Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 239: Motor vehicles; placement of a special identifying sticker on the windshields of alternative fueled vehicles; require
Last action April 2, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
A House committee substitute for HB 239 would let Georgia drivers choose their own repair shop after a car accident and require insurers to meet strict deadlines when reviewing damage claims.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Current Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 33-34-6) limits what insurers can tell claimants about using specific repair shops. This substitute rewrites that section entirely. It guarantees that anyone filing a claim under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy can pick the repair facility of their choice, and it bars insurers from suggesting that using or not using a certain shop will affect whether a claim gets paid. The bill also requires insurers to disclose any financial interest they have in a repair facility. When a claimant reports additional (supplemental) damage, the insurer must inspect the vehicle in person or review the claim within three business days, then issue a written decision within ten business days listing which repairs, parts, or labor items are approved, denied, or changed. Anyone harmed by a violation of these rules can sue for an injunction, triple damages, and other legal relief. The bill repeals conflicting laws but does not state a separate effective date, so it would take effect under Georgia's standard rules once signed.
What the bill does
- Guarantees that a person filing a motor vehicle insurance claim can choose which repair facility fixes their car.
- Prohibits insurers from suggesting that using or avoiding a particular repair shop will affect whether a claim is paid.
- Requires insurers to disclose if they have a financial stake in a repair facility they recommend.
- Sets deadlines: insurers must inspect or review a supplemental damage claim within three business days and issue a written decision within ten business days.
- Creates a private right to sue for injunctive relief and triple (treble) damages if an insurer violates these rules.
Who it affects
Georgia drivers who file motor vehicle insurance claims, auto insurance companies operating in the state, and auto body repair shops, especially those with financial ties to insurers, are all directly affected by these new claims-handling rules.
Why it matters
Drivers dealing with car repairs after an accident would gain more control over where their vehicle gets fixed and clearer, faster answers from insurers about supplemental damage. Insurers would face firm deadlines and new disclosure duties, with lawsuits and triple damages as a possible consequence for violations.
Key provisions
- Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 33-34-6(a) to guarantee claimants the right to choose their own repair facility and to require insurers to disclose financial interests in repair shops.
- Section 1 rewrites subsection (b) to require insurers to inspect or review supplemental damage claims within three business days of receipt.
- Subsection (b) also requires a written decision within ten business days identifying approved, denied, or altered repair items.
- New subsection (c) creates a private cause of action allowing claimants to seek injunctive relief, treble damages, and other available remedies for violations.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting Georgia laws.
From the bill
“All policies of motor vehicle liability insurance issued in this state shall allow a claimant under such policy to select the repair facility to provide repairs covered under such policy.”
“Any claimant aggrieved by a violation of the provisions of this Code section shall have a private cause of action for injunctive relief, treble damages, and any other relief available under law.”
Discussed in meetings (2)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Motor Vehicles Committee, April 1, 2026
From 0:11:31 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a substitute requiring insurers to inspect damaged vehicles within three business days and disclose financial relationships with recommended repair shops. The sponsor said insurers currently have up to 60 days and sometimes delay inspections to pressure shops into accepting payment terms. The sponsor said shops may absorb $200 to $300 per repair order for work insurers decline to cover, including manufacturer-required sensor calibration, and warned that financial pressure could force small shops to close or sell. One committee member supported the proposal, describing disputes over labor rates and payment for dealership work. Asked by a second member who would enforce the deadline, the sponsor said customers could complain and repair records would document delays. Asked how customers would learn about the requirements, the sponsor said shops could explain delays and insurers would disclose their contracts. That member said the answer did not resolve the question. A third member confirmed that insurers would have to disclose the relationship without customers asking. Another speaker supported both provisions, citing repair shops’ responsibility to restore vehicles safely. A do-pass motion received a second and audible supporting votes, with no opposing response recorded. No tally or explicit result announcement followed.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- John Corbett (R, HD-174)
- Devan Seabaugh (R, HD-34)
- Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
- David Huddleston (R, HD-72)
- Lauren McDonald III (R, HD-26)
Topics
- auto insurance claims
- repair facility choice
- insurance regulation
- consumer protection