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Archive for the ‘Appraisers’ Category

HD Repair Forum to Showcase OEM and Insurer Involvement

Posted by Jennie Lepore

The HD Repair Forum (HDRF) is in its 6th year and the level of engagement from OEM’s and insurers continues to grow. Previous conferences have highlighted information on new vehicle technology, repair resources, and parts information from several OEMs including PACCAR, Daimler, Ford Motor Company, Rivian, Great Dane, Volvo Group North America, and others.

“As the industry and technology continues to evolve, engaging with the OEM’s and insurers has never been more critical, ” stated Brian Nessen, HD Repair Forum President. 

Isuzu, MCI, Navistar and Prevost will take this stage this year to present during the 2023 general sessions on Tuesday, April 18th and Wednesday, April 19th in Fort Worth, Texas. “Their participation is a continuation of the support the event has received the past few years from the manufacturers.” Nessen continued. Speakers from our OEM supporters will provide insight on the latest in technology for newer model vehicles, where to find repair information for those vehicles, updates on the parts supply chain, and more.

The HD Repair Forum is a platform for all industry stakeholders to discuss common challenges and identify solutions, and that includes involvement from the industry’s insurance partners. “We have had a number of insurance and independent appraiser companies involved with the HD Repair Forum over the years.” Nessen emphasized. “Without their input, we would be missing a big piece of the puzzle.” 

This year’s insurance panel will feature representatives from National General, an Allstate Company, Great American Insurance Group, and Federated Insurance and will focus on challenges experienced by both repairers and insurers with the goal of identifying potential solutions, including audience participation and Q & A. 

Registration for the event is still open, and the opportunity to save on registration rates is still available. To access registration and gather more information go to hdrepairforum.com/event-registration

Those with questions or interest in getting more involved in the industry’s only collision-focused event may reach out to Jennie Lepore JennieL@hdrepairforum.com or Brian Nessen BrianN@hdrepairforum.com.

About HD Repair Group

HD Repair Group offers a dedicated source of focused-information for those involved in collision repair work of heavy-duty, medium-duty, commercial, and non-commercial vehicles in classes 4 – 8. This community is where industry stakeholders such as shop owners, company executives, managers, technicians, estimators, and others can network with industry peers and find the latest news, tips, trends, and best practices in the heavy- and medium-duty collision repair marketplace. The HD Repair Group serves this industry in numerous ways including hosting conferences, distributing a monthly e-newsletter, hosting webinars, videos, social channels, and more. 

Learn more or sign up here to get connected today. 

HD Repair Forum Opens Registration for 2023 Collision Conference

Posted by Jennie Lepore

On April 18th & 19th, 2023, members of the heavy-duty and medium-duty collision repair industry will travel from all parts of North America to hear the latest information on collision industry trends and how technology is redefining the industry.

The two day conference returns to the historic Hilton in downtown Fort Worth, Texas and will follow a similar format as in years past, with presentations and panel discussions involving OEMs, repair experts, insurers, and other collision industry leaders. Unique to the event are a diverse set of focused learning tracks, providing more in-depth information on topics that address the industry’s repair demands and business growth opportunities.  

Similar to previous Heavy-Duty Repair Forums, the advisory board plays a critical role in developing the agenda, speakers, and content. Rodney Rowland,  Body shop manager at Lakeside Trucks in Wisconsin, “I’ve been attending the HD Repair Forum since its inception in 2018. It has become the place for the leaders in the industry to gather to share knowledge, identify trends, and drive improvement for the entire  industry.”

The HD Repair Forum is the only collision-focused event for heavy-duty and medium-duty repairers, making it a must-attend event for collision shop owners, managers, lead technicians and estimators. These stakeholders and other industry partners including executives from OEMs, insurance and appraisal companies will also not want to miss this exclusive, once-a-year in-person opportunity to gather information, network with peers and business partners, and better equip their business for the  challenges experienced by everyone in the market. 

Registration for the event is now open. Early registration discounts and group hotel rates are available for a limited time. To access registration and gather more information go to hdrepairforum.com/event-registration/

Companies and organizations interested in sponsoring the industry’s only collision-focused event may reach out to Brian Nessen @ BrianN@hdrepairforum.com or Jennie Lepore, formerly Lenk, @ JennieL@hdrepairforum.com.

Latest 2021 Trends for Commercial Collision Claims

Posted by Jennie Lepore

February 7, 2022 – The following data provides benchmarking insights and trends compiled from our PPG ADJUSTRITE® Commercial Estimating system for the 3rd quarter, 2021.  This data reflects information compiled from both insurance and shop estimates from the United States and Canada. For all metrics, the information excludes known total losses, estimates with only one line item and estimates <$100. 

Severity for the 3rd Quarter averaged $10,172—a 13.5% increase over the previous quarter.  

This average is 16.4% higher than Q3, 2020 and 22.2% higher than Q3, 2019. Severity data for October and November 2021 indicates that Q4 severity average dollars should climb even higher.

All Sales Mix dollars for Q3 saw double digit increases over Q3 2020.  Parts dollars saw the highest increase of 20%.

Table 1: Sales Mix Percent for Quarter 3 of 2019, 2020, & 2021

The Mechanical and Frame Q3 Labor Mix Percent increased compared to the same quarter in 2020. Mechanical Q3 Labor Mix Percent trended up, while Body and Paint Q3 Labor Mix Percent continued its downward trend over the last 3 years.

Table 2:  Labor Mix Percent for Quarter 3 of 2019, 2020, & 2021

Table 3:  Average Labor Dollars for Quarter 3 of 2019, 2020, & 2021

All average dollar categories in Q3’s Labor Mix showed increases compared to same quarter last year. Body and Miscellaneous had the largest increases of 11.4% and 16.4% respectively.

We revisited our previously reported value of approximately $700 for Average Sublet Dollars and discovered a calculation error within the aggregated data set.

Our updated table now reflects year over year increases for Sublet, Paint Materials and Shop Supplies and  double digit growth compared to 2019.

Thank you for your continued interest in the industry metrics provided.  

About PPG AdjustRite:
The PPG AdjustRite Commercial Estimating system is an industry-leading platform in the medium-to-heavy-duty equipment repair and claims industry. This system is a web-based, fully mobile application, driven by a comprehensive database of commercial vehicles and equipment including: tractors, trailers, trucks, boxes, motor coaches, RVs, and buses. To learn more about the PPG AdjustRite Commercial Estimating System, visit www.adjustrite.com .

Advisory Board Meets to Discuss 2022 Plans

Posted by Jennie Lepore

Yesterday afternoon members of the HD Repair Forum’s Advisory Board met with the event’s organizers to review the success of the HD Repair Forum’s first-ever fall event, discuss the current state of affairs within heavy- and medium-duty collision repair shops across the nation, and shed light on topics of interest for the HD Repair Forum’s upcoming spring 2022 event in Fort Worth, Texas. 

The organization’s fourth conference and first-ever fall event was held this past September in Cleveland, Ohio co-located with the American Trucking Association’s TMC 2021 event. It was a positive step for the industry post-covid to meet in person and network, discuss challenges facing the industry, and gather information on the latest trends in HD collision repair. “I really enjoyed co-locating the HD Repair Forum with TMC,” explains Dean Hancock, HDRF advisory board member and former collision repair facility owner.  “I was able to spend time on TMC’s show floor, visit with vendors, and I think we, as a collision repair industry gained exposure to important industry partners like, fleet managers and OEMs on both the vehicle and component side.“

At the 2022 event, advisory board members clearly agree that the industry needs to have more education, information, and conversations on two particular topics. First, repairers and their insurance partners need to understand how and when to properly scan, calibrate, and recalibrate vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. They also need to understand how to know where to locate these systems and how they are different. Jim Barber of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems spoke to the HD Repair Forum’s audience in both the general session and focused learning tracks in Cleveland this past fall. “The information and clarity he provided was helpful and very informative. However, some of the procedures he noted as necessary, or not necessary, differ from the other ADAS systems being used in the market. We need to hear from all of the various suppliers.” emphasized Chris Sterwerf, COO of Fairfield Truck & Auto, and long-time HD Repair Forum advisory board member.

Another hot topic the advisory board felt would be impactful is the preparation and precautions that need to be taken when repairing electric and alternative fuel heavy- and medium-duty vehicles. These vehicles are all quickly advancing their footprint in the market and shops need to understand how each one of these vehicles needs to be handled and repaired differently. “I have CNG and LNG vehicles rolling through the shop quite regularly, ” explains Monte Lewis, President of Monte’s Repair Shop, Inc. 

Stakeholders in the heavy- and medium-duty collision repair industry, who have topics that you think the industry should be discussing, are welcome to send suggestions to communications director, Jennie Lenk, jenniel@hdrepairforum.com

Members of the heavy- and medium-duty collision repair industry interested in making connections with important business partners and staying up-to-date on the latest trends and challenges facing this industry should make plans to attend the 2022 HD Repair Forum, being held April 5th & 6th in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Established in 2017, the HD Repair Forum aims to facilitate collaboration amongst all of the industry stakeholders within the heavy- and medium-duty collision repair industry.  This includes repairers, insurers, equipment manufacturers, service providers, and educators. “By providing industry-wide education, opportunities for growth, and extensive networking opportunities, the HD Repair Forum hopes to speed up the advancement of the industry and develop solutions to the challenges experienced by everyone,” explains Brian Nessen, HD Repair Forum President and Co-Founder.

Registration to the event will open next month. To receive news and updates on this event and the industry it serves, sign up for e-communication here.

Latest Quarterly Trends for Commercial Collision Claims

Posted by Jennie Lepore

The following provides benchmarking insights and trends compiled from our PPG ADJUSTRITE® Commercial Estimating system. This data reflects information compiled from both insurance and shop estimates from the United States and Canada. For all metrics, the information excludes known total losses.

Severity for the 2nd Quarter averaged $8,644— a 7% decline over the previous quarter. However, this number is 1.8% higher than Q2, 2020 and 6.2% higher than Q2, 2019.
July 2021’s severity data indicates that Q3’s severity average dollars will climb back closer to Q4 2020 numbers.
The Sales Mix for Q2 saw a slight percentage increase in labor dollars over 2020, primarily due to a decrease in parts dollars. Sublet dollars also increased slightly.

Table 1. Sales Mix Percent for Quarter 2 of 2019, 2020, & 2021
Body and Paint categories in Q2’s Labor Mix showed slight increases compared to same quarter last year. Mechanical labor percentage experienced its first decline in a year, but still remained higher than Q2 2019.
Table 2. Labor Mix Percent for Quarter 2 of 2019, 2020, & 2021
Over the past four quarters, none of the average labor costs indicate clear trends, up or down. Given the decline in Q2’s average severity dollars, all average labor costs, with the exception of Mechanical Labor, declined from Q1. The average Miscellaneous Labor cost experienced the largest dollar decline. Compared to same quarter last year, Miscellaneous, Paint, and Body Labor costs increased, while Frame and Mechanical Labor costs showed a decrease.

Table 3. Average Labor Dollars for Quarter 2 of 2019, 2020, & 2021

 

 

 

Compared to last quarter, decreased severity in Q2 unavoidably led to average dollar decreases in Sublet, Paint Materials, and Shop Supplies.

Both Sublet and Paint Materials were down 5%, with Shop Supplies down 3%. Yet, Q2 2021’s average dollars for Sublet, Paint Materials, and Shop Supplies remained higher compared to Q2 2019 and 2020, with the latter showing the highest % increase of 9.0%.

Compared to Q2 2020, average Total Supplement Dollars were down 12.3%.

 

 

 

Thank you for your continued interest in the industry metrics provided.

About PPG AdjustRite:
The PPG AdjustRite Commercial Estimating system is an industry-leading platform in the medium-to-heavy-duty equipment repair and claims industry. The system is a web-based, fully mobile application, driven by a comprehensive database of commercial vehicles and equipment including: tractors, trailers, trucks, boxes, motor coaches, RVs, and buses. To learn more about the PPG AdjustRite Commercial Estimating System, visit www.adjustrite.com .

SCA Appraisal Sending Free PPE and Speeding Appraiser Pay in Advance of COVID-19 Spikes

Posted by Jennie Lepore

Burbank, CA – In anticipation of an accelerating spike in COVID-19 cases and in the interest of safety for its nearly 800 franchise and network appraisers, SCA appraisal has launched a second round of up to $25,000 of complimentary COVID-19 PPE directly to field appraisers as an effort to mitigate potential exposure to COVID-19 and mitigate any possible exposure to clients.  Additionally, SCA is accelerating pay to appraisers and increasing the frequency of payments to help assist with any financial challenges associated with potential shutdowns.

“As a society and as businesses, we learned a lot about the impact of CVID-19 spikes and related shutdowns throughout 2020.  SCA wants to ensure we are doing all we can to promote safety and assist with financial stability in the event the increased COVID-19 cases being reported nationally translate into further business disruption.”, says Timothy Davis, Jr., president of SCA Appraisal.  “Nothing is more important to us here at SCA than our people, our franchise network and our clients’ vehicle owners.  The PPE and accelerated compensation is our small way of cementing the commitment to the industry that SCA has proudly-served for over 40 years.”

“For our franchise and network partners, getting them paid is more important now than ever and SCA has committed resources to expediting these payments.”, states Monica Warner, CFO.  “We know times may have been tight for some in the industry and we are proud to be able to extend payments faster than ever.”

Additional information regarding this program can be obtained by visiting SCA’s dedicated website at:  http://sca.claims/ppe

For inquiries:
Phil Langley
plangley@sca-appraisal.com / 214-914-0187