06/23/2026

Do Departments of Insurance Actually Do Anything for Collision Repairers?

Source: Body Shop Business

For as long as I’ve been in the collision industry, repairers have complained about how ineffectual their respective state’s Department of Insurance (DOI) is. And they’re right — because the DOI’s sole mission is to protect consumers, not shops. For example, Ohio’s DOI states as their mission: to provide consumer protection through education and fair but vigilant regulation while promoting a stable and competitive environment for insurers. 

When collision repairers complain to the DOI about a particular insurer, the DOIs all say the same thing: we don’t get involved in business disputes between shops and insurers. The DOI also emphasizes they are neither a judge, jury nor court of law. Basically, a shop has to convince a consumer to file a complaint with the DOI because the shop cannot do that on their behalf. Then, the DOI has to see a pattern of abuse, otherwise they will not take action.

Shops in states with elected insurance commissioners stand a better chance of getting the outcome they want — because at least they have a vote as to who that commissioner will be. Only nine states have an elected insurance commissioner, the rest are appointed. And usually, it’s an ex-insurance person who is appointed — which is kind of like giving the fox the keys to the henhouse.

North Carolina is one of those states with an elected commissioner, and he’s a good one: Mike Causey. You might recognize the name as Causey wrote for BodyShop Business from 2002 to 2004, emphasizing the importance of getting involved in politics, educating consumers, and fighting against steering and insurer control. Admittedly, he is an ex-insurer too, but the difference is that he grew up in the automotive business, his family owning a junkyard called Causey Motor Co. that sold used auto parts and, at one time, did auto body repair, so he has been active in the collision repair world for over 25 years. When he first ran for commissioner in 2012, he said, “I’m running for insurance commissioner because people are hurting from high insurance costs and lack of response from the Department of Insurance. We must create a free market insurance system and get people some relief from high insurance premiums.”

Causey spoke last month at the SCRS open board meeting in Charlotte alongside N.C. DOI Regional Director Mike LaBrose and Vehicle Towing, Recovery and Repair Analyst Belinda Harris. Even though he lends an understanding ear to body shops, he still has to conduct himself within the confines of the code of the DOI. But that’s better than nothing. Some shops become so fed up with their DOI that they go to the attorney general. But in North Carolina, there’s a fighting chance you’ll be heard.