Smash repairs
Insurance Claims and Smash Repairs
Under most Australian comprehensive policies you can nominate your own repairer rather than accept the one your insurer suggests, though some policies restrict that and you should check yours. We work with all major Australian insurers, prepare the quote, deal with the assessor and handle the paperwork from our Moorooka workshop. Call 0402 723 464.
Your right to choose
Can I choose my own repairer?
Most Australian comprehensive motor policies let you nominate a repairer. When you open a claim, the insurer will often direct you toward a repairer on their own network, and the way it is worded can make it sound like you have no say. In most cases you do.
The wording that governs it sits in your product disclosure statement, usually under a heading like "choice of repairer" or "who repairs your car". Some policies restrict the choice, some price the premium differently depending on whether you keep the choice, and some vary by the type of cover you hold. Read your own document rather than taking anyone's word for it, ours included. If you would like a hand finding the section, bring the policy in or email it through.
We work with all major Australian insurers, so nominating us is not the complication it is sometimes made out to be. [CONFIRM: whether we are on any insurer preferred repairer panels, and which]
How a claim works
The claim, start to finish
Report it and get a claim number
Call your insurer as soon as you reasonably can, or lodge online. You will be asked for the date, time, location, what happened, the other driver's details and any police report number. At the end you get a claim number. Write it down.
Tell them where the car is going
This is the point where you nominate a repairer if you are going to. Give them our name and the Moorooka address, and give us the claim number and your insurer's details.
Assessment and quote
We assess the damage, including what is not visible from the outside, and prepare a written quote that itemises parts, panel work, paint and mechanical repairs. That quote goes to the insurer.
Assessor sign-off
The insurer's assessor reviews the quote. Sometimes that is a desktop review, sometimes an assessor attends in person. Work does not start until authority comes through.
Excess
Your excess is set by your policy, not by us. It is usually paid when you collect the car. If you were not at fault and the other driver has been identified, your insurer may recover your excess for you.
Repair
Parts are ordered, the repair proceeds through panel work, paint and reassembly, and the mechanical side is checked in the same building.
Supplementary claims
Once a damaged car is stripped, more damage turns up more often than not. That extra work is submitted to the assessor as a supplementary claim. It is a normal part of the process and we tell you when we raise one.
Collection
You settle the excess if it is payable to us, we hand over the car and the paperwork, and the repair is documented on your claim file.
If things go quiet
When a claim stalls
Claims stall, and usually for reasons that have nothing to do with the workshop. Assessor backlogs, a parts order with no confirmed date, a liability dispute between two insurers, or a policy question that has been referred to another team.
If your claim goes quiet, ring your insurer with the claim number and ask which stage it is sitting at and who is holding it. Ask for the assessor's name. Then ring us and we will tell you what we are waiting on from our end. If you are not getting anywhere, every Australian insurer has an internal dispute resolution process you can escalate to in writing, and beyond that the Australian Financial Complaints Authority handles complaints about insurers at no cost to you.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with my insurer?
We work with all major Australian insurers. [CONFIRM: whether we are on any insurer preferred repairer panels, and which]
Do I have to use the repairer my insurer suggests?
Under most comprehensive policies, no. Some policies restrict it. Check the choice of repairer section of your product disclosure statement.
Will my premium go up if I claim?
That is a question for your insurer, and it depends on your policy, your history and who was at fault.
How much is my excess?
It is set out in your policy schedule. Amounts vary widely, so check the document rather than guessing. [CONFIRM: any excess payment options offered]
Should I claim, or pay for the repair myself?
Get the quote first. Where the repair cost is close to the excess, or below it, paying privately often makes more sense. We will quote it either way.
Who pays if the other driver was at fault?
Their insurer, in most cases, but you generally still lodge with your own insurer, who then recovers from theirs. If the other driver is uninsured, your position depends on your cover.
Can I get a quote before I lodge a claim?
Yes, and quite a few people do exactly that so they know whether claiming is worth it.
What does the assessor actually do?
They review our quote on behalf of the insurer, decide what the policy covers and authorise the work. They are assessing the claim rather than inspecting our workmanship.
What is a supplementary claim?
Additional damage found after the car is stripped, submitted to the assessor for approval before that extra work goes ahead.
How long does insurer approval take?
It varies from a day or two to considerably longer depending on the insurer's workload and whether they query anything. We chase it rather than waiting quietly.
Do you provide a hire car?
That depends on your policy rather than on us. Check whether yours includes a hire car benefit. [CONFIRM: whether we arrange loan or hire vehicles]
Can I bring my policy in and go through it with you?
Yes. Bring the product disclosure statement and the policy schedule to 2 Baldock St, Moorooka.
Have your claim number handy
We deal with the insurer.
You deal with us.
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 3pm. After-hours key drop available. All major cards and cash.