Laura Bertolli

What is CAA? California Autobody Association is our industry's leading association. Across the nation, California is looked to for help in regulations and laws relating to the autobody industry. We are lucky that our own CAA is actively lobbying for the autobody industry. They are in constant communication with the Department of Insurance (DOI), the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and our elected officials, especially Senator Jackie Speier. Our local chapter, Golden Gate, is being revived with the help of Blake Andros (Blake's Auto Body) and myself. I'm excited to have the opportunity to get local shops involved in such an important group. We held an introductory meeting on Friday and had several shops commit to joining. We will have bimonthly meetings and hopefully take back our industry from those trying to take it away from us. For more info, please contact me and I'll be glad to fill you in on what we're doing.

Can't live without it, can't live with it! Insurance is a necessary part of our lives; life, auto, home, umbrella, liability, uninsured motorist, health, dental, mortgage, accident, earthquake, flood and the list goes on. If a profit can be made, insurance will be created to cover any loss. My wish is for insurance to stick to what they sell - monetary relief for a covered loss. I wish they would stop trying to control the manner in which the covered loss is taken care of. Let the policyholder decide how they want their medical, dental, home, auto, etc problem solved (under the terms of the policy purchased, of course). Any attempt by the insurance to control the remedies further is not the insurance specialty and ought to be left to the professionals providing the service. This is my conviction and my vision.

After a weekend of family and friends, I had a chance to reflect as I drove to work. The sky was full of clouds and the sun was peeking through. I admired the hills and trees along 101 and the view of Mt. Tam from San Rafael is one I am so grateful for. Life is beautiful. I am blessed with wonderful kids, family nearby, friends who complete me, and fulfilling work. I am lucky to work with the 'cream of the crop' - technicians who work as a team, helping and teaching each other to strive for the highest quality repairs. Take time from your stressful day to appreciate where you live and with whom you spend life. May you have a peaceful holiday season filled with love.

I just got back from an autobody convention called NACE (National Autobody Convention and Exposition). This is the biggest convention for our industry. I enjoyed attending the California Autobody Association Board Meeting. California has led the country in laws and regulations regarding our industry. The best part of NACE is hearing from other shop owners all around the nation. Some areas are having a hard time financially and others are just now learning about the low VOC paints we use here in California. I was disappointed in how many shops are dying to become a DRP (direct repair provider) for insurance companies. They think this is the only way to get work. DRPs do provide a steady flow of customers that are steered to their shop, but this is not the only way to get work. I believe in the old fashioned way of advertising, networking and getting out in the community so people know and trust you. There are a few shop owners like me, but they are few and far between. They w

Last night Bertolli's hosted a fellowship event for my Rotary club. Each quarter we get together in the evening to have drinks and get to know each other better. We took the opportunity to honor a longtime employee, Mark Poore, who has worked in the autobody industry for 30 years as an auto painter. Everyone had fun, ate well (a Mexican feast!) and enjoyed each other's company in a less structured, informal way. For more info on Rotary - check out our club's website at www.rotary-sanrafael.org.

Hello! Today I posted my picture so you know what I look like. Of course, if you came from the website (www.bertollis.com), you would have seen me on video.

Hello! Welcome to the Bertolli's Auto Body Shop blog. Our daily dealings with customers, insurance companies, car dealers, employees, etc. can offer some insight into the world of an auto body shop. Our customers entrust us with what amounts to the second most valuable investment they make (after a home) and expect us to repair it properly - safely and beautifully. Of course, we charge for this service. Fortunately for our customers and us, an insurance company will pay for most of the cost of repairs. The goal of the insurance claims adjuster is to minimize the cost of the repairs. We politely refer to this situation as a 'negotiation'. The bottom line is that there are three parties to an auto body repair - the customer, the shop and the insurance company - all with the same goal in mind; repairing a vehicle to its pre-accident condition. We have many stories to tell and hope you enjoy reading them.