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BREAKING NEWS Updates The Auto Glass Shop Windshield repair quote Directory
Louisiana Auto Glass Shop Operators Arrested for Insurance Fraud
March 16, 2012
2 operators of a Louisiana windscreen mend and replacement business are under arrest for twenty-four counts each of claimed insurance fraud. Stephen Sanderson, 52, and Sherry Williams, 46, run an auto glass business in the Ouachita Parish. At press time the business ' name hadn't been released.
Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance reported more than 80 alleged fraudulent claims that were submitted to the insurance company between 2006 and 2010. State Farm has also alleged insurance crime from the auto glass business in 2010.
"The business mended rock pecks on a customer's windshield and billed the insurance corporation for a glass replacement. In situations where a windshield got replaced, they billed the insurance corporations for dearer glass items and other services that were not performed," read a public relations release from the Louisiana State Police.
Both Williams and Sanderson were each charged with 24 counts of insurance crime and are presently being held at the Ouachita Correctional Center with bond set at $36,000 each.
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March 2, 2012
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Windshield Replacement Wars
March 1, 2012
Insane Money Funds Dash to Control Auto Glass Repair
For ages the country's roughly 300 independently owned auto glass shops outfits like Ace Glass, Quackt Glass and Doctor. Glass have been fighting a turf war with giant glass conglomerates over the insurance-funded window repairs.
The Palmetto State is one of a few in which if your automobile windshield cracks, your auto insurance firm must swap it for no deductible, provided you have complete insurance. The insurance firms use a net of preferred repair centers to do the work, and those shops give discounted rates to the insurance corporations for referrals.
The scenario has led to a battle among smaller glass-repair shops, insurance firms, 3rd party directors that own glass businesses and insubstantial scammer-type operations known as harvesters.
If you call insurance companies Allstate or Countrywide, for example, it is the Ohio-based Safelite Solutions, a third-party administrator, that handles calls for a glass claim. Safelite also operates a national glass-repair business.
"They're steering their customers to themselves," says Fred Price, owner of Ace Glass, a business that has been installing glass in Columbia since 1939, about companies like Safelite.
Outstanding legislation is aimed at stopping that. Last year, the S.C. House passed a bill by a gigantic margin that would ban third party administrators from owning 10 p.c or more of a glass-repair business. The bill is in the Senate.
"What this [legislation] does is just kind of levels the playing field ; it just stops the steering," Price says, adding that he has had close friends standing at his front counter while on the phone with a third party administrator that was making an attempt to steer him away from Price's shop.
"The shopper does have a right to who repairs their windshield," Price announces.
With the bill now in the Senate, Safelite is fighting back. Both sides have hired lobbyists and Safelite has been throwing around some serious cash.
Call it the windscreen wars.
The state Chamber of Commerce has come out against the bill. The South Carolina Business & Industry Political Education Board has determined the law is "business negative," a deal wrecker for many legislators whose votes are influenced heavily by the potent BIPEC PAC.
Critics of the legislation, like Safelite, say it will raise insurance costs.
"Oftentimes, buyers depend on their insurance firm to refer them to a credible repair shop, backed by the insurance company," asserted Brian DiMasi, Safelite's senior corporate lawyer, in a press release. "Claim costs will rise, guaranty claims will rise, and customer complaints will rise."
Devotees of the bill call that a frighten strategy because it is the insurance firms that set the price .
This fall, Safelite donated $1,000 each to more than 12 of the state Senate's 46 members. It also wrote huge checks to both the Senate GOP and Democratic caucuses.
"We caught them sort of flat-footed last year, so they'd all summer to gear up for the Senate," asserts State House lobbyist Warren Tompkins, who represents the independent glass shops, about Safelite. "They're spending money right and left."
The independent glass shops, too , have given money to judiciary.
As the cash flows back and forth and the dialogue goes on, it has demonstrated a seedier side of the business of auto-glass repair [*T].
Ever been stopped at a car wash, gas station or grocery store parking lot and been hounded by someone who's spotted your chipped windshield and presses you to enroll for an appointment to mend it?
They are known as harvesters and they prowl anywhere parked vehicles are plenty. Some have even been accused of really causing the damage. The corporations are hard to track, and some motorists have indicted them of doing crappy work.
In the windshield wars, these harvesters have been lumped in on the side of the independent repair centers that share a lobbyist in Tompkins to the detriment of their effort to get the law passed.
"Essentially they are scam artists shakedown artists," says Safelite lobbyist Tony Denny about harvesters that he blames for driving up insurance rates. That's why the industry set up preferred repair shop networks, he says.
Those operations though, says Tompkins, only exist because companies like Safelite have been squeezing the independent shops to the point at which they've had to publicize by hiring harvesters.
Sue Berkowitz, director of the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, claims some of the lobbyists have come to her and asked if she would get involved because it is a client issue. Her organization advocates for the lowincome community.
February 27, 2012
Today it has formed a new company, Guardian Auto Glass Bloomington, LLC to procure the assets of Glass Specialty Company based in Bloomington, Illinois. Guardian Auto Glass provides glass fix and replacement services for vehicles, buses, trucks and recreational cars and now has more than 75 Locations throughout the United States. Glass Specialty commenced operations in 1957 and now provides auto glass replacement and repairs services from multiple servicing locations across Illinois.
Ron Talley, current CEO of Glass Speciality will serve as VP and handling partner of the new company. "We at Glass Specialty are excited to Partner with Guardian Auto Glass and anticipate expanding our business in Illinois and in adjacent communities," said Talley.
"Glass Specialty is a well-established business with experienced and dedicated Employees," declared Marc Talbert, vice chairman and handling partner of Guardian Auto Glass.
"This new collaboration will provide Guardian Auto Glass the chance to expand our footprint." Guardian Auto Glass LLC was formed in 2010 between Guardian Glass Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian Industries Company, and LRST LLC to control and grow the retail auto glass business of Guardian. Guardian Auto Glass LLC is scouting for business owners, qualified sales professionals and operations executives who seek ownership and / or employment opportunities in their markets, across the US.
Allstate launches New Windshield Replacement claims service.
February 27, 2012
Allstate launches auto-claims service in Texas Allstate Co. Has rolled out a new service in Texas called Claims Satisfaction Guarantee. Under the new feature, if a qualified customer is discontented in any way, for any reason, with the service level received on a paid auto claim, Allstate ( NYSE : ALL ) will provide a credit to the customer's auto-policy premium. The caveat is that customers will have to express their dissatisfaction in writing inside 180 days of the incident that caused the claim. This new feature is automatically available on each Allstate auto policy in Texas, including Austin, effective Jan. One, 2012. There aren't any costs at all connected with it, say Allstate officers. Allstate tested this program last year in Indiana, Ohio and Georgia to standard auto policies. Claims Satisfaction Guarantee is now available in 31 states with additional states planned all though 2012. The service is designed to complement Allstate's Your Decision Auto products, including Accident Clemency, Deductible Rewards and its Safe Driving Bonus check. Allstate is among the nation's biggest in public held private lines insurer.
Court Permits Former PGW Employees to Ask Documents on PGW's Reduction-In-Force
February 25, 2012
The former Pittsburgh Glass Works ' employees, who are alleging age discrimination against the company, have been granted permission by the court to file a motion to compel discovery related to documents regarding reduction-in-force at PGW during October of 2011.
In the joint status report filed last week PGW objected to this request saying it is "irrelevant to the claims in this matter."
The parties were additionally told to call the court if any issues arise in the deposition of James Wiggins, PGW's CEO. The deposition was also a point of contention in mediation talks, as the previous employees wanted to question Wiggins about his ownership in other companies, his financial position and personal net worth. PGW has objected to providing information on those topics.
The suit was initially filed in October 2010 and the complainants in the suit include seven former employees who allege they were let go in a March 2009 reduction-in-force due to their age. Mediation was held on February 2, but finished with the releasing of the joint status report saying the previous staff and PGW couldn't come to agreement.
The former employees will have till March six to file the motion to force discovery and, if filed, PGW will have till March thirteen to file a reply.
Precision Auto Glass Sells Out too Private Equity Firm Owned Glass America.
February 24, 2012
Chicago-based Glass America has finished an exchange to obtain auto glass mend and replacement retailer, Precision Auto Glass in western Big Apple. Precision Auto Glass has been serving the Buffalo, New York area for many years and serves as a competitor for area locations of Glass America.
"This exchange broadens Glass America's market share in western New York and brings the company swift extra expansion and other fascinating opportunities," asserts Mike Barry, CEO of Glass America.
As a part of the exchange Glass America will obtain Precision Auto Glass' purchaser list.
"The owner of Precision Auto Glass was willing to combine our customers with his and wished to move on from the auto glass business," announces Scott Wills, chief financial officer for Glass America. "We have operations in the western New York market as well and we considered Precision Auto Glass a rival of ours so we are quite happy with the purchase and with the large consumer list that we have obtained."
"Customers of Precision Auto Glass will enjoy the full armoury of benefits and quality workmanship that all Glass America clients receive," asserts Alan Resnick, VP of Glass America. "They can expect fast, prompt service, the fit of original-equipment glass, AGRSS certified engineers and one hour safe drive away time.".
Rockland auto glass company marks 10 years in business
Friday, April 20, 2012 3:03 AM
As The Patriot Ledger celebrates 175 years of publication this year, we're taking a look at other local businesses with big anniversaries in 2012. We asked Christopher Allen, owner of Allen Auto Glass in Rockland, about his company as it celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year.
GLASS RECYCLED Invites Automobile Manufacturers To Utilize Recycled Auto Glass In Their Corporate Offices
Friday, April 27, 2012 5:35 PM
GLASS RECYCLED announces that they are seeking automobile manufacturers to feature recycled glass tabletops in their offices and boardrooms.Plano, TX (PRWEB) April 27, 2012 GLASS RECYCLED is challenging the automobile industry to make an environmental statement by featuring recycled auto glass surfaces in their offices and boardrooms. This new initiative is paired with their soon to be released ...
ABRA Auto Body & Glass Acquires Bradshaw Collision Repair Centers
Monday, April 30, 2012 9:48 AM
ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a Minnesota-based damaged vehicle repair company and industry leader announced today the acquisition of Bradshaw Collision Repair Centers in the Nashvil
All Star Glass Celebrates 35 Years of Excellence
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3:14 AM
The auto and truck glass repair/replacement company would like to thank its valued customers for an amazing 35 years in business. (PRWeb May 16, 2012) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9511799.htm
Columbus men form new auto glass repair business
Saturday, April 21, 2012 10:40 PM
“It’s about time.” That’s the response Kevin Jaixen got from customers when he opened All Star Auto Glass in February, bringing co-workers Mike Henggeler and Andrew Bruhn with him to the new business.
Minneapolis Glass Repair and Replacement Company Celebrates Earth Day with a New State-of-the-art Glass Recycling ...
Friday, April 20, 2012 1:16 AM
Rapid glass, an Auto Glass Repair and Home Window Glass Replacement company, has established a cost effective “Green” alternative to waste disposal using pulverized glass recyclingMinneapolis, MN (PRWEB) April 20, 2012 It has always been a difficult and costly proposition for glass repair and replacement companies to dispose of their broken glass. Until recently they could only recycle a small ...
Picture brightens on auto-tinting smart windows
Friday, May 11, 2012 9:22 AM
Big building companies back smart-glass startups Soladigm and Sage Electrochromics to get auto-tinting glass out of the labs and into buildings.
Picture on auto-tinting smart windows brightens
Friday, May 11, 2012 8:52 AM
Big building companies back smart-glass startups Soladigm and Sage Electrochromics to get auto-tinting glass out of the labs and into buildings.
New auto body and glass shop to open in north Bibb County
Monday, May 7, 2012 2:33 PM
Minnesota-based ABRA Auto Body & Glass bought the former BMW dealership at 111 Riverside Parkway, and spent nearly four months renovating the building.
Justice Glass & Supply Co. continues to adapt, thrive
Saturday, April 21, 2012 8:40 PM
HUNTINGTON -- Celebrating 50 years in Huntington this year is a company that has learned to change with the times, and do it well.
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