Substitute House Bill No. 5152
AN ACT CONCERNING MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIRS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 38a-354 of the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (c) as follows (Effective January 1, 2009):
(NEW) (c) Any appraisal or estimate for a motor vehicle physical damage claim written on behalf of an insurer shall include the following notice, printed in not less than ten-point boldface type:
NOTICE:
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE LICENSED REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE DAMAGE TO YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED.
Sec. 2. Section 38a-364 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2009):
(a) For the purposes of sections 14-12b and 14-12c, subsection (a) of section 14-13, sections 14-213b and 14-217 and this section, "private passenger motor vehicle" shall have the same meaning as in subsection (e) of section 38a-363.
(b) Each insurance company [which] that issues private passenger motor vehicle liability insurance providing the security required by sections 38a-19 of the 2008 supplement to the general statutes and 38a-363 to 38a-388, inclusive, shall issue annually to each such insured an automobile insurance identification card, in duplicate, for each insured vehicle, one of which shall be presented to the commissioner as provided in section 14-12b and the other carried in the vehicle as provided in section 14-12f. Except as provided in subsection (c), such card shall be effective for a period of one year and shall include the name of the insured and insurer, the policy number, the effective date of coverage, the year, make or model and vehicle identification number of the insured vehicle and an appropriate space wherein the insured may set forth the year, make or model and vehicle identification number of any private passenger motor vehicle that becomes covered as a result of a change in the covered vehicle during the effective period of the identification card. When an insured has five or more private passenger motor vehicles registered in this state, the insurer may use the designation "all owned vehicles" on each card in lieu of a specific vehicle description. Each insurance company that delivers, issues for delivery or renews such private passenger motor vehicle liability insurance in this state on or after January 1, 2009, shall include on such card, the following notice, printed in capital letters and boldface type:
NOTICE:
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE LICENSED REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE DAMAGE TO YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED.
(c) Whenever a binder for such insurance is issued by an agent, the agent shall also issue a temporary identification card, in duplicate, for each covered vehicle effective for a period of sixty days from the date on which the binder becomes effective. Such temporary cards shall include the name of the insured and insurer, the printed name and signature of the agent or authorized representative, the effective date of the binder, the policy number or, if such number is not available, the agent's code number and the year, make or model and vehicle identification number of the insured vehicle.
(d) The provisions of this section shall apply only to private passenger motor vehicles registered in this state.
Sec. 3. Section 14-65i of the 2008 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2009):
(a) Each motor vehicle repair shop shall prominently display a sign twenty-four inches by thirty-six inches in each area of its premises where work orders are placed by customers. The sign, which shall be in boldface type, shall read as follows:
THIS ESTABLISHMENT IS LICENSED WITH THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
EACH CUSTOMER IS ENTITLED TO. . .
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1. A WRITTEN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR WORK.
2. A DETAILED INVOICE OF WORK DONE AND PARTS SUPPLIED.
3. RETURN OF REPLACED PARTS, PROVIDED THE REQUEST IS MADE AT THE TIME WRITTEN OR ORAL AUTHORIZATION IS PROVIDED FOR WORK TO BE PERFORMED.
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NO REPAIR WORK MAY BE UNDERTAKEN ON A VEHICLE WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE CUSTOMER.
NO CHARGES FOR REPAIR MAY BE MADE IN EXCESS OF THE WRITTEN ESTIMATE WITHOUT THE WRITTEN OR ORAL CONSENT OF THE CUSTOMER.
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QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE ABOVE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE MANAGER OF THIS REPAIR FACILITY.
UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS REGARDING SERVICE WORK MAY BE SUBMITTED TO:
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DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES
DEALER REPAIR DIVISION
60 STATE STREET, WETHERSFIELD, CONNECTICUT
TELEPHONE:
HOURS OF OPERATION:
(b) Each motor vehicle repair shop shall post a sign, as required by this subsection, in each area of its premises where work orders are placed by customers. The sign shall state: (1) The hourly charge for labor; (2) the conditions, if any, under which the shop may impose charges for storage, and the amount of any such charges; and (3) the charge, if any, for a diagnosis.
(c) Each motor vehicle repair shop shall prominently display a sign in each area of its premises where work orders are placed by customers. The sign, which shall be in boldface type, shall read as follows:
NOTICE:
THE CUSTOMER HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE LICENSED REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE DAMAGE TO HIS OR HER MOTOR VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED.
[(c)] (d) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall determine the size, type face and form of the signs required by this section.
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2009) Any appraisal or estimate for a motor vehicle physical damage claim written on behalf of a motor vehicle repair shop, as defined in section 14-65e of the general statutes, shall include the following notice, printed in not less than ten-point boldface type:
NOTICE:
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE LICENSED REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE DAMAGE TO YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED.
Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2009) (a) No motor vehicle repair shop participating in a motor vehicle repair program established by an insurer shall repair a motor vehicle in such program unless the claimant provides a written acknowledgment that such claimant is aware of his or her right to choose the licensed repair shop where the motor vehicle will be repaired.
(b) Such acknowledgment may be included in the written authorization set forth in subsection (a) of section 14-65f of the general statutes or may be in a separate document.
(c) Such acknowledgment may be transmitted by facsimile or by e-mail and shall read as follows: "I am aware of my right to choose the licensed repair shop where the damage to the motor vehicle will be repaired. "
Approved June 6, 2008