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BREAKING NEWS Updates Auto Glass Shop Directory Local windshield repair Directory
Louisiana Auto Glass Shop Operators Arrested for Insurance Fraud
March 16, 2012
Two operators of a Louisiana window fix and replacement business are under arrest for 24 counts each of claimed insurance crime. 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 eighty purported fake claims that were submitted to the insurance corporation between 2006 and 2010. State Farm has also claimed insurance fraud from the auto glass business in 2010.
"The business mended rock pecks on a customer's window and billed the insurance company for a glass replacement. In circumstances where a windscreen got replaced, they billed the insurance corporations for costlier 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 twenty-four counts of insurance fraud and are at present 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
Nutty Money Funds Dash to Control Auto Glass Repair
For a long time the country's approximately 300 independently owned auto glass shops outfits like Ace Glass, Quackt Glass and Dr. Glass have been fighting a turf war with giant glass conglomerates over the insurance-funded window repairs.
The Palmetto State is one of a handful in which if your automobile windshield cracks, your auto insurer must replace it with no deductible, provided you have thorough insurance. The insurance companies use a structure of preferred repair centers to do the work, and those shops give discounted rates to the insurance companies for referrals.
The scenario has been responsible for 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 Across the nation, for example, it's the Ohio-based Safelite Solutions, a 3rd party director, that handles calls for a glass claim. Safelite also operates a countrywide glass-repair business.
"They're steering their customers to themselves," says Fred Price, owner of Ace Glass, a business that's been installing glass in Columbia since 1939, about firms like Safelite.
Pending legislation is directed at stopping that. Last year, the S.C. House passed a bill by a giant margin that would ban third-party directors from owning 10 p.c or more of a glass-repair business. The bill is now in the Senate.
"What this [legislation] does is just kind of levels the field ; it just stops the steering," Price claims, adding that he has had good 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 client does have a right to who repairs their windshield," Price says.
With the bill now in the Senate, Safelite is fighting back. Both sides have hired lobbyists and Safelite has been throwing around some significant money.
Call it the windscreen wars.
The state Chamber of Commerce has come out against the bill. The South Carolina Business & Industry Political Education Panel has determined the law is "business negative," a deal breaker for many legislators whose votes are heavily influenced by the dynamic BIPEC PAC.
Critics of the legislation, like Safelite, say it will raise insurance costs.
"Oftentimes, consumers depend on their insurance firm to refer them to a credible repair shop, backed by the insurance company," declared Brian DiMasi, Safelite's senior company solicitor, in an announcement. "Claim costs will rise, warranty claims will rise, and client grumbles will rise."
Devotees of the bill call that a frighten strategy because it's the insurance corporations that set the price .
This fall, Safelite donated $1,000 each to above a dozen of the state Senate's 46 members. It also wrote huge checks to both the Senate GOP and Democratic caucuses.
"We caught them kind of flat-footed last year, so they had all summer to tool up for the Senate," says 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 money flows forwards and backwards and the debate goes on, it has highlighted a seedier side of the business of auto-glass repair [*T].
Ever been stopped at a car wash, gas station or food shop car park and been harassed by someone who's noticed your chipped windscreen and presses you to enroll for an appointment to fix it?
They're known as harvesters and they stalk anywhere parked vehicles are lots. Some have even been accused of really causing the damage. The firms are tough to track, and some motorists have indicted them of doing shoddy work.
In the windshield wars, these harvesters have been piled in on the side of the independent repair centers that share a lobbyist in Tompkins to the detriment of their effort to get the legislation passed.
"Essentially they're sting artists shakedown artists," announces Safelite lobbyist Tony Denny about harvesters that he blames for driving up insurance cover rates. That is the reason why the industry set up preferred repair center networks, he is saying.
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, announces some of the lobbyists have come to her and questioned if she would get entangled because it is a consumer issue. Her organisation advocates for the lower income community.
February 27, 2012
Today it has formed a new company, Guardian Auto Glass Bloomington, LLC to get the assets of Glass Speciality Company based in Bloomington, Illinois. Guardian Auto Glass provides glass fix and replacement services for automobiles, buses, wagons and recreational vehicles and now has more than 75 Locations through the US. Glass Specialty began operations in 1957 and now provides auto glass replacement and repairs services from multiple servicing locations across Illinois.
Ron Talley, current CEO of Glass Specialty will serve as vice president and managing partner of the new company. "We at Glass Speciality are delighted to Partner with Guardian Auto Glass and anticipate expanding our business in Illinois and in diagonally opposite communities," claimed Talley.
"Glass Speciality is a well-established business with experienced and dedicated Employees," said Marc Talbert, vice president and handling partner of Guardian Auto Glass.
"This new partnership will supply Guardian Auto Glass the opportunity 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 manage and grow the retail auto glass business of Guardian. Guardian Auto Glass LLC is looking for business owners, qualified sales pros and operations bosses who seek possession and / or work prospects in their markets, across the US.
Allstate launches New Windshield Replacement claims service.
February 27, 2012
Allstate launches auto-claims service in Texas Allstate Corp. Has rolled out a new service in Texas called Claims Satisfaction Guarantee. Under the new feature, if an admissible shopper is discontented in any way, for any reason whatsoever, 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 buyers must express their disapproval in writing inside 180 days of the incident that caused the claim. This new feature is instantly available on each Allstate auto policy in Texas, including Austin, effective Jan. 1, 2012. There are no costs at all associated 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 further states planned all though 2012. The service is designed to complement Allstate's Your Choice Auto products, including Accident Absolution, Deductible Rewards and its Safe Driving Bonus check. Allstate is among the state's biggest publicly held personal lines insurer.
Court Allows Previous PGW Staff to Request Documents on PGW's Reduction-In-Force
February 25, 2012
The previous Pittsburgh Glass Works ' staff, 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 concerning reduction-in-force at PGW during October of 2011.
In the joint standing report filed last week PGW objected to this request announcing it is "irrelevant to the claims in this matter."
The parties were additionally told to call the court if any issues arise during the deposition of James Wiggins, PGW's CEO. The deposition was also a point of contention in mediation discussions, as the former workers wanted to question Wiggins about his ownership in other corporations, his financial footing and private net worth. PGW has objected to providing information on those subjects.
The suit was initially filed in October 2010 and the plaintiffs in the suit include 7 previous staff who allege they were let go during a March 2009 reduction-in-force due to their age. Mediation was held on February 2, but finished with the releasing of the joint standing report saying that the previous staff and PGW couldn't come to agreement.
The previous workers will have until March 6 to file the motion to force discovery and, if filed, PGW will have until March 13 to file a response.
Precision Auto Glass Sells Out too Private Equity Firm Owned Glass America.
February 24, 2012
Chicago-based Glass America has completed a transaction to acquire auto glass mend and replacement retailer, Precision Auto Glass in western New York. Precision Auto Glass has been serving the Buffalo, Manhattan area for several years and serves as a competitor for area locations of Glass America.
"This transaction broadens Glass America's share of the market in western Long Island and brings the company instant further expansion and other interesting opportunities," claims Mike Barry, CEO of Glass America.
As an element of the transaction Glass America will obtain Precision Auto Glass' customer list.
"The owner of Precision Auto Glass was content to mix our purchasers with his and wished to move on from the auto glass business," announces Scott Wills, chief finance 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 totally happy with the acquisition and with the large customer list that we have obtained."
"Customers of Precision Auto Glass will enjoy the full arsenal of benefits and quality workmanship that all Glass America purchasers receive," says Alan Resnick, vice chairman of Glass America. "They can expect quick, prompt service, the fit of original-equipment glass, AGRSS certified engineers and 60 minutes 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 ...
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
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
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.
Melissa Preddy: Windshield blocks sun rays, unlike windows
Thursday, May 17, 2012 2:08 AM
Do you ever think of dabbing on sunscreen before your morning commute or a Sunday drive? If not, you may want to toss a tube of SPF 15 into the glove compartment.
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