We increasingly see some repairer work sources are taking longer to even review estimates. Inconveniencing the repairer, consumer and delaying the claim. The insurer engineering workforce has vastly reduced over the last 10 years leaving fewer engineers to manage claims – all remotely.
It is not uncommon to see:
- 4 weeks for insurer to respond to an estimate
- 2 weeks to agree costs
- Insured threatened with stealth excess for not using recommended repairer
- Threat of moving insured car to a busy repairer that will extend the delay
- Estimates drastically reduced with no discussion / rationale – often post repair!
NBRA are often asked to intervene in these cases. One example this week (quote from Member):
The insurer has failed to deal with the insured (customer) claim in a timely manner (4 weeks to respond to repairer estimate and a further 2 weeks to agree figures) and then hacks the estimate to pieces without the courtesy of calling the repairer and when the repairer refuses to undertake the repair at the insurers rates the insurer threatens to move the car to another repairer over 100 miles away. I cannot see the logic in this approach from the insurer as they would have paid more than £1000 in storage charges and estimate fees and moved the insureds car a n unacceptable distance away from where the insured lives to save how much?
NBRA gave the member advice on how to deal with the issue later that day the Insurer rang the repairer to agree a reasonable cost that the repairer was happy with.
If you require advice or support – contact your trade body. We are here to help!
