Minnesota Auto Glass Laws

• Autoglass replacement can be expensive.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Auto glass replacement practices came under scrutiny in Minnesota when customer incentives offered by some dealers began to unreasonably inflate insurance claims. Original legislation was vetoed by the Governor as representing unfair trade regulation. The veto was overturned by majority in both houses of Minnesota congress in March 2002, leaving Minnesota HR No. 2570 intact as protection for both the insurance companies and the consumer.
  
  

Legislative Purpose

• Minnesota HR No.2570 requires that payments made by an insurer to an auto glass replacement vendor be based on a competitive price in balance with local industry equivalents for related products and services.
  
  

Consumer Rights

• According to the Minnesota law, insurance companies may recommend a particular auto glass vendor to their insured clients. The insurance company may not, however, require their customers use a recommended vendor and agents must make it explicitly clear that the insured may use any vendor they choose.
  
  

Vendor Prohibitions

• Auto glass replacement vendors in Minnesota who accept payment from an insurance company for services to a particular client may not pay insurance deductibles on behalf of the insured customer. The law also firmly restricts vendors from offering any inducements to sale including rebates, referral fees or trade-in payments.