How fast was this summer?

I know, I know......it's not over.    However, it seems to go by faster and faster every year!  We've had some great weather here in the beautiful Pacifc Northwest.    Seems that is not the case around much of the rest of the country.    The extreme heat is affecting many things including the boating industry.   For those of you that have been affected, my wish is that things get back to "normal" for you asap.

We've been as busy as ever.     Jeanne and I have done a great deal of riding, doing some wine tasting, sightseeing and camping.    I'm now an addict of the riding expience.    In fact, I've done very little boating.    Oh well, you can't do it all, right? 

So my "rant" this month is in regards to insurance companies that tell their customers that they can only go to the companies "preferred" repair shop.    This is irritating on several fronts.  First, and foremost, the law in Washington state is clear:   The insurance companies cannot dictate where you get your boat or car repaired.    The consumer can decide where to go.

These insurance companies can get a repair shop that is not the "best" repair shop, but may have lower rates, to be a "preferred" shop for the company.   They may even intimidate the consumer by stating that the work will not be guaranteed unless the "preferred" shop is utilized.   To me, all of these practices are unethical and are done only to save the insurance companies money.....it is not in the best interest of the consumer who needs to do research in order to make a wise choice.

Another thing that is not necessarily considered by the insurance companies is that just because a shop has a higher hourly rate, does not mean that the job will cost more in the long run.    My rates are near the highest in the area, but because we pride ourselves on our effecient methods, overall I'm told again and again that we at Contemporary Fiberglass are extremely competitive when it comes to all of our services that we provide.   And, the fact that we offer the most services under one roof, makes the time in our shop the lowest available.    And I'm told that that is just as important to the consumer as is the price.

I won't mention the companies that practice this.....but encourage you to do your homework.    If you find that your company tries to steer you to an inferior shop......at the very least, remind them that you have the right by law to choose where you want to go.    And I would think about switching to a company that does not participate in these unethical practices.

Please let me know your thoughts and experiences when it comes to getting your boat repaired.   I'll share them on my blog.   Let's face it, when you've had an accident.....it is traumatic enough.     You just want to get your boat repaired correctly and in a timely manner!   If you have any doubts about what our customers think of their experience, please visit the customer comments page of the website:   www.myswimplatform.com.   Thanks!

Have a great rest of your summer and let's hope for a nice long Indian summer!

Cheers, Scott