Section 113T: Repair shop coverage
Section 113T. Notwithstanding the provisions of section eight G of chapter twenty-six, a motor vehicle liability policy may, upon approval by the commissioner and by endorsement prescribed by the commissioner, include coverage, at the insured's option, pursuant to which the insurer will repair damage to insured motor vehicles, in accordance with collision or limited collision coverage provided under section thirty-four O of chapter ninety or comprehensive coverage provided under sections one hundred and thirteen C and one hundred and thirteen O of this chapter, at participating repair shops. One or more registered automobile damage repair shops may contract with an insurer or insurers as a participating repair shop to repair damage to insured motor vehicles covered under a participating repair shop endorsement. An insurance company offering a participating repair shop endorsement shall provide an appropriate reduction in the premium charges for such coverages, which shall be subject to approval by the commissioner, and such company shall provide any information in support of its reduction as may be required by the commissioner. The commissioner shall have authority to promulgate such rules and regulations as he deems necessary for the implementation of this section. Such rules and regulations may include, but need not be limited to, procedures for approval of such coverages, and standards to ensure that the endorsement will be offered in a nondiscriminatory manner, that the service will be convenient to insureds, and that the repairs will be of comparable quality to those made by non-participating repair shops. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to compel an insurer to offer participating repair shop coverage.
The commissioner shall file said plan as well as such rules as he deems necessary for implementation of the plan with the clerk of the house of representatives on or before September first, nineteen hundred and eighty-nine. The clerk of the house of representatives, with the approval of the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall refer such regulations to the joint committee on insurance within thirty days of such referral, said committee may hold a public hearing on the regulations and shall issue a report to the commissioner. Said commissioner shall review said report and shall adopt final regulations as deemed appropriate in view of said report and said regulations shall take effect as of the first of January, nineteen hundred and ninety.