Recently, I was speaking to a body shop owner. He was frustrated with how the insurance appraiser was handling an estimate, specifically the times and rates he was allowing for airbag replacement. It seems this appraiser was not allowing these times to be charged at mechanical rate ($55/hr), even though the price guides specifically indicated (M) next to each of the times stated. The appraiser maintained that these were body repair times ($42/hr), while the shop owner maintained these were mechanical rates and times.
POINT (Insurance Appraiser)
Why should an insurance...
Today I received a call from a body shop that was unsure of the components to replace after a deployment. They were working on a 2006 Nissan Maxima. Only the driver’s airbag deployed and they, along with the insurance appraiser, were confused as to why this happened and what parts were actually needed. The front harness was cut from the accident as well. The estimate allowed them the driver’s airbag and the replacement of the front harness only.
Looking it up in our database as well as the factory database, this vehicle calls for all deployed...