source: IGA Beacon Bulletin

The most effective way that insurers or networks steer is by telling consumers that they may have to pay out of pocket if they choose your shop. If you are a network shop or if you do not have a business practice of seeking reimbursements from your customers, this warning to consumers about possible additional charges is inaccurate with regard to you.

That is why the IGA is creating The List.

If you do not have a business practice of charging your customers separately for reimbursements, the IGA will, on your behalf, demand that Safelite stop telling your customers that they may have to pay out of pocket if they choose your shop. For now, we are dealing only with Safelite.

As you may know, The IGA is spearheading a fundraising effort to mount major litigation against a network or insurer. This truly is a campaign with many phases as we seek to finally provide relief to glass shops who have had to endure countless instances of illegal steering or false or misleading statements about their business practices. The List is the first step in that campaign.

What is The List?

Starting right now, the IGA is building a list of member shops that will not charge customers the difference between a reimbursement and an invoice. We will then present The List to Safelite and inform them that warnings about consumers having to pay out of pocket would be legally false and misleading.

Along with this Beacon Bulletin you will find a copy of the letter you should send to us on your letterhead if you want to join The List and have the IGA negotiate with Safelite on your behalf. Please return it to the IGA within three weeks. Even if you have charged customers in the past, the IGA can negotiate for you if your current business practice is to no longer separately charge insured customers reimbursements (if you have any language on your invoice that indicates the consumer may be separately charged, you will need to remove it).

Help your business today: sign up for The List and Give Money to the Legal Fund. We suggest a contribution of $500 or 1/10th of 1% of your gross annual earnings. Remember, 90% of any funds you contribute to the Legal Fund will be returned to you if major litigation against a network or insurance company is not initiated.

For more information, contact Marc Anderson or Sue Johnson at (866) 930-3313. Contributions to the Legal Fund along with your company's letter to the IGA should be sent to the IGA Legal Fund, 32 10th Avenue S., Suite 210, Hopkins, MN 55343.

SAMPLE LETTER TO SAFELITE FOR YOUR COMPANY'S LETTERHEAD

TO: Independent Glass Association

FROM: Insert Your Shops Name Here

RE: Customers Paying the Difference

DATE: Insert Today's Date

This letter is to officially inform you that insert your company's name does not recover the difference between insurance company or network reimbursements and the amount listed on our invoice.

Please add our company to the database that you are compiling so that our customers will not continue to be mislead by networks who have lead our customers to believe that they may be required to pay out-of-pocket expenses when choosing insert you company's name for their glass repair or replacement.

To join "The List" please send a copy of this letter (on your company's letterhead) to the IGA at 32 10th Avenue South, Hopkins, MN 55343