# Auto insurance rates are skyrocketing in part because repair costs are surging, because there aren’t enough mechanics **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870 "2026-01-19T21:51:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/1 "2026-01-19T21:51:21Z")
So wrote David Plouffe in a recent article in the ‘NY Times’. What do you think? [https://archive.is/isV9U#selection-843.412-843.532](https://archive.is/isV9U#selection-843.412-843.532) ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/2 "2026-01-19T23:11:42Z")
The costs of cars continue to rise…. Insurance goes up. The cost of repairs increases because of more expensive, non serviceable parts…. Insurances goes up. Cars are designed to crush and deploy several airbags in accidents to save the occupants which greatly increases the repair costs…. Insurance goes up Mechanics need more extensive training and very expensive computer tools to service complicated cars so they need to be paid more for that knowledge… Insurance goes up Fewer workers want to become mechanics so those that are left need to be paid more just to retain them…. Insurance goes up. The only reason mentioned in the article. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/3 "2026-01-19T23:38:44Z")
I didn’t read the article but what do people from New York know about cars and repair? They don’t own cars. They haven’t ever bought a quart of paint for $80 and the other materials. Have they researched epa spray booth requirements and the safety equipment required? The last work I had done involved a headlight, bumper cover, and a little fender work. $3000 before they were done. You only need liability insurance so if you think the price is too high, go without. Many people don’t believe what the times says anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2026, 11:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/4 "2026-01-19T23:44:28Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I didn’t read the article but what do people from New York know about cars and repair? They don’t own cars. Remember last year I got in trouble for stereotyping? I think it was with peoples’ ages though. Not wise to do that. We’re all Americans Bing. People made a choice not to trust established media based on what they read or watched on ‘alternative’/social media and believed it. Really messed things up in 2016, know what I mean? ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 12:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/5 "2026-01-20T00:45:22Z")
Goes all the way back to WW 2. ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 1:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/6 "2026-01-20T01:16:52Z")
Why would you think that the cost of Insurance going up is so strange that it requires a “What Do You Think?” Posting??? By the way, the term “Skyrocketing” is just as hyperbolic as saying the “Sky is Falling…” Everyone knows that wages for all workers are going up and that includes mechanics and body repair specialist. Everyone knows that the price of materials to repair a vehicle cost more. The cost of making any repair, mechanical or bodywork, will cost more and all insurance companies are in the business to make money. Consequently, since expenditures cost more, the premiums will cost more to keep the insurance company profitable… ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 1:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/7 "2026-01-20T01:25:54Z")
Fakebook and S h t t e r (Twitter X) didn’t exist in WW2. Existential threats to world peace and civilization did: then, and since 2016. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 1:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/8 "2026-01-20T01:43:26Z")
Please reframe from bringing politics into the discussion… ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 5:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/9 "2026-01-20T05:21:13Z")
Did all body shop employees get a significant pay raise because of a repairman shortage? Is that what was implied? Collision related parts are quite expensive, even for a mild front-end hit. Tally up the cost of a bumper cover, grill, 4 park assist sensors, radar sensor and two headlights for a late model Toyota, about 10 times what the body man will receive in pay for labor. Auto insurance companies don’t pay for general repairs, the author’s comment was about collision repairs, but he chose to be vague. The author’s intent was to place blame on whatever leaders are thought to be responsible for educating people for occupations that may have a worker shortage. Adequate wages will draw technicians to the places they are needed. That article was written by a political spin doctor with no honest auto industry information. The only automotive statement in the article is the one in the title of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 5:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/10 "2026-01-20T05:31:50Z")
No problems in my neck of the woods. ---
**Author:** ![auto-owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@auto-owner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/auto-owner)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 6:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/11 "2026-01-20T06:32:24Z")
![Why in the US has a shortage of auto mechanics : r/cars](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/8/7/877468a2a98871e244a9ee1fc08fc145218cb2c7.jpeg) Ford, like the broader auto industry, struggles to find enough skilled mechanics, with CEO Jim Farley highlighting 5,000 unfilled dealership jobs despite potential $120,000 salaries, pointing to challenges like the\*\*long training time, high upfront tool costs, physically demanding work, and lower starting pay\*\*, creating a significant skilled labor shortage that impacts service times and national workforce readiness. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 3:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/12 "2026-01-20T15:47:53Z")
And a lot of those costs are because auto insurance companies as a whole are seeing record breaking PROFITS. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/13 "2026-01-20T16:09:04Z")
> [@auto-owner](#): > > Ford, like the broader auto industry, struggles to find enough skilled mechanics, with CEO Jim Farley highlighting 5,000 unfilled dealership jobs despite potential $120,000 salaries, pointing to challenges like the\*\*long training time, high upfront tool costs, physically demanding work, and lower starting pay\*\*, creating a significant skilled labor shortage that impacts service times and national workforce readiness There’s no “potential $120,000 salaries” at a dealership, except maybe for the sales manager and service manager. The individual technicians are exploited by an unfair (and likely illegal) pay scheme, which offers an hourly wage based not on clock time, but on “book time” from a pricing manual. Even worse, and this is almost certainly illegal, the “book time” is artificially reduced for warranty repairs, compared to what the same job would pay if the vehicle was out-of-warranty. I would NEVER agree to such a pay scheme, and if I was already working at an employer, and they then attempted to push such a pay scheme onto me, I’d go to the labor board. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/14 "2026-01-20T16:48:47Z")
Um, the article itself is written by a “veteran democratic political strategist”. It’s right in the byline so the whole article is political, not the comments. So call a spade a spade. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/15 "2026-01-20T17:02:30Z")
You obviously did not read some of the other post with the in between the lines political comment/views… I did not point any fingers, but the member(s) know who they are… That is all I have to say about this… Thank you… ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/16 "2026-01-20T17:42:36Z")
> [@bcohen2010](#): > > The individual technicians are exploited by an unfair (and likely illegal) pay scheme, which offers an hourly wage based not on clock time, but on “book time” from a pricing manual. Please explain how this is illegal. It has been an accept practice for many many years. I am sure if this was illegal it would have been brought up by now. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 7:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/17 "2026-01-20T19:03:13Z")
It is illegal to cost-shift risk onto employees who are not an independent contractor. It is illegal to pay less than minimum wage for the hours worked—meaning the **actual** time spent doing company business— not some made-up fantasy time in a pricing manual. In other words, if I am a mechanic, tasked with replacing the widget on a particular vehicle, I cannot (legally or morally) work for less than minimum wage, just because the manufacturer wishes to pay some made-up fantasy time for warranty repairs. The individual mechanic does not have any contract with the manufacturer obligating him to work for the “book time” that the manufacturer wishes to pay. The only thing which astonishes me is that there are actually people willing to work under this arrangement, although apparently there aren’t enough of them. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/18 "2026-01-20T19:25:22Z")
> [@bcohen2010](#): > > if I am a mechanic, tasked with replacing the widget on a particular vehicle, I cannot (legally or morally) work for less than minimum wage, It’s called piece work, I’m going to pay you $0.25 for every widget you make. I don’t care if you make 1 a day, or 400 an hour. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/19 "2026-01-20T19:38:38Z")
I’ve known several guys that made considerably more than $120k at a dealership But they were very experienced, efficient and usually worked more than 8hrs/day That said, you have to listen to your body, work in a way that doesn’t hurt and/or burn you up . . . and realize you may not be able to keep up a lightning fast pace forever Also, you need to recognize when managers and their sometimes 💩 policies are cutting into your productivity . . . may have to go somewhere else, modify your approach, get out of the game, whatever’s right for you There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, as far as I’m concerned ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870/20 "2026-01-20T19:49:10Z")
> [@It\_s-Me](#): > > It’s called piece work, I’m going to pay you $0.25 for every widget you make. > > I don’t care if you make 1 a day, or 400 an hour. Just so you know… If you make 400 widgets at $0.25 each in an 8-hour shift, that’s $100 a day or $12.50 an hour… As a point of interest, my state, Virginia, just mandated $12.50 as the minimum wage… (Wahoo… 🫡 ) The following states use the Federal Minimum wage of $7.25 an hour… Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia (some areas), North Carolina, and North Dakota. So, in these locations, making your widgets would be a good wage (if they made your 400 widgets…). However, these states mandate over $15.00 an hour: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York (NYC/Westchester/LI), Rhode Island, and Washington. So don’t set up your Widget Factory here… And finally, these states mandate minimum wage between $12.50 - $14.99 an hour: Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, Maryland, and Alaska. So, in these locations, look for small communities that need the work force out working… If your state is not listed, feel free to add it in the comments… 😁 [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance-rates-are-skyrocketing-in-part-because-repair-costs-are-surging-because-there-aren-t-enough-mechanics/204870.md?page=2)