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‘AC360’ team covers Blumenthal’s DOJ request to investigate car insurance industry over parts, possible ‘steering’

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Business Practices | Insurance
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The “Anderson Cooper 360” team whose report on auto insurance parts practices  stirred up controversy has now covered a senator’s request to investigate whether auto insurers are “steering” customers or requiring cheaper parts at the expense of safety.

The latest CNN coverage was done by reporter Drew Griffin and senior produced Scott Bronstein, who also created the “AC360” story.

Blumenthal’s Feb. 13 letter to the Department of Justice also seeks clarification about the applicability of the Justice Department’s 1963 Consent Decree to what collision repairers have alleged is happening today.

Repairer Driven News wrote about Blumenthal’s note last week. Read our coverage here. We’ve also asked the Department of Justice for their reaction to the letter, but have not yet received a response as of Monday morning.

As we noted then, Blumenthal made a similar request back in 2009 when he was attorney general of Connecticut, apparently with little success. However, the CNN attention — even if this latest coverage appears to be online-only — could raise a little more interest in Washington.

Aftermarket and salvage parts suppliers have criticized the initial “AC360” report, which also featured Blumenthal, for portraying their products unfairly. Insurance industry representatives on the “AC360″ segment said no mandate to use certain shops existed and disputed that aftermarket or salvage parts were used for anything but noncosmetic repairs.

More information:

“Senator asks DOJ to investigate car insurance”

CNN, Feb. 19, 2015

Featured image: This screenshot from CNN.com shows coverage of a letter by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to the Department of Justice. (Screenshot of www.CNN.com)

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