STATE LAW / ANTI-STEERING
Can the insurer make your customer use their shop?
What the law says in 22 states about insurers requiring, recommending or steering a customer to a body shop. Every quote is the law's own words, from each state's official publisher, with the citation so you can check it yourself.
The short answer
In most of these states, the law bars an insurer from requiring a customer to use a particular shop, though the conditions vary. Many also limit when an insurer may recommend a shop, usually by requiring it to tell the customer they are free to choose.
The rules differ in whom they protect, whether recommending is allowed, and who pays when the shop costs more than the insurer's estimate. 22 of 22 states have a statute or rule in our collection that addresses shop choice. Where we found nothing, the table says so.
| State | What it means | The law's own words |
|---|---|---|
| ArizonaAll Arizona rules | Your customer has the right to choose any repair shop in Arizona; glass has its own rule. The insurer can still recommend a shop or give out shop information, but it must tell your customer about that right at the same time. If your customer picks a shop the insurer owns an interest in, the adjuster on the car can't work for that shop or have direct authority over its repair decisions. The law says it creates no right to sue. The statute states it creates no private right of action. Glass has its own section (A.R.S. § 20-469). |
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| CaliforniaAll California rules | The insurer can't require your customer, insured or third-party claimant, to use a particular shop. It can't even recommend one unless your customer asks for a referral or has been told in writing that they can pick the shop. Once your customer has chosen you, the insurer can't suggest they switch. If your customer accepts the insurer's recommended shop, the insurer must restore the car to pre-loss condition at no extra cost beyond the policy. If the customer accepts the insurer's recommended shop, the insurer must restore the car to its pre-loss condition at no added cost beyond the policy. Insurers must also give the Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights. |
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| ColoradoAll Colorado rules | The insurer and its agents can't require your customer to use a particular shop, or threaten, pressure or offer incentives to push them to one, though warranty repairs don't count as an incentive. The insurer must tell your customer they can pick any shop, and it may offer a list to consider. If it recommends a shop it owns or is affiliated with, it must say so. This protects third-party claimants too, and covers property insurance generally, not just auto. The statute covers property insurance generally, not only auto. An insurer that recommends a shop must disclose any ownership interest in or affiliation with it. |
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| FloridaAll Florida rules | No rule in our Florida collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop. But an insurer that chooses to repair and requires a particular shop must restore the car's performance and appearance to pre-loss condition at no extra cost beyond the policy, for an insured or third-party claimant. It may point a third-party claimant to repair options. An adjuster can't steer your customer to anyone the adjuster has an undisclosed financial stake in or is paid by for the referral. No rule in our Florida collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop. The adjuster rule took effect April 21, 2025; a breach is an unfair claims settlement practice. |
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| GeorgiaAll Georgia rules | The insurer can't require your customer to use a particular shop to settle the claim if another shop will do the work for the same cost. It also can't say that using, or not using, a certain shop could mean the claim isn't paid. Under the claims rule, an insured can pick any shop but pays the difference if it costs more than the price the insurer found. That rule's own ban on requiring a shop gives way if the policy allows it. The statute text is from Georgia's 2019 official release; confirm it is current. Under the rule, an insured who picks a costlier shop pays the difference. |
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| IllinoisAll Illinois rules | No rule in our Illinois collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop beyond a travel limit: under the private passenger auto claims rule, the insurer can't make your customer travel unreasonably for an estimate or to a shop it recommends. If an insured's own written estimate is higher than the insurer's, the insurer must respond promptly and name a shop that will do the repair properly. If it doesn't, it must promise in writing to pay all reasonable costs above its estimate. No rule in our Illinois collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop beyond the travel limit. This is a claims-practice rule for private passenger auto. |
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| IndianaAll Indiana rules | Indiana's statutes don't say whether an insurer may require or recommend a shop. The insurer can't misrepresent what the policy says; whether a given steering statement does that is a question for the Department of Insurance or a lawyer. Before an insurer directs a body shop to fix an insured's car, it must give the insured written notice of their right to approve the type of body parts. That notice rule covers cars up to five years past their model year. Indiana's statutes do not say whether an insurer may require or recommend a particular shop; whether a given steering statement misrepresents the policy under IC 27-4-1-4.5(1) is a question for the Department of Insurance or counsel. The parts-notice rule protects insureds, not third-party claimants, for the model year and five years after. The Department's Bulletin 71 (1991) interprets that rule; read it on the Department's website. Unfair claim practice complaints go to the Indiana Department of Insurance. |
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| MarylandAll Maryland rules | An adjuster, appraiser, insurance producer or insurer employee can't require your customer to use a specific repair shop, for the appraisal or the repair. They can recommend a shop, but only if they tell your customer they don't have to use it. This protects insureds and claimants alike. Adjusters and appraisers also can't take payment from a shop for recommending it. Applies to "an adjuster, appraiser, or insurance producer or employee of an insurer." Adjusters and appraisers also may not accept payment from a shop for recommending it. Quoted from the Maryland General Assembly's statute text, checked October 23, 2026. |
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| MassachusettsAll Massachusetts rules | Appraisers and insurers can't ask or suggest that your customer use a particular shop, refer your customer to or away from any shop, or require one. Inside an approved direct payment plan, the insurer still can't require a shop, but referral shops are allowed: the plan must give your customer one list of every registered shop, and the insurer may mark at least five nearby referral shops on it. It can't hand out a separate list of only its referral shops. Referral shops are allowed inside approved direct payment plans, which must give the claimant one list of all registered shops. |
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| MichiganAll Michigan rules | The insurer, its agents and its adjusters can't unreasonably restrict an insured from using the shop they want. That is not an outright ban: the test is whether the restriction is unreasonable. By the time a claim is filed, the insurer must say whether it has agreements with any repair shops, and it must tell the insured they don't have to use a particular shop. This protects the insured under private passenger nonfleet policies. The standard is "unreasonably restrict," not an outright ban, and it protects the insured under private passenger nonfleet policies. |
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| MinnesotaAll Minnesota rules | The insurer or adjuster can't make payment depend on using a particular shop, or use pressure, threats or incentives to push an insured toward or away from one; perks in a preferred vendor program don't count. When a claim is reported, the insurer must tell your customer they have the legal right to choose a shop and the policy covers reasonable repair costs wherever they go. Once an insured picks a shop, the insurer must stop all efforts to influence that choice. Once the insured has picked a shop, the insurer must stop trying to influence that choice. |
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| MissouriAll Missouri rules | No rule in our Missouri collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop beyond a travel limit: the insurer can't make your customer travel unreasonably for an estimate or to a specific shop. It must give your customer a copy of its estimate and may name nearby shops. If it designates the shop, it must restore the car to pre-loss condition at no extra cost beyond the policy, and it must have reasonable standards so shops it owns or requires do workmanlike repairs. No rule in our Missouri collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop beyond the travel limit. When the insurer designates a shop, it must restore the car to pre-loss condition at no added cost beyond the policy. |
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| MontanaAll Montana rules | The insurer, its producers and its adjusters can't require your customer to use a particular body shop for an estimate or repair, or pressure or reward them for using one. Your customer, insured or third-party claimant, can use any shop they choose, and the insurer must pay the reasonable and necessary repair cost, less the deductible. It doesn't have to pay more than the market price defined in MCA 33-18-222. On request, it must give a list of qualifying shops. On request, the insurer must give a list of qualifying shops. It does not have to pay more than the market price defined in MCA 33-18-222. |
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| New JerseyAll New Jersey rules | The insured can use any repair shop they choose, but the insurer can't settle a claim with an unlicensed shop. An insurer with shop deals can't deny that choice if your shop accepts the same terms, including price, as its most generous deal. Before any repair, you must have the insured sign the state's notice that accepting those terms may put a manufacturer or dealer warranty or lease at risk. The insurer may recommend a shop, and must if the insured asks. The customer's shop must accept the same terms, including price, as the insurer's most generous shop arrangement. The N.J.A.C. text is the Department's copy; confirm against the official code. |
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| New YorkAll New York rules | When an insured has a collision or comprehensive loss, the insurer can't require a particular shop, and can't recommend or suggest one unless the insured asks. Its estimate must tell the insured in print that they can have the car fixed at the shop of their choice. The recommendation limit and the estimate notice don't apply to glass-only claims. A 2002 decision by New York's highest court read the rule as restricting recommendations of particular shops, not the insurer promoting its repair program. Circular Letter 16 (2000), which told insurers they could recommend shops, was withdrawn effective December 4, 2003 and should not be relied on. New York's highest court, in Allstate v. Serio (2002), read the rule as restricting recommendations of particular shops, not an insurer's promotion of its repair program. |
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| North CarolinaAll North Carolina rules | Policies must let your customer pick the shop. The insurer, its producers, adjusters and appraisers may recommend a shop only by clearly telling your customer they don't have to use it, can use any shop, will be paid the insurer's amount either way, and that the insurer or its representative has a financial interest in that shop. The insurer can't require repairs at a shop it owns. A 2026 law adds a 10-business-day payment deadline for claims arising on or after October 1, 2026. A 2026 law (S.L. 2026-41) changes this section's payment terms for claims arising on or after October 1, 2026; the text shown does not include that change. |
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| OhioAll Ohio rules | No rule in our Ohio collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop beyond a travel limit: it can't make your customer travel an unreasonable distance for an estimate or to a specific shop. If your customer's estimate is higher, the insurer must pay the difference or promptly name a shop that will do the job for its estimate. If it chooses to repair and picks the shop, it must restore the car to pre-loss condition. The rule gives no right to sue. No rule in our Ohio collection bars an insurer from requiring or recommending a shop beyond the travel limit. The rule states it creates no private cause of action. |
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| PennsylvaniaAll Pennsylvania rules | An appraiser, or whoever employs the appraiser, can't require repairs at a particular shop. Every appraisal must state that your customer doesn't have to use any specific shop, and that costs above the appraisal may be the owner's responsibility. An appraiser who names a shop must include that same no-requirement statement. The insurer may give the names of two or more nearby shops when your customer asks on their own. On a claimant's unsolicited request, an insurer may give the names of two or more conveniently located shops (31 Pa. Code 146.8). |
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| TennesseeAll Tennessee rules | No rule in our Tennessee collection bars requiring a shop, and our collection doesn't include the Tennessee Code. The insurer must tell the policyholder they can choose who does the repairs, unless the policy names the vendor. It can't make an insured travel an unreasonable distance for an estimate or to a specific shop. If an insured's estimate is higher and the dispute stays unresolved, the insurer must pay the difference or name at least one nearby shop that will repair for its estimate. The notice duty does not apply when the policy itself specifies a vendor. Our collection does not include the Tennessee Code Annotated. |
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| TexasAll Texas rules | The insurer, its agents and adjusters can't tell your customer they must use a specific shop or one on a preferred list, and in a third-party claim the insurer can't require a particular shop. Referral fees are barred, and the insurer must give notice of the right to choose. A policy can limit shop choice only if the limit is on the face of the policy and the insured agreed in writing. The insurer only has to pay a reasonable amount. A policy can limit shop choice only if the limit is shown on the face of the policy and the insured consents in writing (Tex. Ins. Code 1952.301 and 1952.307). Referral fees and unreasonable travel demands are also barred. |
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| VirginiaAll Virginia rules | No one, including the insurer and its representatives, can require your customer to use a designated shop as a condition of settling or paying a claim, or pressure them into one. When the insurer recommends a shop, it must tell your customer right then that they don't have to use it, and disclose any financial interest it has in that shop. It may name nearby qualified shops, and it doesn't have to pay more than the going competitive rate in the area. The insurer may give the names of conveniently located qualified shops (14VAC5-400-80). It need not pay more than prevailing competitive charges in the area. |
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| WashingtonAll Washington rules | No rule in our Washington collection bars requiring or recommending a shop, or requires telling your customer they can choose; the right-to-choose statute covers only glass. The insurer can't make your customer travel unreasonably for an estimate or to a specific shop. If your customer's shop costs more than the insurer's estimate, they must be told they may owe the difference. If the insurer picks the shop, its estimate must restore the car at no extra cost to an insured beyond the policy. No rule in our Washington collection bars an insurer from recommending a shop or requires telling the customer they may choose one. The right-to-choose statute, RCW 48.30.340, covers auto glass only. Text shown is effective October 18, 2026. |
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Where these quotes come from
Each quote is copied from the official text published by the state's legislature or insurance department. Nearly all of it is the law text Collision CoPilot captures and monitors for changes; where a row says otherwise, we read it directly from the official site. The citation shows the edition or effective date of the text. This page was last checked on October 23, 2026.
Indiana Code text was retrieved through the Indiana General Assembly's Public API in October 2026. INscribe and the Indiana General Assembly cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from INscribe.
What this page is not
This page quotes the law. It does not apply it to your situation, and it is not legal advice. BainbridgeAI LLC is not a law firm. Court decisions, agency guidance and the wording of the customer's policy can change how a rule applies. If the text does not settle your question, take it to a licensed attorney in your state.
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