The study surveyed repairers across the country on the claims handling performance of the top 15 largest personal automobile insurers in the country. As most shops know, insurers hold a significant amount of weight in shops’ prices and decisions – especially for participants in DRPs. Respondents of this study who are members of a DRP consistently rated insurers higher than respondents who are not members of a DRP. Multiple location operators also rated insurers higher across the board than independent shops.

Holding consistent with the last five years, State Farm was named the overall, most highly rated claims handling organization, scoring a 75.5 out of 100. While, their ratings are the highest, it did drop 13 points from their scores in 2000-2005. The bottom five scores included 21st Century (39), Nationwide (37.9), Farmers (36), Progressive (35.9) and GEICO (35.7).

As mentioned earlier, higher scores were given by members of an insurers’ DRP, which probably isn’t a coincidence. The Collision repairer Satisfaction Index also looks at the demographics of DRP shops, which indicated a statistically large percentage of multiple location shops or dealer groups who are DRP members – even while independent shops make up the majority of the repair force. This large percentage may also indicate that insurers are leaning toward dealers and multiple location shops.

Furthermore, by separating DRP members into annual revenues, the study indicates a significantly larger number of DRP shops bringing in $2 million or more than shops who bring in less than $2 million per year. This data could lead to the conclusion that being a DRP member drives sales and increases revenue.

This study validates what shop owners have known for years – insurers are influential for auto body shops. Many of our local clients in Omaha, Neb., and Council Bluffs, IA, are single location auto body shops and we anticipate many of our larger shops will eventually become multiple location shops. Also, some clients are DRP shops and others are not. Our job with providing auto paint and auto supplies is to give auto body shops the tools they need to be successful, despite their status with an insurer.

Deer are not just a problem during hunting season, but are a year-round obstacle in Nebraska. According to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission there were only around 50 deer in the entire state at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, there are around 350,000 deer in the Nebraska herd.

This increase has also affected the number of deer-vehicle collisions, having increased by ten times in the past 5 years, according to State Farm. From July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2010, there were an estimated 2.3 million collisions between deer and vehicles.

Click for a larger image of map

Both Nebraska and Iowa are in the high risk category of likelihood of deer-vehicle collision with Iowa having a 1 in 104 chance and Nebraska with a 1 in 142 chance.

Depending on the reaction of the driver when encountering a deer, damage can be minimal to severe. If the deer causes the driver to collide with another vehicle the damage will more likely cause more damage than a head-on collision with a deer. Beyond the cosmetic damages that are likely to happen to the car, a deer-vehicle collision is likely to cause damage to the radiator and other motor damage.

For the cosmetic damage, no matter how severe, at D&R we recommend using PPG Waterborne Paint. These products will save time and money due to its better color match capabilities and offer a faster turn-around time. This is the most efficient way to handle auto paint needs, especially during the peak of deer season. Efficiency and accuracy will also help you shop build credibility and rapport with insurance companies who can pass business your way.

Shops should be preparing now for both the deer and the winter season. At D&R we are ready to help you and your body shop increase efficiency and serve the Midwest with the best service and products.

This is a record high since the beginning of the recession in November 2007, with the largest growth in North Central United States– including Nebraska.

With this trend will most likely come a flux in accidents. The correlation between miles driven and accidents is something difficult to define, due to the challenge of collecting accurate data on exposure variables – i.e., types of roads, traffic trends, weather, etc.

Previous studies from research and development branches of traffic safety indicate that in a two-year study, drivers traveling anywhere from 600 to 800 miles per week we more likely to get into an accident than those who drove 0 to 600 or 800 to 1,400 miles per week.

There are many variables that should be taken into account when look at this data. For example, low-mileage drivers are most likely driving on congested city street with two-way traffic, whereas high mileage drivers are most likely on freeways with divided multilane traffic and limited access.

Drivers who expose themselves to a number of variables, including rain, fog and darkness are also more likely to be involved in an accident. This can be caused by a lack of experience – especially for younger drivers.

With traveling miles on the rise, especially in Nebraska, it is important for auto body shops to keep in mind the possible flux in their services. If people are just beginning to drive more, the immediate increase may lead to more accidents until experience increases. Also, knowing customers and their driving habits may help shops to educate customers and ensure they are taking the proper steps to protect themselves and their vehicle.

The movement to prevent drivers from texting while driving – especially teens – is bringing together several insurance companies, auto shops and concerned citizens to work toward a similar goal of awareness and legislation to make the roads safe.

Both Nebraska and Iowa joined the ban on texting movement with their recently passed legislation, declaring texting at the wheel a secondary offense – meaning law enforcement officials can ticket texting drivers when pulled over for another offense. In Nebraska, first time offenders will face a $200 fine and repeat offenders will face $300 in fines.

The data is startling, when looking at the effects of texting while driving, and insurance companies have taken a special interest in seeing that accidents are prevented and lives are saved through a ban on texting behind the wheel.

Allstate, for example, has an “X the TXT” campaign to encourage teens and their parents to take a no texting while driving pledge. Their data sites that texting while driving results in car crashes that kill an average of 11 teens each day and 330,000 distracted driving injuries every year. To date, over 75,000 Americans have taken the pledge.

AAA has also recently announced that their motor club will work to pass laws banning text messaging by drivers in all 50 states by 2013.

So far, 40 states have instated some kind of texting ban; and as states continue to hear bills outlining a safer road strategy, full and partial texting bans are set to rise in 2010 with more industries and families are calling for legislative action.

While driving is on a general decline, the figures put out by the US Department of Transportation for the month of March indicate a slight increase in driving for the month. During March the number of miles driven increased 5.8 billion miles, 2.3 percent compared to March 2009. This is the largest monthly gain since July 2009 and good news for the oil and car industry since February dropped 2.9 percent – likely due to the weather.

A recent trend is also showing that younger drivers – teenagers – are not too concerned with getting a driver license (moms and dads everywhere are thrilled). In 2008, according to the Department of Transportation only 31% of 16-year-olds and 49% of 17-year-olds had licenses, with the decline accelerating since 1998.

Drivers in their 20′s and early 30′s are also becoming less interested in driving. Drivers 21 to 30-years-old only accounted for 13.7-percent of the total miles driven in 2009, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration’s National Household Travel Survey released earlier this year. These numbers have been rapidly decreasing over the last several years.

One of the main concerns that surround car drivers today is money. As we’ve seen in the news, car sales are down because people can’t afford to buy them – and if they can afford to buy a car it is a used one. This, on top of the rising activism for a cleaner environment and high oil prices, is causing a large change in the automobile and auto body industry.

With fewer drivers, there are fewer cars; and with less money, there are fewer dollars to spend on auto body work – including auto paint. This is why it’s important for shops to be aware of driver trends and how it can best service their customers.

Realizing the need for affordable and quality service, along with offering superior products that are meeting the needs for a cleaner environment are critical in meeting customer’s needs and building relationships.

In-shop training is the most effective and cost efficient way to educate employees. This keeps production time lost at a minimum, eliminating travel time to and from another location. Technicians are also more comfortable and receptive in their own shop, making certain that training time is spent in the most effective way possible.

Every shop is different, so in-shop training offers a specialized process tailored to the personal needs of each shop. Employees can watch and experience the new product/service in a familiar environment and literally make real-life application to their training.

Offering in-shop training for employees establishes quality, live training from manufacturer representatives. Keeping shop employees up on cutting-edge technology by offering them the highest value of training and certifications can only increase the profitability and esteem of a shop.

They are wondering about waterborne paint – and making the switch from solvent.

Considering that more and more businesses are investing in the “green” movement, are concerned about their bottom line in a tough economy and are trying to give their customers the best quality product for their buck, the switch to waterborne paint should be easy for most shops to make.

The key is to choose a quality product that will support your shop’s standards of quality and efficiency.

PPG Waterborne Paint was the first waterborne paint and was introduced to the factory level in 1992. It is leading in the waterborne paint field and is cutting edge with its usage of unique anti-settle technology.

So let’s start with the idea that this paint is “green.” You may not have bought into the green movement yet – and that’s ok. However, green is not just a trend. It has become a way of life that is important to people and will become a way of life for future generations.

PPG Waterborne Paint reduced VOC, controlling the air quality inside a shop or spray facility, ultimately protecting your employees and the environment. This paint also eliminates the harsh odors associated with using solventborne paint.

Waterborne paint is the future of green in the auto paint industry but has also presented shops with the future of paint technology.

There are several choices of waterborne paint, but PPG is the only one that incorporates an anti-settle technology and has made critical improvements of color match pigmentation. The color pigments are suspended in a specially-formulated acrylic waterborne latex resin and allows auto painters to more easily match paint color. PPG Waterborne Paint also eliminates the need for a spray out card to see if your manually sprayed card matches other company’s paint or the died color chips.

PPG will help your shop to increase their bottom line with this new technology. The process is faster, since a color match will be made quickly and efficiently – achieving a match right away. Shops will also be able to have a faster turn-around time, making the customer happy with a timely return and you happy because you can make more money, more quickly.

But what about the up-front investment?

PPG explains that shops can switch to waterborne with no equipment changes and still get good performance. They do, however, recommend investing in air movement equipment, especially in humid climates to experience the full benefit of the paint. Shops may also want to invest in a waterborne spray gun, a new waterborne gun washer and perhaps an air filtration system, depending on its condition.

The real question is, can you afford not to make the up-front investment in waterborne and let other shops pass you by?

Check out PPG’s site for more information about why waterborne paint – specifically PPG Waterborne Paint – would be a good switch for you.