Contact:	Angie Wilson (800) 272-7467, ext. 216 angie@asashop.org
For Release:	Immediate News Bulletin ASA-08 Feb. 26, 2007

ASA States Position on Third-Party Auditing

BEDFORD, TEXAS, Feb. 26, 2007 - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) board of directors has approved a policy and position statement on third-party auditing presented by the ASA Insurance Subcommittee. The subcommittee drafted the text under the direction of Mike Schoonover, Schoonover Body Works, St. Paul, Minn., who chairs the subcommittee. The approved statement officially presents the association's position that to provide the motoring public with the highest level of collision repair - ensuring safety, quality and craftsmanship - ASA recommends an estimate written with integrity and utmost accuracy. Estimate negotiations should occur only between parties who have physically inspected the damaged vehicle to ensure accuracy and the highest level of quality and customer care.

ASA deems the practice of third-party auditing, in which an estimate is reviewed without physically inspecting the damaged vehicle, as less than fact-based and detrimental to the integrity of collision repair.

"It is difficult enough to negotiate an estimate on a damaged vehicle with both the estimator and the adjuster present," said Schoonover. "Both parties have to come to terms with time discrepancies and other factors. In most cases they each walk away from the negotiation feeling good because they were able to look at the damage together and work through it.

"Negotiating an estimate with an adjuster who is in another state, looking at digital photos on his or her desktop, is a completely different scenario. Auditors cannot touch the vehicle, feel it, or physically see it. They are unable to see the style lines, body contours, high and low spots - all of the 'subtle damage' that can only be seen in person and felt with your own hand."

ASA's Collision Division Operations Committee has four subcommittees in addition to the insurance subcommittee - including automobile manufacturer, estimating, refinish and salvage subcommittees.

The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry. ASA's headquarters is in Bedford, Texas.

ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. For additional information about ASA, including past news releases, go to www.ASAshop.org, or visit ASA's legislative Web site at www.TakingTheHill.com.

###