Consumer Reports insurance safety recommendation

In its 2010 report on car insurance released Sept. 7, Consumer Reports magazine is recommending that car owners demand OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts from their insurers.The Consumers Union publication raised the issue of safety concerns with aftermarket parts and described to its readers some of the recent events in the collision repair industry that have raised concerns.

The magazine cautions readers, "Respondents who said they were pressured to use non-OEM parts had significantly more problems with their repairs." Essentially, by you as a consumer attempting to save money, aftermarket parts may in fact cost you more in the end.

The "bottom line," the magazine tells its readers, is, "Don't let your insurance company pressure you into using aftermarket collision-repair body parts, especially safety-related ones. If your car has already been repaired, check your invoices or ask your insurer to see whether aftermarket parts were used. If knockoffs were used, demand that they be replaced with original equipment."

The full article, and how all the 22 car insurance companies stacked up in Consumer Reports' survey, are available in the October issue on newsstands and online at www.ConsumerReports.org. The online version of the article also includes video footage provided by the Certified Auto Parts Association that shows the astounding failure of an aftermarket energy absorber subjected to a 6.1 MPH impact test.