Windshield Bullies

On my visits a few months ago, I dropped off flyers about the “Windshield Bullies” that have been targeting several states. Well, they are here in Wisconsin and may be targeting your insured’s soon.

Two weeks ago, our Area Sales Manager in Janesville was notified by a local insurance agent in Milton WI that a company was soliciting customers for windshield repairs at a local gas station. These companies travel nationwide setting up temporary locations at local gas stations, car washes or business parking lots in your community. They normally leave the area within a few days. The agent was getting flooded with complaints and claims and contacted us. The above photos were taken in Milton 2 weeks ago and this past weekend in Eau Claire. We found them cleaning the windshields of the vehicles that were fueling and showing customers possible chip repair needs on the vehicle. Unfortunately, they were using pushy tactics and proposing repairs that were not repairable impacts. This type of repair might cause your insured out of pocket expense and might not be

covered by the insurance company. If you get calls from your insured’s with these possible issues, please let me know so we can contact the National Insurance Crime Bureau, local insurance companies and agencies.

Windshield bullies prey on innocent policyholders, using high-pressure tactics to coerce them into filing unnecessary glass claims. Their approach is typically pushy, and in some cases their actions are fraudulent. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), “questionable” vehicle glass claims increased 527% in the first half of 2010.

Educate your policyholders on the importance of selecting a reputable provider. If you suspect insurance fraud, please contact the NICB by calling 800-TEL-NICB or visiting nicb.org.

The above information is courtesy of Jeff at Safelite Glass

Insurance

Proud Members of

Windshield Bullies