Press Statement on Request for TDI Investigation into Insurance Industry’s Auto Repair Practices
For Immediate Release
Texas Watch requested Thursday that the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) investigate the insurance industry’s corner cutting automobile repairs. The request urges TDI to take vigorous enforcement action to discourage the practice and uphold the agency’s statutory duty to “protect and ensure the fair treatment of consumers.”
Deputy Director Tori Sommerman released the following statement:
“The purpose of insurance is to have our property, safety, and lives restored after a crash. When insurers prioritize the bottom line, and pressure body shops into unsafe, shoddy repairs, Texans’ lives are put at risk.
“Recent reporting demonstrates the tragic consequences of insurance companies pressuring drivers into using industry-preferred body shops where insurers can push for cheap, substandard repairs. We hope that TDI will crack down on these industry wrongdoers and ensure Texans’ safety as they get back on the road after a crash.
“Texans can ensure their vehicle is repaired safely by asking the body shop to use Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts and put the repairs made and parts used in writing.”
###
Texas Watch is a non-partisan citizen advocacy group that has fought for public safety, justice, and accountability since 1998. Learn more at www.TexasWatch.org.
Contact:
Tori Sommerman
512-381-1111
Resources:
WFAA: Hidden car repair led to disfiguring injuries, couple claims
CBS DFW: Texas Couple Buys Used Car That Had Roof Attached With Glue
Houston Chronicle: Dallas couple seeking $1 million from body shop that glued their car roof
Request to TDI for an investigation of insurance industry’s auto repair practices by Texas Watch on Scribd
Learn Category: