Car insurance 'Approved repairer'

klaartje

Hi,

I had a really bad experience with Tesco insurance: approved repairer in another town, hire car (incl in insurance) in a town further still from home (I was picked up and driven there, but unexpected and time consuming), waited longer than 2 weeks for repair (hire car for only 2 weeks), lies about difficulties with getting parts (Toyota said parts arrive in max 3 days when ordered), Tesco telling me I would have been better off having a British car for that purpose (!), and after all that ended up with a poor quality repair, and according to Toyota, had lost my warranty.

Had the repair checked by Toyota, where I was told that I was entitled, by law, to have the car repaired by them in the first place, but that insurers don't like telling customers that (perhaps understandably!). I insisted that Toyota redo the repair, Tesco did not like that, but all went ahead and as allways Toyota tries to make life as easy as possible. Warranty restored.

Now I am getting quotes from different insurers, some will agree to my using Toyota for repairs, some insist I should use an approved repairer. Please could anyone tell me what the law is for sure?

Thank you in anticipation for any help.

Quentin

You normally do have the "right" to use your chosen repairer rather than the insurer's. But the insurer may put obstacles in the way (no courtesy car etc), and when you say some are "insisting" you will have to use their repairer, are they putting that as a condition you must agree to?

raskazz

Quentin wrote: »

You normally do have the "right" to use your chosen repairer rather than the insurer's. But the insurer may put obstacles in the way (no courtesy car etc), and when you say some are "insisting" you will have to use their repairer, are they putting that as a condition you must agree to?

I don't know of any policies that specifically state that an approved repairer must be used, but some insurers now state that the applicable excess will increase (or even double) if the policyholder opts for a repairer of their own choice. That's effectively an offer that the policyholder cannot refuse!

If the insurer would not allow any other repairer of the insured's choice it would probably be frowned on by the FOS under the Treating Customers Fairly intended outcome that consumers shouldn't face unreasonable post-sale barriers to making a claim. Maybe the insurer would escape it on the 'post sale' element, though.

klaartje

Thank you both for your response!

I have not read the policies, but on questioning on the phone, was told that I would have to use their approved repairer.

In addition to being suspicious about 'parts not being available', I could not help but feel uneasy by the immediate offer by the hire company of keeping the car for longer - at a price of course! Could their be a link between the two?

buddge

You can have the repair carried out by whoever you choose, fact. The insurer may just pay a cash settlement if the repairer is charging more than is reasonable for the repair .
You will probably not be entitled to a courtesy car if you dont use the insurance company approved repairer, as its the repairer who owns the courtesy cars.
Parts were probalby ordered stock order for maximum discount, rather that over night order (no discount)
Your warranty would not have been void under EU block exemption rules.
Did your Toyota dealer have a bodyshop ? most sublet the repair ?