.C.based lobbying group. In his capacity,
RECAP ISSUE REGIONAL NEWS
State Farm Pays $2.1M To Settle Washington Class Action Lawsuit State Farm has agreed to a $2.09 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit claiming the insurer underpaid Washington policyholders by excluding “diminished value” payments for certain vehicle repairs. The settlement benefits individuals whose vehicle repairs were covered under State Farm’s underinsured motorist property damage provision between March 23, 2012, and Feb. 13, 2024. The lawsuit alleged State
Farm failed to fully compensate policyholders for diminished value, a legal concept under Washington law that requires insurers to cover losses when a vehicle cannot be repaired to its pre-accident condition. Plaintiffs argued that State Farm did not account for this when covering vehicle repairs after accidents that involved structural damage, deformed sheet metal or significant body and paint work. l CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
REGIONAL NEWS Credit: Shutterstock.
Though it’s tough to say exactly how the election will bring specific changes in areas like tariffs, federal right to repair efforts, and auto insurance premiums, it’s safe to assume the new political landscape will alter electric vehicle (EV) mandates and relax the overall regulatory environment. Further, trade officials in Trump’s first administration prioritized the automotive industry, negotiating new bilateral, protective automotive regulations with countries including South Korea, Mexico and Canada in various free trade agreements,
Redding is the head lobbyist for the Automotive Service Association (ASA). Redding shared his insights on what a Trump presidency, GOP Senate, and potentially a Republican House, could mean for the collision repair industry.
Q:
We’ve seen two recent rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, one in September and another Nov. 7. Combined with the election results, what could this mean for the collision repair industry?
California Body Shop from Adam Sandler Feature Film For Sale By Paul Hughes Autobody News
If TV’s Lieutenant Columbo ever finally takes his beloved 1959 Peugeot 403 in to get some of those dents “buffed out,” he might end up at Los Angeles area Eckhart Auto Body in Chatsworth, CA. He and co-owner Mark Cardella Sr. can trade tales of Tinseltown, the shop having had its own close-up with a star turn in decidedly quirky
l CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
l CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Eckhart Auto Body was featured in the February 2001 issue of Autobody News
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 26
Mike Anderson: Collision Repairers Looking for More than Just Parts
8
Abby Andrews: Possible Strikes Still Threatening to Rattle Collision
Discounts
Repair Parts Supply Chain
18
Stacey Phillips Ronak: 3M, Axalta Announce Collaboration on New Training for Collision Industry
16
John Yoswick: Suits Related to Non-OEM Parts, Insurers Suing Shops, Crash Reports See Court Activity
PERMIT #288 ANAHEIM, CA
PAID
Change Service Requested P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE