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Insurance companies are denying destructive weld testing claims at record rates. We've got the data, the pattern, and what you need to file before they say no.
INSURANCE
1. 44% of Shops Never Paid for Destructive Weld Testing
The latest 'Who Pays for What?' survey shows only 25% of shops are regularly paid for destructive weld testing, while 44% report insurers "never pay" for the service. This marks the second consecutive year denials have climbed. If you're billing for this and losing, you need OEM documentation in your supplement before you submit.
Mark says: Pull the OEM spec sheet for every structural repair and cite it in the supplement before the adjuster denies it.
2. EPA Recognizes SEMA Under Trump's 'Freedom to Fix' Memo
The Environmental Protection Agency has formally recognized SEMA as an alternative emissions authority following President Trump's 'Freedom to Fix' executive memorandum. This reaffirms the 2023 MOU between automakers, ASA, and SCRS on repair access and documentation. Collision shops now have clearer ground to demand OEM service data and repair procedures.
Mark says: You can now cite federal right-to-repair recognition when an insurer or OEM blocks your access to scan data or calibration specs.
3. NHTSA Proposes Dropping Manual Brake Requirement for Autonomous Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing to eliminate the manual brake requirement in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for fully autonomous vehicles. This signals a major shift in how collision shops will handle brake system diagnostics and ADAS integration on next-gen platform vehicles.
Mark says: Start tracking NHTSA rulings on autonomous systems now; they'll dictate your calibration scope and liability in 18 months.
4. SCRS Establishes ADAS Repair Division with Inaugural Governing Council
The Society of Collision Repair Specialists has launched a dedicated ADAS Repair Division and appointed its first Governing Council. The division will focus on standardizing ADAS repair protocols, training, and industry advocacy. This is the first formal collision-specific body tasked with ADAS best practices at scale.
Mark says: Join the SCRS ADAS division webinars and working groups; this is where supplement language and billing standards get written.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released a study crediting three decades of crashworthiness testing with nearly 50,000 fewer traffic fatalities between 1999 and 2024, plus an estimated $538 billion in societal savings. The research underscores why ADAS calibration and structural repair standards matter at the shop level. Every inch of OEM spec compliance protects real lives.
Mark says: Use this data with insurers and customers when they push back on calibration time or OEM procedure costs.
Getting denied on weld testing or calibration work? Submit a denied claim to our free Calibration Denial Audit and get an OEM-backed rebuttal in 60 seconds. No signup, no pitch.
Published by Absolute ADAS. Mark Fowler, owner. Mobile ADAS calibration in Western Washington. 50,000+ calibrations on the floor.
👀 Tomorrow: the SCRS ADAS Governing Council releases its first protocol priorities and we're tracking which insurers are still stonewalling destructive weld documentation.