As 2008 comes to a close, the collision industry has not been immune to the effects of the economy over the past year. Pressures from insurers and consumers to contain costs while improving cycle time, increasing "touch time," producing high-quality repairs on technologically advancing vehicles continues to persist and zero in on the financial bottom line of the collision repair facility.

Steering - either blatant or passive - continues to be an issue for collision repairers and consumers. In 2008, ASA posted an online industry insurer complaint form to be completed by shops and consumers that feel they have experienced an instance of steering. The electronic form, found on the ASA legislative Web site, www.TakingTheHill.com, files a complaint with the designated state body, and if you request it, will notify ASA of the complaint. The filing of complaints is an essential element of providing factual data to state regulators.

In the next few years with the 111th Congress, ASA will have an opportunity to address steering, paint material caps, labor rates and other insurer-related items through federal insurance regulation. This will require that federal regulation of the insurance industry, currently being addressed by Congress to cover life insurance, will also include property and casualty insurance. ASA will be involved in an active campaign to include property and casualty insurance. To accomplish this, we will need a strong voice from collision repairers in the form of letters, e-mails and contacts with state-appointed federal legislatures. By signing up to receive legislative updates at www.TakingTheHill.com, your opinion can easily be added to the voice for federal insurance regulation with the click of a few buttons. Your participation is imperative in accomplishing this goal and removing the frictions of steering, labor rate controls, caps on paint materials and other issues.

While ASA works toward federal regulation of the insurance industry, the ASA collision operations committee volunteer leadership is having conversations with the major insurers to better the relationship and business agreements between insurers and collision business professionals.

In 2008, ASA provided Progressive Insurance a large amount of documentation supporting the additional steps required to blend a panel and receive full payment of clear. In May 2008, Progressive announced a major policy change and began paying for full clear on a blended panel.

In July, Keystone created a price change on aftermarket parts, rounding up the cost price as a supplement to a fuel surcharge but not adjusting the list price. This price change created a profit loss for collision businesses due to shops' inability to bill customers for the price increase. After hearing from the ASA leadership, this price change was quickly changed back.

2008 has been a year of challenges for the independent collision repair professional. ASA takes those challenges seriously and strives for solutions on behalf of the membership. 2009 will be just as challenging, and our successes will be dependent on the unity of our voices.

Denise Caspersen is ASA's Collision Division manager. She can be reached at denisec@ASAshop.org.