Rich,

I know you have been the pioneer who has been battling Safelite for many years over windshield cracks. I see you have finally got a court ordered date to deal with them. I have been in business now for 18 years and have seen little movement in revenue for windshield repairs so I did some research of my own from when I started my business in December of 2005. In 2005 almost all insurance companies were quite consistent with a $50/$10/$10 fee. Now the going rate is a flat rate of $65. Obviously, that is not much of an increase over almost 20 years. That $50 bought much more in 2006 than $65 buys today and a 3 chip repair is a $5 reduction over two decades.

Here are the rates and rate changes over the past 18 years for ten of the most popular insurance companies in the country:

1) Progressive In 2005 the rate was $50/$10/$10, in 2008 $55 flat fee, in 2010 - $60, 2019 - $67.50, 2021- $68.85, 2022 - $70.23 & in 2023 - $71.63.

2) Allied/Nationwide In 2005 Allied/Nationwide was $59.95/$10/$10. In 2006 they went to $63.50 flat. In 2008 they made a jump to $75 and have been there for 16 years.
 

3) American Family In 2005 AmFam paid $55/$15/$15. In 2008 they went to $65 and they have been there ever since.

4) USSA was at $60 in 2005 and has never moved. They are still at $60 today.

5) Geico In 2005 Geico was at $49.95/$10/$10. In 2009 they moved to $60 and that is where they are today.

6) Allstate In 2005 Allstate paid $50/$10/$10. They changed to $54 flat in 2012. 2014 - $59 and in 2018 they moved to their present rate of $65.

7) Farmers In 2005 Farmers was also at $50/$10/$10. In 2008 they changed to $65 flat and in 2018 they moved to $75.

8) Hartford was also at $50/$10/$10. In 2008 they moved to $65 flat and then lowered to $50 flat in 2019.

9) Horace Mann Horace Mann’s 3rd party administrator use to be Harmon Solutions. Horace Mann joined Safelite in 2014 and paid $55 flat. In 2019 they increased to $70 and in 2020 they increased to their present rate of $75.

10) Liberty Mutual In 2005 Liberty Mutual paid $59.95/$10/$10. In 2006 they changed to $65 flat. In 2010 they increased to $70 and then lowered in 2016 to $60 flat.

Safelite was charging a large sum to fix rock chips, so I decided to get a quote from Safelite’s website for my own vehicle. I have attached 3 quotes; one for 1 chip was $169.99, a second for 2 chips was $199.99, and a third for 3 chips was $219.99. These quotes are for out-of-pocket without using insurance. This obviously would apply for customers who are afraid of their premiums being raised if they turn in a claim or those customers who have liability only on their vehicle. It makes me wonder what the insurance companies are reimbursing Safelite when the customer does use their insurance. Is it much different than what I am reimbursed?

Randy

NOTE from Rich Campfield: Safelite's repairs tested to be only 78% new laminated glass strength by the Standard Test Method for Strength of Glass by Flexure (3-Point Bend). 78% does not restore the structural integrity and does not meet the insurance policy's contractual obligation to the consumer to restore to pre-loss condition, which is 100% restoration