Vehicle Recall Safety Concerns: Understanding the Process
Thursday, May 22, 2014
According to the Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, one in three vehicle recalls are never fixed. While every customer will offer a slightly differing opinion as to why they choose not to take advantage of the recall process, the insurance group acknowledges a few factors that average consumer may perceive as challenging.
“I think that it is a combination of things,” said Karen O’Neil, a spokesperson for the Hanover Insurance Group. “I think that the amount of time that repairs could take, the inconvenience of the whole process, and just general uncertainty about vehicle recalls are all factors as to why some people never bring their cars in for repair.”
A lot has been made of vehicle recalls as of late, especially on the heels of GM’s most recent recall of 218,000 vehicles on May 21st, their 29th announcement of the year. This recall brings their US year-to-date total to 13.8 million vehicles, which already eclipses their previous record of 10.75 million vehicles in 2004.
Calling Attention to the Issue
Many initiatives have been put into place to make sure that drivers are more aware of vehicle recalls and how they go through the process of getting the vehicle repaired. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has many tools available on their website so that vehicle owners can be more informed.
A standardized label was created at the beginning of this year by the NHTSA in order to make notices sent through the mail more noticeable to customers. In addition, vehicle owners can see all of the most current recall information on the NHTSA website and can even search for individual car models.
The NHTSA has also created a phone app called SaferCar, giving vehicle owners the ability to receive a notification if their vehicle is being recalled. All of these efforts are put into place to increase the amount of cars that are being fixed.
“All of these websites and apps are certainly helping to inform customers about recalls,” said O’Neil. “I also think that the standardized label will be particularly helpful so that customers will be able to understand what they are getting in the mail. I think that one of the problems before was that people weren’t getting the notices or the information that they needed to even know that their car had been recalled.”
Used Cars
According to O’Neil, the easiest way to check whether or not repairs have been made – other than asking the dealership or person that you are buying the car from – is to use the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) which is located inside the driver’s side door.
“As long as you use the VIN number that is located on the car then it is easy to track whether or not repairs have been made,” said O’Neil. “Always try to ask the previous owner or seller about recall repairs but in the event that they are unaware, then the VIN number can certainly be used.”
Vehicle Recalls and Insurance
Insurance is another issue cited when thinking of the car recall process. If an accident is caused by a vehicle that was recalled, what happens to the driver’s insurance rate?
According to David White, a Boston injury and insurance attorney, a recalled vehicle shouldn’t present any problem to the owner of the car in the event of an accident.
“The first step in any accident is to determine who is at fault,” said White. “If the result of the accident turns out to be because of a known defect, then there shouldn’t be a surcharge from the insurance company.”
Although accidents caused by a defect are quite rare, White says that consumers should understand that they aren’t to blame for the accident. In cases such as these, White says that the blame often falls back on the manufacturer and not the customer. If a surcharge has been applied to a customer’s insurance after an accident that is a result of a vehicle recall, then it is something that can be fought.
“Oftentimes you will find that insurance companies will go after the manufacturer,” said White. “If you are the victim of an accident caused by a defect then you have the right to contest any surcharges to your insurance. In most cases, judges have been found to favor the customer.”
Related Slideshow: The Central MA Cities with the Most Expensive Car Insurance
A new ranking for how expensive -- or cheap -- auto insurance is in the Commonwealth has been released by consumer website ValuePenguin for the state's nearly 5 million drivers. ValuePenguin reviewed auto insurance rates in MA for 7 different driver profiles from 35 insurers in the 179 cities with a population over 10,000. The blended cost for each was yielded from the following methodolody:
Included in the study were sample annual premiums from 35 companies, from ACE to Vermont Mutual. Seven kinds of driver situations were represented, including single adults of various years of driving experience, three married couples, and a married couple with a teenaged driver. Rates were pulled for policies covering the minimum liability limits per Massachusetts law up to 100/300/100 for married couples.
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