Managed Direct Repair Network ......
AutoBody Alliance supports a managed, turn-key Direct Repair Network of automotive body repair facilities available to multiple insurance companies throughout the United States. We strive for the ultimate goal of simplifying and streamlining the collision repair process for the insurance carrier, repair facility and the vehicle owner. The program provides a full-coverage, searchable directory of reputable automotive collision repair facilities with the ability to electronically dispatch assignments and communicate through our online tools.
Benefit to Consumers
The main benefit our Direct Repair Program provides to consumers is convenience. The searchable directory of shops is available free online to everyone and is geared towards helping the average consumer search and find a collision repair facility that works best for them.
Our directory provides many options to help consumers make their decision in choosing a body shop. Features include the ability to narrow their search by geographical location to find shops near their location, services such as body work, paint, frame repair, storage and hours of operation to name a few. It also provides direct communication to the shop through phone, fax, email and the shop's website if available, as well as mapped, turn-by-turn driving directions to the facility.
This online tool helps consumers to find options available as well as the right services and features for them to make a better decision for a simpler and convenient collision repair experience.
Benefit to Insurance Carriers
The benefits to insurance carriers through the Managed Repair Network quickly become apparent when reviewing the tools and information available through the program. AutoBody Alliance provides a customizable, single point to dispatch estimate requests to network shops, independent appraisers and owner's choice repair facilities.
To begin with, our managed network provides a searchable list of reputable collision repair shops with coverage throughout the United States. All of the shops in our certified network must meet and maintain our certification requirements. The list of shops can be searched by geographical location as well as a number of additional parameters such as services provided, features of the facility, hours of operation and many others. The list is also customizable per carrier, so insurance carriers could choose to modify the list by adding or removing repair facilities allowing them to sync the list with their own or just modify it to their own preferences.
Benefit to Collision Repair Facilities
AutoBody Alliance provides two strong fronts in bringing your body shop to the right audiences. The first is through bringing your shop information direct to consumers through online marketing. The other is through our nationwide Direct Repair Program (DRP).
The AutoBody Alliance DRP works with not just one, but many insurance carriers who take advantage of our continuously managed list of shops. Carriers can use the tool to provide options to their insureds when looking for a body shop in a particular geographical area, which is especially useful in unfamiliar, out-of-network areas for the insured. Carriers can also direct the insured individual to the website themselves to let them find shops near their location along with directions, contact information, hours, services provided and more to help the vehicle owner select the best facility for them and get in contact with you, the repair facility, as easily as possible.
It's important to note that although some of our carriers might be "regional" carriers that are not located in your geographical area, it doesn't mean that they are not important to you. Often these carriers and their insureds are utilizing a managed network like this one in order to find coverage outside of their own familiar area.
Unlike many other direct repair programs who charge a assignment fee, AutoBody Alliance charges only a single, annual fee in order to help with the fees associated with hosting and maintaining the program. There are no additional charges associated with being a member.
If you are interested in having your body shop become a member of the AutoBody Alliance, you can start by either searching for your shop in our directory and then "claiming" it to verify your information, or if you do not find it by searching, create a free account and request to add your shop to our directory. From there you can follow the steps on your dashboard to apply for Network Certification. Approval of your application is dependent on meeting the required criteria for being a member of the AutoBody Alliance network, as well as geographical coverage requirements.