The latest quarterly survey is now open through the month of January and focuses on not-included refinish labor operations
Portland, Ore.—More than 3 out of 5 shops continued to say they have never billed for the labor to perform a radar power test, according to the quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey this past October, a statistic unchanged from the same survey a year earlier, which was the first to ask about shops’ billing (and insurers’ payment) practices related to the procedure. That’s likely in part because only a small number of automaker models—including some Toyota and Mercedes-Benz vehicles—require such a test.
But among those conducting the procedure and seeking payment, nearly half (47%) say they are paid for that labor regularly by the eight large national insurance companies asked about in the survey. That’s up five percentage points from 2023.
“It’s a static function test to see if painting the bumper has reduced the power of a radar sensor too much,” Mike Anderson of Collision Advice, who conducts the “Who Pays” surveys with CRASH Network, said of the procedure. “The test is needed if the system uses higher resolution radar for blind spot systems that are able to identify not just a vehicle in the blind spot but even smaller objects such as a bicycle. The test uses what is essentially a metal pole on wheels, to measure, when the system is engaged, how much the bumper cover is reducing the power signal of the radar sensor.”
The latest quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey is now open through the month of January. It focuses on not-included refinish labor operations. Shops can take the survey here.
Survey participants receive a free report with complete survey findings along with analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented.
The survey can be completed in about 15 minutes by anyone familiar with their shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of at least some of the largest national insurers. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence; only aggregated data is released.
The results of previous surveys are also available online.
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