Collision Coffee Talk: Insurance Claims, Mental Health, Tesla Fire, DRP Repair Issues, Industry News • Collision Repair Industry Updates • Insurance Claims Explained • Mental Health in Collision Repair • Tesla Fire Incident Discussion • Direct Repair Programs (DRP) and Vehicle Safety Challenges • Consumer Education: Blending in Paint Repair • Bloomington Collision Center New Neighbor Announcement • SATA's 100th Anniversary Celebration • Fire Safety: More Than Just Tesla—Industry Highlights • Hom...
Aug 25, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 40
It's no secret how we feel about legal issues and Bad Faith situations. You'll want to check out this interview and see how it effects collision repair. We're also going to talk about some of the comments left lately on past episodes.
Aug 18, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 39
Collision Coffee Talk: Are The Champion’s Crashing? ADAS Is Terrifying and Ransomware Attacks Increase It’s true, we are the best at what we do, and this week’s Collision Coffee Talk says it all. We’ll dive into the Moody’s financial downgrade of Crash Champions from stable to Negative. What does that mean, not just Crash, but for every MSO or DRP dependent shop in the industry. What are the outlooks and potential consequences of reliance on Insurance Companies. Also in this episode: ADAS Testin...
Aug 11, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 38
It was an interesting week in the world of Collision Repair. As we kick off the first full week of August, lets talk about a few things. The Absurdity of leaders in this industry Caliber Files For Intial IPO Is Journalism In Our Industry A Hoax? Tesla is hammered by a Jury in Florida and the DMV in California Are current pay models holding back the industry State Farm Allows Interns To Handle Auto Claims AI is officially for dummies, MIT releases a study. Yes AI makes you an idiot....
Aug 04, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 37
All jokes and memes aside, it is now official from the US Government... Ford officially sucks at making vehicles. No reallly, they now hold the record for most recalls issued in a single year by any OE EVER and it's only July. Still plenty of them to raise that number to something that most likely no OE will ever take from them. But, how does that effect the way bodyshops approach collision repair, especially those that are Ford Certified Collision Centers? In other news, Association issues an a...
Jul 31, 2025•52 min•Ep. 36
The Just Jack Award(s) Introduced Progressive Makes Class Worthy Legal Error with DV Letter OEs Going After Their Own Dealers? They Don’t Make Em’ Like They Use To! Late Model vs Classic Collision Replevin Cases Increasing On East Coast AI Lawsuits Increasing
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 35
Welcome to Monday July 14, 2025 and Collision Coffee Talk. In this episode we cover Insurers and LKQ Corporation List Used ADAS Sensors as Parts In Estimating Systems State Farm Doubles Down On Seatbelt Safety Inspections As Included Progressive Adjuster Defines A fail in Negotiation With Bodyshop CARSTAR shop in NY With Repair Fails Found In Post Repair Inspection Kentucky Updating Total Loss ACV Evaluation Website/Servies in Bill Fun with Garagekeepers Policy Lawsuit That Involved BMW...
Jul 14, 2025•57 min•Ep. 34
It's late but it's here. In this episode of Collision Coffee Talk we'll Discuss: Using AI for Vehicle Repair Or Claims Communication Clownsultants Need To Know Their Role Driven Brands and State Farm Make Huge Safety Decision Auto-Owners Allows DRPs Total Loss Charges Toyota Steps in Legal Nightmare WA Insurance Commissioner Starts Board To Oversee AI Use in Claims.
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 33
After a miss last week due to court, we're back and taking on some people and organizations in the industry head on. CCC is Canceling Customer Accounts I-CAR Does The Right Thing WIth Their Board... Sorry SCRS Progressive Claims #1 Insurer Hertz Is Scanning Cars For Damage At Airports MA Storage Lawsuit Favors Insurer
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 32
Overall a pretty peaceful week for us, but more jobs slashed around the industry even in associations. So we're asking, what do you want to see change? What are you upset about? Fire off your issues! Ohh yeah, Aftermarket Parts continue to cause more problems and it's putting consumers lives in danger. Shelter Insurance is re-forming total loss units to bring bodyshops under control. Yeah, you'll get a laugh out of that one as well.
Jun 16, 2025•53 min•Ep. 31
While it was a very... very slow week in the collision repair news world it was at least a strange one! Bodyshop liablity and Fentanyl claims New Jersey sents RTA bill to the floor Speeding by Make and Model?? Cargo ship carrying EV and Hybrids catches fire south of Alaska Mazda Recall is reminder to Estimators to check every time.
Jun 09, 2025•48 min•Ep. 30
As a news week it was slow, but that does not mean there isn’t a lot to talk about. Kristen dives in on some things that have been bothering her and the industry lately. CCC and Carfax Saga Continues CCC and BMW Make Announcement Dangers Of An LLC Drive By Inspection Liability Direct Repair As a Weapon
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 29
It was a week of double takes. DRP shops complaining about DRP programs and CAPA complaining that they some people were making knock off copies of their certification. You really just can not make up that amount of comic irony. In other news; The former CEO and Chairman of the Board of Progressive dies in a Tesla crash Tesla seems to want to review shop estimates before the custome can see them or an insuer. More insurers asking for shop invoices Mercedes will consolidate US operations into Geor...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 28
Episode 35 is packed with anger and irony! What is happening with the Senate hearings questioning State Farm and Allstate? Why shops should NOT be sharing the video or making any comments. Why are adjusters so hard to deal with these days? Gerber has a hiring freeze and big plans Insurers continue to file lawsuits against bodyshops Tesla is really terrible at insurance claims Wisconsin releases a compliance tool to help bodyshops
May 19, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 27
Take a week off and there is so much to catch up on! More MSOs Cancel Leases asTech Spiral Continues Teardown and Storage Laws Why Insurers Say No OE Credibility OE Liability OE Defense What’s On The Shelf : PPG Pete The Painter
May 19, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 26
It’s no secret that Kristen has a temper, but she has never been this mad with an insurer before. Stick around for all of this episode. Shops Removed From DRP Programs OE (Tesla) Removing Shops For Insurers Report Calls For More OE Shops?? asTech Continues Problems Progressive Supervisor In BIG Trouble! Progress On RTA Bills P&M Inflation Continues
Apr 29, 2025•42 min•Ep. 25
You’re going to be shocked but we’ve got another State Farm Problem!
Apr 22, 2025•57 min•Ep. 24
It's a double dose of State Farm Drama this morning as we discuss their recent and sweeping labor rate regression along with some cases of MSO's being assigned claims AFTER customer selects independent bodyshop. Add to that a bodyshop executive is rumored to have been fired over Post Repair Inspections and the California Insurance Commisioner is eating and drinking his way around the world.
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 23
The water is not the only thing rising around the collision repair industry this week. The Collision Collective is firing up. What's the real problem with SCRS Blend Study State Farm Takes New Low In Total Loss Handling Should Paint Companies Be Involved in Certified Collision California Keeps Attacking Shops Glass Association Files Anti-Trust Complaint Against Safelite
Apr 13, 2025•55 min•Ep. 22
Isn't always the way it goes. You take a few days off for Spring Break and the whole industry seems to implode! Kristen came back to an inbox full of emergencies and problems. Some of them will make you think it's April 1st not March 21st. In this episode: Who owns a bad calibration? Collision Collective Women in Collision Stolen Total Loss by Insurer State Farm Files Replevin Suit Solera is now 'Junk' AsTech opens their mouths again and it's not getting better Progressive settles BIG case Shelt...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 21
This week: - Honda Cited For Privacy Violations Could Impact Certified Collision Programs - The Old Guys in Sports Coats Have Had Their Day, Don't Fit In Move Your Career and Business In A New Direction - Gerber Lays Out Financial Troubles That Really Are The Whole Industry - MSOs Are Sending Out Notice Of Non-Renewals On Lease Agreements - Do We Really Need More Techs? - Insurers Forget Past Lawsuit Losses With Current Total Loss Handling
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 20
Good Morning! Farmers Adjusters Beg State DOI to help them ADAS Legal Issues Present new Problems State Farm and the Tinder Box Date Missing Total Loss Vehicles Safelite Settles $31 Million Fraud Case USAA Hit with $114 Million bad Faith Verdict California Shop caught in bait trap by the BAR Arkansas Attorney General sues Allstate Will Tariffs Affect Collision Repair?
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 19
It might not be steering and it might not be Tortious Interference, but too many adjusters are engaged in practicing law without a license, lets talk about it. Also: - Paint Labor hours going in the wrong direction - Oklahoma Looking To Pass Bill to Stop bad rebuilds - STOP looking for easy buttons. It may cost you more than you can imagine.
Mar 10, 2025•30 min•Ep. 18
It is better to thought an idiot then to type and prove it! In this episode we cover the claims and public posting by Liberty Mutual Safeco and Allstate Adjusters. - State Farm AA rating changed to Negative and placed on credit watch! - Bodyshops and their Bills continue to march through legislation - Are bodyshops charging too much for 'teardown'? - Are you talking to a human or AI when scanning a vehicle? - ADAS and Radar Compliant Paint
Mar 03, 2025•51 min•Ep. 17
The saga around asTech and their agreement with GEICO took a shocking turn on Monday February 24, 2025. In an email sent to Repairer Driven News (RDN), asTech Senior Vice President of Marketing Kennedy Taylor stated information shared in a video by Mike Reynolds, Mobile Automotive Services Solution President in December of 2024 around a radio interview that also featured Chris Chesney, Repairify Vice President of Training and Organization was outdated due to a company policy change on November 5...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 16
I was a slower than normal week in the news, but the things that popped up deserve some discussion. - Arkansas passes law that leinholders must be on all payments even rental - State Farm moves to eliminate OE glass from use - BOI is back on for shop owners - What is a Constructive Total Loss? Can an insurer total a car regardless of how much the repairs cost?
Feb 24, 2025•55 min•Ep. 15
It’s Monday February 17, 2025 and we’ve got another content jammed edition of Collision Coffee Talk. The only NON-Sponsored podcast in the industry. This week we cover: - New insurance companies that face insolvency and liquidation. - Allstate DEMANDS blog site Futurism remove article or make extensive “corrections” via change request format similar to auto repair estimates. - asTech parent company Repaify files motion to dismiss lawsuit filed by another Repairfy holdings company, but former emp...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 14
Last week was an hurried episode due to class, but now she has all the time and a lot of people…. We mean things to talk about. - Why industry meetings miss the point of the math problem - Liberty Mutual employee post generates lots of questions for potential lawsuits - Why Kristen picks on DRP shops - What’s happening the next few months with training
Feb 10, 2025•44 min•Ep. 13
- Insurers using comparative negligence in attempt to reduce total loss fees. State Associations pushing bills that may have tough consequences for shops. - CCC hosting webinar training for insurers that shops should listen in and learn.
Feb 03, 2025•14 min•Ep. 12
- Repairfy (asTech) and Kinderhook lawsuit allegations and documents. - Ford BlueCruise Under NHTSA Investigation AM Headlamps May Be Future Issue - US Treasury Department releases study on Auto Insurance - Bargain Deals For Material On Facebook Could Be Deadly - Insurers Total Cars With Little To No Damage Click here to download Court filing: https://bit.ly/4hmZs2n Click here to download Federal Insurace Office (FIO) report: https://bit.ly/3WB1cwX...
Jan 27, 2025•40 min•Ep. 11
