Sec. 82.18. Insurers and repair shops

(a) The insurance company has a right to inspect the repaired motor vehicle. Such right of inspection shall also include the right to inspect all replaced parts and components thereof, except warranty or exchange parts. The exception for warranty or exchange parts from the right to inspect shall not apply to replacement inflatable restraint systems. The insurer shall also have the right to take possession of a deployed inflatable restraint system (air bag).

(b) As required by section 3411(i) of the New York State Insurance Law, a repair shop shall complete its portion of a “Certification of Automobile Repair,” Insurance Department form NYS APD form 1-a, when requested to do so by an insurance company.

(c) No repair shop shall provide a form to a customer which, when signed, allows the repair shop or its employee to act as the customer's designated representative in negotiating a loss with an insurance company if the form serves a second purpose as well. Specifically, a form to act as a designated representative may not be combined with an estimate, authorization to repair or authorization to tow.