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5/7/2024
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Senate OKs Gallo consumer-protection bill
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 STATE HOUSE – The Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Hanna M. Gallo to extend consumer protections that prevent insurers from requiring potentially lower-quality replacement parts in the repair of vehicles subject to a claim.
The legislation (2024-S 2440aa) extends from 48 months to 72 months the age of vehicles protected by a state law that prohibits insurers from refusing to pay for original equipment manufactured parts in the repair of a vehicle subject to a claim.
Currently, only vehicles that are within 48 months of their manufacture date are given this protection, which is aimed at ensuring that the replacement parts are the same quality as parts they are replacing. The bill would extend the protection to vehicles up to 72 months from their manufacture date.
“This is a consumer-protection bill,” said Senator Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick). “Cars last much longer today than in years past, and with the high price of buying new vehicles, people are keeping them much longer. A five-year-old vehicle isn’t an old car, and its owner deserves to be made whole for damage that is being repaired through an insurance claim. That includes getting the same quality parts as they had before. If they want original equipment manufacturer parts, the insurer shouldn’t be able to deny them and insist on a cheaper substitute.”
Under the bill, if the vehicle is between 48 and 72 months old and the shop performing the repair gets written consent from the vehicle owner to install original parts, the insurer paying for the repair would be forbidden from refusing to pay the cost of those parts.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, where Rep. Arthur J. Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence) is sponsoring companion legislation (2024-H 7264).
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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