Look in the Mirror

by Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg, MABA Executive Director

On the heels of the Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board’s report and as we move into the second month of Being a Part of the Fix in ’26, it is critical that the Massachusetts collision repair industry not only maintains relentless pressure – but intensifies it.

We must continue to expose the lopsided control exerted by the insurance industry in its ongoing effort to artificially suppress the labor reimbursement rate paid to vehicle owners.

Be sure to carefully read that again, and let it sink in:

This is the labor reimbursement rate paid to the vehicle owner.

It is not a labor rate set or mandated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is not a statutory cap or maximum rate that a properly licensed, qualified collision repair facility may charge. And it is not a rate established by insurers – despite how aggressively and misguidedly they may at times attempt to represent it that way via their “prevailing rate” portrayal.

So, who actually sets the labor rate that qualified, trained and properly equipped collision repair facilities in Massachusetts charge? The answer is simple – and uncomfortable for many: You do. That’s right. To see who sets the labor rate, all you need to do is look in the mirror. For some, that statement may sound like blasphemy. It is not. It is reality.

Years ago, we described shop owners in our industry as falling into one of two categories: “junkyard dogs” or “killer puppies.” If you truly intend to be Part of the Fix in ’26, you must decide – honestly – which one you are. As the saying goes, you cannot serve two masters.

A killer puppy is the shop owner who barks loudly, complains endlessly and insists that “no one is doing anything” to fix the problems in Massachusetts – while pointing fingers at everyone else. Yet, when confronted by an insurer or an appraiser who does not fully understand what is required to properly repair a modern vehicle, this same shop rolls over submissively, tail tucked, hoping for a pat on the head and an “atta boy.” This mindset is at the core of our industry’s problems. Finger-pointing is not a solution. Accountability – starting with the reflection in the mirror – is.

A junkyard dog, on the other hand, understands its role clearly: to protect the business, the employees who depend on it and – most importantly – the vehicle owners who rely on honest, safe and proper repairs performed at a fair and reasonable price. A junkyard dog stands up to deceptive practices. A junkyard dog challenges insurance appraisers who, at the direction of their employers, knowingly engage in conduct that undermines proper repairs and fair reimbursement – every single day.

One important fact to remember is that hypocrisy is not independence. For those who consider themselves junkyard dogs, there is another hard truth to confront: hypocrisy. Hypocrisy occurs when a shop claims independence and proclaims that it works solely for the vehicle owner – while simultaneously maintaining contractual relationships as a referral or program shop for one or more insurers. Every shop owner has the right to decide how they attract work. That is not the issue. The issue is this: As long as even a small minority of shops maintain these relationships, the insurance industry will continue to hold them up as “proof” that there is nothing wrong with the labor reimbursement rate. This is exactly how an insurance industry representative sitting on the Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board (ABLRAB) was able to claim – without evidence – that the Massachusetts collision repair industry is “vibrant” and “doing well.” That statement only survives because some shops allow it to.

The ABLRAB’s record tells a different story, as much as certain Board members try to hide it. The facts actually tell a very different story. The Advisory Board received seven formal recommendations from Board members and 13 written submissions from concerned industry participants. Out of all the submissions, only one suggested there was nothing wrong with the labor reimbursement rate.

Even more telling: Not a single collision repair facility provided oral testimony – either in person or remotely – claiming the industry was “vibrant” and adequately reimbursed. Conspicuously absent were the shops supposedly “waiting in line” to join insurer referral programs – shops that, according to insurers, are eager to work for substandard rates while surrendering their rights to proper repairs and balance billing.

One may ask, where do we go from here? Once again, the answer starts in the mirror. Every shop owner must question that reflection:

•  Is my posted labor rate real, defensible, fair and reasonable

    – or just a number I hope to get paid?

•  Am I charging different rates based on the presence or

    absence of insurance, despite Massachusetts law

    prohibiting that practice?

•  Do I fully understand that if my rate is ever challenged,

    my so-called “insurance partners” will not defend me?

Insurance companies are quick to say, “We don’t fix vehicles – we only pay for the work.” If you are a referral or program shop, your contract ensures they bear no responsibility. This reality alone should prompt every shop owner to take a hard look at the referral and program lists provided by insurers. WHY? You may be on them without knowing it! Many shops believe they are not on any insurer referral list because they have not renewed a contract in years – or even decades. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If you want to ensure you are not being used – by even one insurer – to justify a so-called prevailing rate, there is only one way to do it: if you so choose to make the independent business decision to be clear of all contractual insurance obligation, you must send written notice to every insurer you do business with – or could potentially do business with – stating clearly that:

•  You do not wish to be considered a referral shop, and

•  Your name is to be removed from all referral lists.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: You must also send a copy of that letter to the Division of Insurance (DOI). Just imagine the impact a widespread, independent, and documented action like this would have. It would be a great message.

Of course, this step can only be taken by a true junkyard dog – not a killer puppy fighting for scraps. The choice is yours! You will only truly know which one you are when you take a hard look in the mirror.

If you are not currently an MABA member and want to learn more about Being a Part of the Fix in ’26, membership information can be found on page 7 or by visiting our website now at massautobody.org.

MABA will continue to apply relentless pressure exposing the failures of the ADALB process while highlighting the overwhelming consensus that the labor reimbursement rate must be addressed by the Legislature.

But understand this clearly: Every killer puppy in our industry is a potential roadblock to real reform.

So, the question remains – which do you want to be?

Want more? Check out the February 2026 issue of New England Automotive Report!