§ 27-10.1-6 - Conduct of motor vehicle damage appraisers. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 27-10.1-6

   § 27-10.1-6  Conduct of motor vehicledamage appraisers. – (a) Each appraiser, while engaged in appraisal duties, shall carry the licenseissued to that appraiser by the department of business regulation and shalldisplay it, upon request, to an owner whose vehicle is being inspected, to theauto body shop representative involved, or to any authorized representative ofthe department of business regulation.

   (b) The appraiser shall leave a legible copy of his or herappraisal with the auto body shop selected to make the repairs, which appraisalshall contain the name of the insurance company ordering it, if any, theinsurance file number, the number of the appraiser's license, and the properidentification number of the vehicle being inspected, and notice in boldfacetype, reading as follows:

   "PURSUANT TO RHODE ISLAND LAW, THE CONSUMER HAS THE RIGHT TOCHOOSE THE REPAIR FACILITY TO COMPLETE REPAIRS TO A MOTOR VEHICLE; AND ANINSURANCE COMPANY MAY NOT INTERFERE WITH THE CONSUMER'S CHOICE OF REPAIRER."All damage unrelated to the incident or accident that occasioned the appraisalof the vehicle, or old damage, shall be clearly indicated in the appraisal.

   (c) The appraiser shall not obtain a competitive estimatefrom another auto body shop unless the owner of that other shop, or his or herauthorized agent, has inspected the vehicle. No competitive estimate shall beobtained by the use of photographs, telephone calls, or in any manner otherthan a personal inspection.

   (d) No appraiser shall request that repairs be made in aspecified auto body shop.

   (e) Every appraiser shall re-inspect damaged vehicles whensupplementary allowances are requested by the auto body shops.

   (f) No appraiser shall receive directly or indirectly anygratuity or other consideration in connection with his or her appraisalservices from any person except his or her employer, or, if self-employed, hisor her customers.

   (g) No appraiser shall traffic in automobile salvage if it isobtained in any way as a result of appraisal services rendered by the appraiser.

   (h) No appraiser shall obtain an estimate from an unlicensedautomobile body repair shop nor shall any appraiser agree on a price forrepairing a damaged motor vehicle with an unlicensed automobile body repairshop. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to preclude anappraiser from dealing with any entity not subject to the licensing provisionsof § 5-38-4.