An amendment to Florida House Bill 885, which has been in the state House, would eliminate the current 80 percent threshold for a total-loss vehicle to receive a certificate of destruction – and allow potentially unsafe vehicles to be branded as “repairable” and put back on the roads. The amendment would allow insurers to determine whether the vehicle receives a certificate of destruction.
The legislation has moved to the state Senate.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) encourages Florida automotive repairers to contact their state senators and ask that they oppose H.B. 885.
ASA is opposed to this amendment because it would:
-
Allow unsafe vehicles to operate on Florida’s highways. The amendment would require dangerous vehicles to be branded “repairable” when such vehicles should not be put back on the roads because they cannot be adequately repaired to operate safely.
-
Allow insurance companies to determine whether or not a vehicle should obtain a certificate of destruction. Without the current 80 percent threshold that requires a total-loss vehicle to obtain a certificate of destruction, vehicles that should not be repaired can be returned to the roads.
-
Create dangers for consumers who would be unable to identify the level of damage that a vehicle has sustained because the vehicle branding would not reflect the actual designation of the vehicle as “unrebuildable.” This language would put drivers at risk by removing the only guarantee for consumers to ensure that their vehicles are safe to operate on Florida’s roads.
- Increase the risk for criminal activity because vehicles that are badly damaged would be allowed to obtain a clean title and sold to unsuspecting purchasers.
To view the full text of the bill, as well as ASA’s letter to senate leaders opposing the legislation, visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill.com< /a>. For additional information about ASA, including past news releases, go to www.ASAshop.org.
