Interact with other Texas Body Shops at meetings, educational seminars, and fun events that provide education and team building for you and your staff.

We hold meetings, educational seminars and fun events that provide education and team building for you and your staff. Our vendor partners often sponsor these events for us so there is usually no cost to you. We bring in nationally recognized speakers like Mike Anderson to educate and inspire our members.

Our members have access to databases that contain information on local labor rate surveys, discrepancies in estimating systems, P-page information, and more. We use Ten Point, an independent third party to conduct a Prevailing Competitive Practice (PCP) Survey that provides our members with the information they need negotiate fair compensated for performing auto body repairs.

Legislative Action and Lobbying that addresses issues like steering, parts and database manipulation.

Auto Body Association of Texas President Burl Richards appears before the Texas House Insurance Committee on April 11, 2017. (Screenshot from Texas Legislature video)

ABAT’s efforts do not stop inside the walls of our shops. The association is currently lobbying for Texas House Bill that addresses issues like steering, parts and database manipulation. It also would prevent carriers from using coercion or most incentives — including a guarantee of no out-of-pocket costs — designed to bring customers to the carrier’s network of direct repair shops agreeing to repair the vehicle under certain rates and/or terms. Membership funds are needed for lobbyists, as the insurance companies have some very strong players in the game of lobbying.