Washington Automotive Industry Association

What Washington Automotive Industry Association does

Washington Automotive Industry Association (WAIA) is a Washington State non-profit trade association founded in 1960 that serves approximately 200 member firms across the state's automotive aftermarket industry, including parts wholesalers, warehouse distributors, automotive parts retailers, repair and maintenance shops, and tire dealerships. Originally incorporated as the Washington State Automotive Wholesalers Association and later renamed to Washington Automotive Wholesalers Association (WAWA) before adopting its current name, the association provides coordinated industry representation and member services including legislative advocacy at state and federal levels (through affiliations with the Auto Care Association and the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations), business forms and supplies, a labor law poster compliance service, an automotive industry calendar program, and an Employee Assistance Program.

The association's flagship commercial offering is the WAIA Health Trust, an Association Health Plan established in October 2013 that delivers group medical, dental, vision, and life insurance to member businesses. Premera Blue Cross serves as the exclusive medical carrier under a partnership effective October 2015, with Delta Dental of Washington, VSP, USAble Life, and First Choice Health providing ancillary benefits. DiMartino Associates acts as General Agent, distributing quotes through licensed brokers to approximately 190 participating businesses covering more than 2,600 employees and dependents. The association is governed by a Board of Directors and Health Trust Trustees drawn from member firms, and is headquartered in Lynnwood, Washington with a mailing address in Mill Creek.

WAIA operates on a membership dues revenue model billed annually, supplemented by Health Trust participation and broker-distributed insurance offerings. Go-to-market is sales-led, combining direct outreach by a field representative, broker relationships for insurance products, and industry-association referral channels. The organization is bound to a single-state geographic scope and does not develop proprietary technology as a core business.

Name

Washington Automotive Industry Association

Legal name

Washington Automotive Industry Association

Website

https://washingtonautomotive.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Washington Automotive Industry Association is a Washington State non-profit trade association serving roughly 200 automotive aftermarket businesses with legislative advocacy, business services, and a flagship Health Trust providing group medical, dental, and vision insurance via Premera Blue Cross.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lynnwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WAIA generates revenue through membership fees from automotive aftermarket businesses across Washington State. The association provides various member services including group purchasing arrangements, employee benefits programs, business forms, and legislative representation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Washington Automotive Industry Association (WAIA) is a state-level non-profit trade association serving approximately 200 automotive aftermarket businesses across Washington State. Its core offering is a membership platform that bundles legislative and regulatory representation, group employee benefits (medical, dental, vision, life insurance) through the WAIA Health Trust, business forms and supplies, and industry networking. Membership grants access to Association Health Plan pricing and exclusive advocacy resources not individually available to small and mid-sized aftermarket firms.

Product overview

Washington Automotive Industry Association (WAIA) is a state trade association serving the automotive aftermarket industry since 1960. The organization offers a unified membership platform combining member services with group insurance products. The core offering is the WAIA Health Trust, an Association Health Plan providing medical, dental, vision, and life insurance exclusively to WAIA member businesses. Medical plans are insured by Premera Blue Cross and include multiple plan types (PPO, HSA, HMO). Beyond insurance, WAIA provides business tools including forms services, automotive industry calendar programs, and labor law poster compliance services. The association also facilitates legislative representation and group buying arrangements for members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WAIA Health Trust Group Association Health Plan offering medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits exclusively to automotive aftermarket businesses in Washington State that are WAIA members, with Premera Blue Cross as the exclusive medical carrier.
• Medical Plans (PPO, HSA, HMO) Multiple medical plan options offered through the WAIA Health Trust including 80% and 70% PPO plans, HSA-compatible plans, and Sherwood HMO plans with various deductible levels, insured by Premera Blue Cross.
• Dental and Vision Benefits
• Business Forms Service
• Automotive Industry Calendar Program
• Labor Law Poster Update Service
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Group Retro Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 190 businesses and 2,600 employees served through Health Trust as of September 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Premera Blue CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2015Exclusive medical carrier partnership for WAIA Health Trust. Premera Blue Cross provides medical plans featuring Heritage Prime and Heritage Plus networks with nationwide BlueCard access. Partnership began October 2015, offering competitively priced medical plans to member businesses.
• DiMartino AssociatescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral Agent for WAIA Health Trust, working directly with brokers to provide WAIA Health Trust quotes and administrative support for member benefit enrollment.
• Delta Dental of WashingtonsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDental coverage provider through the WAIA Health Trust, offering group dental plans to member businesses as part of comprehensive employee benefits.
• VSPsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerVision coverage provider through the WAIA Health Trust, offering group vision plans to member businesses as part of comprehensive employee benefits.
• USAble LifesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup life insurance provider through the WAIA Health Trust, offering life benefits to member businesses as part of comprehensive employee benefits.
• Auto Care Association (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational affiliation providing legislative representation at the federal level. WAIA members are represented nationally through this partnership on automotive aftermarket industry issues.
• Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-state alliance providing coordination on legislative issues affecting automotive aftermarket associations across state lines.
• Washington Retail AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level partnership for legislative representation and monitoring issues impacting WAIA members in Olympia, WA.
• Washington Highway Users FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for monitoring transportation-related legislation affecting automotive industry in Washington State.
• NFIBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for small business advocacy and legislative representation on issues affecting automotive aftermarket businesses.
• AWB (Association of Washington Business)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState business association partnership for broader legislative representation and advocacy efforts.
• UnitedHealthcaresecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of several health insurance carriers WAIA works with to provide member businesses with options for employee benefits beyond the WAIA Health Trust.
• Regence BlueShieldsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth insurance carrier partner providing coverage options for WAIA member businesses.
• Asuris Northwest HealthsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional health insurance carrier partner for WAIA member benefits.
• Kaiser PermanentesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth insurance carrier partner providing coverage options for WAIA member businesses.
• Colonial Life & AccidentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplemental insurance provider offering cancer, accident, and intensive care coverage for WAIA members.
• Ameritas Dental PlanssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDental insurance provider partner offering alternative dental plan options for WAIA members.
• Cornerstone Insurance GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed insurance agent specializing in senior products including Medicare planning, Long Term Care, Final Expenses and Asset Protection. Contact: Stacey McKenzie, 425-595-5028
• Federated InsurancesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance and risk management organization providing tailored industry-specific products and safety/risk management services to WAIA members. Founded 1904, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best.
• Retail Association ServicessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering WRA's Automotive Group Retro Program - a safety incentive program helping members reduce workers' compensation costs. Companies can earn back a portion of workers' compensation premiums through this program.
• ComplyRightsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLabor law poster update service provider. ComplyRight monitors federal, state, and local changes and sends updates to WAIA members to ensure workplace compliance.
• First Choice HealthsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployee Assistance Program (EAP) provider for WAIA Health Trust members, offering counseling services, discount programs, and mental health support.
• TalkspaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtual therapy and mental health platform offered through the WAIA Health Trust EAP, providing members with convenient access to counseling services.
• Northwest Auto Care Alliance (NWACA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional automotive repair association providing networking and resources for independent auto repair shops in the Northwest.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Automotive Service Association (ASA): National trade association for mechanical and collision repair shops, offering group benefits, education and advocacy. ASA's member benefits structure (insurance, training, legislative) closely mirrors WAIA's stack.
• Auto Care Association: National trade association for the automotive aftermarket industry, providing advocacy, education and member services across the U.S. WAIA partners with ACA for federal-level representation, making ACA the most directly comparable peer at the national level.
• National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): National small-business association offering group benefits, advocacy and member services. WAIA partners with NFIB; while broader than automotive, the SMB benefits-and-advocacy model is structurally analogous.

Regional players

• Texas Automotive Wholesalers Association (TAWA): Texas-based state association for automotive aftermarket businesses, providing advocacy, networking and group benefits to wholesalers, distributors and service dealers — directly comparable in scope and model to WAIA.
• Northwest Auto Care Alliance (NWACA): Regional automotive repair association serving independent shops in the Northwest, providing networking and resources that closely parallel WAIA's repair-segment offerings.
• California Automotive Wholesalers Association (CAWA): California state trade association for automotive wholesalers and the broader aftermarket, operating a member-services-plus-benefits model nearly identical to WAIA's, but in a larger state market.
• Oregon Auto Dealers Association: Oregon state trade association for auto dealers and the aftermarket, offering member benefits, advocacy and education in the Pacific Northwest — directly comparable to WAIA in adjacent geography.

Direct peers

• Washington Retail Association: Washington state trade association representing retailers, providing group benefits including the Automotive Group Retro Program used by WAIA. Highly comparable as a state-level association offering pooled benefits to SMB members.
• Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA): Multi-state alliance of state-level automotive aftermarket associations. WAIA is a member of ASAAA, and peer state associations within ASAAA operate a similar member-services-plus-benefits model.
• Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS): National trade association for collision repair professionals, providing member benefits, education and legislative representation. Comparable operating model to WAIA within a sub-segment of the aftermarket.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washington Automotive Industry Association