Joe Then, of Florida, recently told an ABC investigation team that his Mustang convertible was returned to him with bubbles in the paint job and a hood that shakes after taking it to a State Farm preferred shop for repairs. 

ABC Action News says Then received a “crash course in filing a claim” with State Farm after being caught in a hail storm. 

In a newscast, Then tells reporter Susan El Khoury that State Farm told him to take it to their “certified repair shop.” He says the insurance company told him he could take it to a repair shop of his choice but if the vehicle was improperly repaired it would be “between” him and that shop. 

Then says he took the vehicle to a Gerber Collision shop. It took about five months for the repairs to be completed, he said. 

The vehicle was returned with a hood that opens differently than before, El Khoury says in the story. It used to open with one button on the inside. It now opens with two buttons on the outside. She says Then is afraid it won’t stay shut if the vehicle is traveling more than 65-70 miles per hour. 

“It shakes a little bit,” Then says in the newscast. 

He shows El Khoury uneven paint on his green Mustang. He says the job looks “cheap.” 

“It’s garbage,” Then says. 

He said calls to State Farm weren’t resulting in a solution. 

El Khoury said State Farm also refused to respond to her. However, she says a State Farm representative did tell her that the insurer does not require customers to use specific repair shops and they don’t guarantee the work completed.

State Farm’s website states a guaranteed completion date and a limited lifetime warranty as benefits consumers receive from using a select service shop. 

The website also notes that consumers have the ability to choose their repairer and only the consumer can authorize repairs to their vehicle.

“You are free to select repairers who don’t have agreements with State Farm” the website says. “Not all repair facilities charge the same amount for vehicle repairs. You may be responsible for any amounts not agreed to by State Farm. This may include, but may not be limited to, storage fees and rental expenses.”

Mark Friedlander, of the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute, told ABC Action News that Florida law gives consumers the right to pick a repair shop, get an itemized estimate, and inspect all parts that have been replaced. 

He also suggests consumers contact their insurance adjuster as soon they have concerns about a repair. 

State Farm did eventually offer Then an additional $2,600 following his complaints regarding the repair, El Khoury says. However, she said it didn’t resolve Then’s concerns. 

“I don’t want this to happen to anybody else,” Then said. 

A review of post-collision inspections completed by the Collision Industry Conference Industry Relations Committee found that most consumers sought an inspection after noticing a poor paint job. 

Following the post-repair inspection in 26 cases studied, 90% were totaled with 50% of the vehicles having significant frame damage. 

Discussions about substandard repairs ramped up following a Texas lawsuit against John Eagle Collision Center for an improper repair in 2017. 

A jury found the shop liable for injuries Marcia and Matthew Seebachan sustained from being trapped in a burning vehicle following a crash.

Experts for the plaintiffs said in court documents that the severity of the crash and the couple’s injuries were the result of the body shop adhesive-bonding the Fit’s roof during a $8,500 hail repair in 2012 for the prior owner, a State Farm policyholder. The experts said the repair didn’t follow OEM procedures. 

An “empty chair” has been placed on the stage of CIC meetings for more than five years to remember the consumer and the human element of repairs. The Seebachans’ case is often referred to when mentioning the chair.

IMAGES

Photo Courtesy of JHVEPhoto/iStock