HB 239: Motor vehicles; placement of a special identifying sticker on the windshields of alternative fueled vehicles; require

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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.

1. 2026-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-02-06House Second Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-05House First Readers (House)
4. 2025-02-04House Hopper (House)

• John Corbett (R, HD-174)Primary sponsor
• Devan Seabaugh (R, HD-034)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• David Huddleston (R, HD-072)
• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)

• auto insurance claims
• repair facility choice
• insurance regulation
• consumer protection