Insurance

UPDATE: DRP shop objects to Allstate background check request; insurer says nothing has changed

An Allstate Good Hands collision shop has taken exception to some DRP criminal record check authorization request they say would expand the insurer’s ability to research private information.

But Allstate said Tuesday it hasn’t changed any of its policies and it still wouldn’t be checking credit or drug testing results, regardless of the contract language.

“Accordingly, l hereby authorize all of the following, to disclose details about me to the consumer reporting agency and it is agents: law enforcement and all other federal, state and local government agencies and courts; educational facilities ; testing agencies; information service bureaus; credit agencies along with other consumer reporting agencies; other private and public record/data repositories; automobile records agencies; my employers; the military; and all sorts of others and sources with any information about or concerning me,” the Allstate authorization request states. “The information that can be disclosed to the consumer reporting agency and it is agents includes, however is not limited to, information concerning my: employment and earnings history; education, credit, automobile and accident history; drug/alcohol testing results and history; criminal history; litigation history; military service; professional licenses, credentials and certifications; social security number verification; address and alias history; along with other information.”

The shop raised the issue with a trade group representative, who consequently passed across the complaint and document to Repairer Driven News.

According to the trade group representative, the consent for Allstate to gather “drug/alcohol testing results and history” and “employment and earnings history” were additions to the checks and concerns.

“As i understand participation in the program is voluntary, this is disturbing and worth letting our public determine if possible,” the representative said.

As the store understood it, employees would be inspired to sign an identical document, based on the trade group representative.

Allstate external communications and pr manager Justin Herndon said Tuesday this wouldn’t be the case.

“We stand by the original comments made in 2021,” he wrote within an email. “The agreement is for our vendor credentialing the company – owners and shop managers – and never general employees. We don't include credit report checks or drug screenings.”

As Herndon indicated, we discussed Allstate’s background check program using the insurer in 2021. At that time, he called those checks a matter of public safety, pointing out, “I can't imagine the questions you'd be asking if didn't do any of these.”

Herndon stressed in 2021 Allstate only requested criminal background checks on “Good Hands” DRP owners and managers – not employees. He also said the vetting by General Information Services didn’t involve credit report checks or drug testing. Checks could possibly become more along the type of bankruptcy and criminal history checks , he explained then.

Herndon also said then Allstate didn’t actually see the background information, merely receive a score from check firm General Information Services. , he wasn’t sure if this was the extent from the visibility.

The credit checking authorized could be somewhat limited, according to the 2021 authorization document.

“I realize when the Company obtains a credit report about me, it will only achieve this where such information is substantially related to the duties and responsibilities of the position in which I am engaged or for that we am being evaluated,” the document states.

The criminal record check authorization document from 2021 describes Allstate receiving an “investigative consumer report” from GIS:

Consenting to the document would allow Allstate to “obtain additional consumer reports and investigative consumer reports in regards to you without asking for your authorization again, throughout your employment or your contract period, as allowed by law.”

Based on the contract, it doesn’t sound like Allstate could be able to use information discovered throughout the criminal record check once a shop left this program.

“By my signature below, I authorize the preparation of background reports about me … with regards to assisting the Company for making a determination as to my eligibility for employment or engagement for services , promotion, retention or other lawful employment purposes,” the authorization states.