The California Autobody Association (CAA) said it strongly supports the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and its efforts to do an industry survey of their automotive repair dealers (ARD’s).

The CAA and its representatives met recently with Sherry Mehl and her staff to discuss the benefits of doing an industry survey and assisting in creating an updated industry survey questionnaire.

One of the additional questions that has been suggested deals with the ARD’s submitting their retail rates for collision and mechanical repair.

The Collision Repair Association of California previously raised concerns that adding this question would be an issue with some insurance companies and affect the Department of Insurances (DOI) efforts in revising labor rate survey regulations.

“This is a ridiculous and unsubstantiated concern,” says Ted Stein, CAA president. “This would be a voluntary survey for ARD’s and its intent is to only gather industry information. This has nothing to do with the Department of Insurance’s on-going revision of the labor rate survey guidelines. Shops provide their retail rates publicly everyday and they have a right to provide this to the BAR, if they so choose. No one should be intimidated to not provide their retail rates to the BAR or anyone else.”

The CAA said it has worked with the Department of Insurance during the last five years to address fair and accurate guidelines to be followed by anyone conducting a formal labor rate survey. CAA said it and the department have made continual progress in this area during the last few years. CAA said it is currently involved in an advisory group to the department, which includes insurers and industry association representatives, working to further define this regulation.