PCI Applauds Introduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Restore Consumers Right to Auto Repair

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America issued the following news release:

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) applauds Representatives Darrell Issa (R-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Blake Farenthold (R-TX), Jim Langevin (D-RI), and Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) for introducing the Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade, and Sales (PARTS) Act today, which preserves competition in the collision repair parts industry.

"The PARTS Act is good for consumers, businesses, and the U.S. economy," said Nat Wienecke, PCI's senior vice president, federal government relations. "As the cost of auto repair is increasing, the availability of quality aftermarket, or new, non-branded automobile collision parts can save families money."

This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would preserve competition in the collision repair parts marketplace and foster competitive prices. The PARTS Act also would provide consumers with a choice between original equipment manufactured (OEM) parts or an alternative source of quality, non-branded parts, to replace the cosmetic exterior parts of a car that are commonly damaged in an auto accident.

"This legislation, which proposes a similar approach to how several European countries operate, would preserve competition and restore the consumer right to repair their automobile to its original appearance with less expensive cosmetic parts. Without this right, consumers are forced to purchase much more expensive parts from the original equipment manufacturers, or the cost of those parts could make repairs not economically viable forcing the consumer to replace their car," continued Wienecke.

"PCI applauds Senators Hatch and Whitehouse and Representatives Issa, Lofgren, Farenthold, andLangevin for their steadfast leadership on this important legislation. We call on Congress to take up and pass this legislation for the benefit of consumers," concluded Wienecke.

PCI promotes and protects the viability of a competitive private insurance market for the benefit of consumers and insurers. PCI is composed of nearly 1,000 member companies, representing the broadest cross section of insurers of any national trade association. PCI members write $202 billion in annual premium, 35 percent of the nation's property casualty insurance. Member companies write 42 percent of the U.S. automobile insurance market, 27 percent of the homeowners market, 33 percent of the commercial property and liability market and 34 percent of the private workers compensation market.