What percentage?

[screenman]

What percentage of vehicles in your country have glass cover? over here it is about 50% maybe less. Point is a lot of new guys come and the first thing they need to know is how to get hooked up with the insurers, now I am certain this is a good idea however is concentrating on retail only covering half your potential market.

For me I like a nice balance, 60% fleet 30% trade 10% retail. The reason I do not chase too much retail is due to the fact they are more expensive to service.

[Dave M]

Not sure about your country but here I'd say 100% of vehicles are covered in glass!!!

[screenman]

Oops! maybe I should have put "glass insurance cover"

Over here very few fleet or trade vehicles have glass cover and I cannot wait for the days when nobody has glass cover from their insurers.

[screenman]

Not many replies, come on somebody must know a bit about the market place.

[mend master]

Not many replies, come on somebody must know a bit about the market place.

Don't chase any insurance business, so I've never done the research on it. In SC, all insurance companies cover glass with no deductible if the insured has comprehensive coverage. If I do a job for an insured, I have the customer pay me and let them turn my invoice into their insurance company for reimbursement. Most of my WSR is for car dealers and fleets so I really have little concern about what the insurance industry does or doesn't do at this present time.

[Brent Deines]

Truck fleets are typically self insured as far as glass is concerned, at least in our area. Many car fleets as well although some do run claims through their insurance company. Lots of older cars do not carry liability insurance so that is all cash work, and of course there are the car lots, etc. I don't know the percentage of non-insurance work but there is a great deal of it. The insurance work is the low hanging fruit so that is what many windshield repair technicians focus on, but personally I think it's best to have a healthy mix of cash, insurance and fleet work. For those of us in it for the long haul putting all your eggs in one basket can be a bit dangerous in the stock market and in the windshield repair business.

[screenman]

Much the same as over here then, many thanks for your replies guys. Let us hope some of the new guys read this and realise that the insured market is not the only way.

[Jeng1rl]

Most of our market out here in Nevada has glass coverage. I would say about 75-80%. State Farm is really the only one that does not cover. I do quite a bit of insurance work. The remainder is in cash/credit.

Screenman... Why do you want there to be no glass coverage for vehicles? Am I missing something? And what do you mean they are more expensive to service? I know I am going to have an aahah! Moment as soon as you explain this all to me, but if you would please be so kind to assist a young lady out

Could any of you kind gentlemen please give me some tips on the proper way to obtain Fleet accounts? I have always been nervous about the high amount of my insurance and cash jobs and really want to add some different "eggs to my baskets". This is an area I would really like to peruse, but I would love to hear how you all have been so successful at it. Thank you in advance for your responses!

I truley appreciate the many comments that have gotten me to where I am today! Thank you for not just keeping it to yourselves, but knowing that we only keep what we have by giving it away.much you all have helped me!

Thank you!
Jennifer

[Chips_Away_Windshield_Repair]

As far as I know mainly AAA and SF in most states are the only companies not paying for "windscreen" repairs. I can honestly say I don't have trouble billing Lynx or SGC if after explaining to the customer they might take my invoice to their agent for rembrsement and be assured there will be no $100.00 premium increase for a $65.00 repair. USAA is a good company to work with and National Interstate writes checks same day invoice received. If they want me to call in for them it takes just a few minutes normally to get dispatch number and if vin # is legible money is in my account sooner than waiting on an auto dealer to get around paying a discounted price. I only have two commercial accounts, one running Peterbuilts and get a good price from them but I'm just too old to go out making calls. Did that for 32 years in previous life. I just rely on repeats, referals, car signage and web. Probably just lazy.