When the war ended in 1945, civilian registrations for cars and trucks hit a new high. Accident frequency increased. Auto body repair costs skyrocketed 134 percent over pre-war prices. The body shop bonanza soon began costing consumers plenty. Rising auto body repair claim payments were passed on in higher auto insurance premiums.
During 1946 the insurance industry surveyed the problem and found many auto body garage men who recklessly inflated their repair estimates, consumers who exaggerated damages to insured vehicles, and insurance agents and adjusters who did not have the automotive technical skills needed to avoid paying inflated auto repair claims.
Founded in 1947 as the Independent Appraisal Plan, its mission was "to protect insurance consumers from overpaying for auto body repairs." This was done by having an unbiased automotive specialist "appraiser" assess vehicle damage and establish a fair cost of repair instead of relying on body shop estimates or estimates prepared by unqualified personnel. The Independent Appraisal Plan was approved in 1947 by the Association of Casualty and Surety Companies and the National Association of Mutual Companies. The Plan reorganized in 1964 as the Independent Automotive Damage Appraisers Association (IADA), a national not-for-profit organization.
IADA's on-going program features:
IADA is a leader in the insurance/automotive industry in providing not only its members, but the entire industry, a forum for exchange of ideas and solutions to common problems in automotive appraisal and repair. Through national and regional educational seminars and the distribution of technical information, IADA members receive the diversity of training needed for appraisers to stay in the vanguard of this complex industry. Authoritative speakers address these seminars, not only on auto repair matters, but also on heavy trucks and equipment, motorcycles, boats, tires, plastics, high alloy metals, mig welding, new paints, measuring equipment, fire analysis, and product failure -- a wide range of technical issues in our industry. For many years, claims executives of the self-insured and insurance industries have participated in these seminars so they may stay abreast of the fast-changing automotive field.
The IADA is also closely allied with other organizations whose goal is to upgrade the industry. Our members work closely with the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) -- we support it fully and have served on its executive board.
The IADA is in a class by itself. There is no other group of appraisers -- independent or otherwise -- who have consistently associated with each other for more than 50 years while furthering the goals and standards of the appraisal industry. IADA members have built a solid reputation based on their commitment to providing quality automotive damage appraisals and evaluations at competitive fees. Objective appraisals provided by competent automotive specialists will improve your auto claim or fleet operations productivity and reduce costs while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction. So, if you are looking to avoid needless auto repair over-payments and improve the accuracy of total loss or lease-end settlement information, IADA is the answer. If you are ready to develop a national or regional automotive damage appraisal, direct repair re-inspection, or fleet vehicle condition appraisal service program for your company, call 800-369-IADA.
IADA Board of Directors
President ROB WHITE TEC Appraisers, Inc. 3205 Latham Dr. Madison, WI 53713 (608) 274-6776 (800) 236-8321 FAX
First Vice President LEO MAKI Michigan Appraisal Company P.O. Box 88070 Kentwood, MI 49518 (608) 274-6776 (608) 274-3032 FAX
Secretary/Treasurer PETE DUHAMEL Duhamel & Duhamel LLC 40 North Street Danbury, CT 067810 (203) 792-2150 (203) 791-8066 FAX
IADA Regional Vice Presidents
BILL AMBROSINO Ambro Adjustment, Inc. AA Business Way Hopedale, MA 01747 (508) 634-8478 (508) 634-8235 FAX
NORTHEAST Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia
JOHNNY HUGHES Tangible Weight, Inc. 310 Woodland Drive Wake Forest, NC 27587 (919) 570-1605 (919) 570-1606 FAX
SOUTHEAST Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
JOHN R. DUMERER John R. DuMerer & Associates 1698 Cortland Court Addison, IL 60101 (630) 543-7032 (630) 543-7032 FAX
MIDWEST Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
TODD JACKSON Appraisal Service of Arkansas 200 Pulaski Street Little Rock, AR 72201 501 373-2990 501 372-2272 FAX
SOUTHWEST Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
DAVE CONGER Western Claims & Appraisers 901 S. Craycroft Road Tucson, AZ 85711 520 790-4808 520 571-0419 FAX
WESTERN Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming