ABAT’S Jill Tuggle Hosts CIC Legislative Talks and Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards
by Alana Quartuccio
ABAT’s Jill Tuggle surely is the hostess with the mostess. From ABAT events here in the Lone Star State to gracing the stages at various regional events, Tuggle continues to leave her mark as an industry leader all around the country.
Last month, Tuggle played some critical roles during SEMA week in Las Vegas on the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) stage and as host of the Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards celebration at Resorts World.
As co-chair of the Governmental Committee, Tuggle sat down with Justin Lewis (Accurate Auto Body and Washington Independent Collision Repair Association) for a “fireside” chat about Right to Appraisal (RTA). Tuggle and Lewis shared their processes, struggles and wins in their journeys to make RTA mandatory in their states.
Tuggle informed the CIC audience of what a “hot topic” RTA is right now, pointing out that other states like Illinois and New Jersey have recently filed bills in favor of mandatory inclusion of the Appraisal Clause.
As was evident by a polling of the room, not everyone has a clear understanding of what this consumer right actually is, although it’s been a provision in insurance policies since the 1800s, Tuggle explained. As more consumers began to utilize the Appraisal Clause to recoup some out-of-pocket expenses, insurance companies started removing the clause from their policies. “We saw that trend, and we wanted to help solidify RTA for our customers,” Lewis shared, referencing the impetus for WICRA’s efforts.
Great lobbying support was beneficial to both associations. Lewis shared that WICRA’s lobbyist started out as one of his customers who happened to see a flyer in his shop about their efforts and inquired. “It was night and day how much further we got with this bill,” thanks to the lobbying efforts, he stated.
Tuggle stressed that grassroots efforts were a valuable tool as well. “If I could go back in time, I’d empower our members to constantly talk to their local legislators.” She advised CIC attendees, “If you are passionate about making changes in this industry, especially your local industry, reach out to your local legislators and say you’d love to speak to them about what it looks like to be a collision repairer.”
It doesn’t have to be about any current problem or legislative efforts, she stressed. Taking the time to establish key relationships “lays the groundwork” for when it’s time for issues to cross their desk as “it will be more of a personal and real issue.”
She also spoke of the major role played by tools like ABAT’s one-page document which “dumbs down the appraisal process in a way that people could understand it. RTA is not something that’s been really widely talked about in our industry, and it certainly is not something that a legislator is familiar with.”
“If you do bring legislation, be very thorough. Don’t try to rush to get things done as it may not wind up being what’s best for consumers,” advised Lewis.
Later that evening, Tuggle held the distinction of serving as host of the Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards. “It really is an honor to be up here. Just two years ago, I was on this stage on behalf of ABAT, accepting the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ Affiliate of the Year Award. That was truly a high honor for us, so it means a lot to me to be up here tonight to celebrate those who will take home awards this evening. The industry’s never been easy. It’s full of challenges, evolving technology and changing expectations, yet it’s full of people who have risen to all of these challenges. And that’s who we celebrate tonight. The people in the industry who’ve got the grit, integrity and the love for what we do and who we serve.”
Want more? Check out the December 2025 issue of Texas Automotive!