To: All NAMIC Members

Deadline: Tuesday, July 18, 2023, 5 p.m. EDT

Action: Ask Your Member of Congress to Support Legislation to Lower Auto Repair Costs

Costs for vehicle ownership and repair are at an all-time high and only getting more expensive. As mutual property/casualty insurers, our priorities for vehicle ownership are to keep policyholders safe, reduce costs, and ensure consumer choice. That’s why NAMIC supports bipartisan, commonsense legislation introduced this year that fosters a competitive environment and protects the rights of consumers in the maintenance and post-collision auto repair market.

There are two bipartisan bills in Congress that would go a long way toward enhancing consumers’ right to repair by empowering consumers and lowering costs. They are the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair, or REPAIR Act, H.R. 906, and the Save Money on Auto Repair Transportation, or SMART Act, H.R. 1707.

The REPAIR Act would reduce barriers for consumers to fix and maintain their vehicles and secure access to critical data so owners can choose where and how to get their vehicles repaired. If a vehicle is in need of repair, the owner can take it to the auto shop of their choice rather than the location determined by the original equipment manufacturer or automaker, which often presents inconvenient hurdles and inflated prices.

The SMART Act would similarly increase choice in the post-collision auto repair market by narrowly addressing patent law to the benefit of consumers. Specifically, it would reduce the time that automakers can enforce design patents against alternative, cosmetic parts, like side mirrors, quarter panels, and bumpers, from 14 to 2.5 years, allowing consumers to get certain parts repaired at lower prices with more flexibility while not compromising safety.

With the cost of auto repair increasing – 36 percent over the last several years – it is imperative bipartisan solutions like the REPAIR and SMART Acts advance in Washington. Several states across the country have enacted similar legislation and momentum is building for policymakers in Congress to act accordingly.

Tell your U.S. House Representative to co-sponsor right to repair bills.

Post Details

Publish Date

July 12, 2023

News Type

  • Action Alerts

Topics

  • All States

Points of Contact
Jimi Grande
Jimi Grande
Senior Vice President, Federal & Political Affairs