Are drivers losing the ability to decide where to get their cars fixed? That’s what proponents of right to repair legislation believe. They say automakers are making it increasingly difficult for independent repair shops to access the vehicle data they need to do their jobs, forcing drivers to rely solely on dealer-owned repair shops. This could raise the cost of repairing and insuring cars.
How losing your right to repair could cost you
Right to repair laws, including the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act making its way through the House of Representatives, aim to address design decisions that make it harder for car owners to go to independent repair shops and easier to get repairs at a dealership.
Until recently, people could access most of the information they needed to repair a vehicle through a standard on-board diagnostic port, meaning nearly any mechanic could repair any car.
“When every car maker has its own telematics system and portal, subject to its own terms for subscription or access, that imposes real costs on independent shops that work on lots of different makes of vehicles,” says Aaron Perzanowski, professor of law at the University of Michigan and author “The Right to Repair: Reclaiming the Things We Own.” “That wasn’t true under the standardized (on-board diagnostic) system.”
The result is that many independent shops can no longer access a car’s telematics system, and therefore cannot diagnose and repair them. But dealerships can.
“The costs for consumers on average are higher at dealerships than they are at independent providers,” Perzanowski says.
Perzanowski cited a study in Massachusetts that found the repair costs for vehicles is 36% higher at dealerships than at independent repair shops on average. That doesn’t mean every repair is cheaper at independent shop, but if repairs are more expensive overall, car insurance companies, who often front these costs, will pass them to drivers in the form of higher premiums.
“From an insurance perspective, the cost of insurance is driven in part by what it costs to repair vehicles,” says Robert Passmore, vice president of personal lines for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
What does the REPAIR Act do?
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois, would ban motor vehicle manufacturers from withholding data, critical repair information, and tools from owners or independent repair shops.
“Without Right to Repair laws, the cost to consumers can be quantified in increased dollars spent and lost time,” says Tom Tucker, senior director of state affairs for the Auto Care Association.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing automakers, says the bill is unnecessary because of a 2013 memorandum of understanding that “remains in place today and is working.” (In 2013, after Massachusetts passed a right to repair law, car companies signed up for a nationwide, but voluntary, memorandum of understanding saying that they would provide consumers and independent repair shops with the same tools and repair information they give to their dealers.) But automakers like Tesla aren’t part of the agreement, and “the repair ecosystem has changed” in the decade since that deal was made, Perzanowski says. While the memorandum requires car makers to provide the same diagnosis and repair information to dealers and independent repair shops, doing so with telematics is a barrier.
In a conflict between big government and big manufacturers, there’s not much individual drivers can do to avoid rising repair costs.
“You can buy an old car that doesn’t have a computer in it, and learn how to repair it yourself,” Perzanowski says. But that’s not a realistic option for most people.
“Short of that, what people need to do is read up on this issue, learn about this issue,” he says, “and if they find these arguments convincing or compelling, to reach out and talk to their congressional representatives and talk to their state legislators.”
This article originally appeared on Policygenius.com
https://www.policygenius.com/auto-insurance/news/are-you-losing-your-right-to-repair-your-car-where-you-want/
and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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11 easy ways to pay less for car insurance
There are many factors that influence your car insurance premium. Many of the factors that determine whether you have affordable car insurance or not, including your age, sex and location, aren’t in your control. But there are some that are. Here are some ways to lower your car insurance bill.
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If you haven’t shopped around for auto insurance lately, and you’re hoping for more affordable car insurance, you should probably make this task a priority. Most auto insurance companies will quietly raise your rates over time, which is why shopping around for new car insurance quotes can yield great savings and be a great way to find the cheapest car insurance. It’s also a good chance to check in on your coverage amounts. Many people have too much or too little insurance. This guide can shed some light on how much car insurance you really need.
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Many car insurance companies also sell other insurance products — like homeowners and renters insurance — and many of those companies offer discounts for having two or more policies with them. If you have policies with different insurance companies, consider moving them all to one carrier to take advantage of bundling savings, also called “multiple policy savings.” The cheapest car insurance company may be the one you already have another policy with.
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Teenagers aren’t the only ones who can earn insurance discounts by taking driver’s education courses. Many states offer lower rates to those who take defensive driving courses. In New York, for example, if you complete a defensive driving course after you start driving an insured vehicle, you’re eligible for a 10% base rate reduction on your liability and collision insurance for up to three years. Not all states, however, offer these courses, and discounts vary state to state. Check with your insurance company or state department of motor vehicles to see if these courses are available to you.
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If you’re a student or you have a child who is a student and you are paying for their car insurance, you could save by taking advantage of one of several student discounts. Ask your insurance company about a good student discount. Additionally, if your child is a full-time college student attending a school 100 miles away or more, you could get a distant college student discount so they’re covered when they’re home, but you’re not paying for them when they’re not.
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Some insurance companies offer discounted rates if you belong to a particular organization or if you work for a certain company. If you have a membership in an organization or work for a large company, ask about discounts.
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Not everyone can afford to pay several months of insurance bills at the same time. But if you can swing one payment for the entire premium for a six-month period, you may be able to save money with a pay-in-full discount. The savings vary depending on the insurance company and where you live. Ask your insurance company if they offer a discount if you pre-pay your premiums, and make note for when you renew your policy.
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While you can’t erase any past tickets or collisions on your record, driving safely today can help lead to lower insurance costs. The longer you avoid a wreck or a speeding ticket, the lower the rates can go.
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Although most drivers with good driving records are already receiving good driver discounts, if you spent significant time abroad in the past several years or you’re a new immigrant, you could be paying a needlessly high rate. If you’ve just moved to the U.S., you may appear as a new driver in this country, even though you’ve been driving for years in your home country. Many insurance companies will quote you higher new driver rates based solely on your short driving record in the United States. But, you can get around this by providing your insurance carrier with a copy of your good driving record from your country. Ask your insurance company what kind of proof they need to give you a good-driving discount.
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Insurers often look to your credit score to determine how risky you are as a driver. You can take steps to improve your scores including paying down your debts, maintaining a good payment history and keeping the number of inquiries on your credit to a minimum. Read more about how to improve your credit score.
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Keeping a low deductible on your auto insurance typically requires you to pay a higher monthly rate. On the flip side, you can save money on auto insurance if you boost your deductible. But it only makes sense to do that if you can actually afford to pay the deductible in case of an accident.
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Cars with high safety ratings generally have fewer accidents, and cars with fewer accidents are cheaper to insure. If you’re a good driver with a safe car — such as a Nissan Maxima, Volkswagen Passat or Toyota Avalon — you could be paying some of the lowest rates possible. So if you’re shopping for a new car and hoping to keep your car insurance affordable, it makes sense to choose the right car.
This article originally appeared on Policygenius and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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