Car insurance - can I choose who repairs my car? 9 June 2012 at 6:03PM in Insurance & Life Assurance 9 replies 5.9K views

bocaboca

After a bad experience with the local repairer " as recommended by the insurer"; can I insist that a main dealer or other repairer be used?

Quentin

Yes.

(Note that some insurers now have an additional excess if you don't use their repairer)

adamc260

And they say you wont be entitled to a courtesy car/they wont guarantee the repairs... just ask if the main dealer has one (99.99% of the time they do!) and if they provide any guarantee

anniecave

It may depend whether your insurance company or the third party insurance company is paying. If the main dealer charges a lot more for repairs than the approved repairer then they may not be happy paying more than their preferred repairer.

I would get a quote from your preferred repairer and present it to your insurance company and ask them to confirm it's OK first.

You'll need to sort out whether you are paying and the insurance company are paying you back, or whether the insurance company are paying for the repairs direct.

I'm going through a claim where I'm choosing the repairer, but that's because my insurance company approved repairer say there will be a delay before they can fit me in as they are busy, and my MOT is due soon, so I can't wait around for them. I know the place I am using will be cheaper than the approved repairer, and it's the third party insurer that will be paying in my case anyway.

Good luck getting it all sorted...

McKneff

If someone hit you then you can take it to your main dealer if you wish. In fact you can take it anywhere you wish but if its still under warranty you must take it to the main dealer or the warranty can be invalidated.

If you hit someone else, then follow the guidance obve.

chanz4

A lot of main dealers also farm the work out, so check if they do

mikey72

Our only claim (sadly our fault) I insisted it went to a main dealer. We had to get two quotes (two dealers), no courtesy car (but the dealer gave one free). We preserved the warranty, had genuine parts, and no other issues. Some insurers t&c's do have a higher excess if you don't use their repairer however.

Quentin

anniecave wrote: »

It may depend whether your insurance company or the third party insurance company is paying.....

No.

No, you have the right to get it repaired at your choice of repairer, orrespective of which side you are claiming off.

(Downside is this may mean no courtesy car is provided by your insurer)

vaio

I'd have thought if you are claiming off your policy them you need to do whatever the T&C of your policy says.

Quentin

vaio wrote: »

I'd have thought if you are claiming off your policy them you need to do whatever the T&C of your policy says.

That's exactly what they want you to think!

But a right is a right!