Toronto, Ontario – A memo from State Farm to its select repair centres featured in the United States outlines how, beginning October 16, 2023, the carrier will end its yearslong suspension of the use of “non-OEM crash parts,” i.e. aftermarket parts.
In its memo, State Farm–which ended its operations in Canada in 2015–specifically announced that it will “sunset the current suspension of all non-OEM crash parts, when available and appropriate, for both policyholder and claimant estimates.”
“In 1999, State Farm made a business decision to temporarily suspend the specification of non-Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) crash parts in vehicle repair estimates,” State Farm wrote in the memo. “Non-OEM crash parts are outer sheet metal and plastic parts such as headlamps, fenders, hoods, tail lamps, and bumper components manufactured by a company other than the manufacturer of the vehicle.”
State Farm went on to provide that it “recognizes certification standards developed by the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) and NSF International (NSF) for non-OEM crash parts. Non-OEM crash parts included on estimates prepared by State Farm or a Select Service® repairer will be certified by CAPA or NSF.”
Non-OEM parts that will now be subject to certification standards include: bumper components; lighting components; radiator supports, tie bars, inner structural components and associated components; and outer sheet metal, plastic/composite parts and attachment parts.
The memo does not include information on how State Farm will handle parts that are decertified after they’ve been included in vehicles.
However, “repair centers that have agreed to State Farm’s Select Service Agreement must warranty the parts, write estimates that comply with applicable local law for the use of the parts, discuss the use of the parts with vehicle owners, and clearly identify that they aren’t OEM parts on estimates.”
