Drivers preferring to pay for repairs themselves rather than going through insurance

Getting into an accident is never a nice feeling, but on top of the stress of the accident itself many then struggle with the prospect of dealing with insurance companies and getting their vehicle repaired, even if they weren’t at fault.

It is perhaps because of this stress that many drivers are preferring to pay for the repairs themselves, avoiding contact with their insurers entirely. Recent statistics revealed by Quotezone showed: “53% of drivers have never claimed on their car insurance, with 23% saying they had paid for smaller incidents themselves to protect their no claims discount”. With insurance premiums continually rising drivers are looking for any opportunities to at the very least maintain their price, keeping their No-Claims Discount is one way they achieve this.

The increase in insurance premiums is due to a number of factors, not limited to a rise in accident rates. There is a growing trend of vehicles being written off simply due to the length of time required to receive new parts. Most insurance companies require the fitting of brand-new parts to vehicles so they can certify them as repaired. However, OEM parts manufacturers cannot keep up with the demand, with long waiting lists caused by the pandemic still effecting production. While a car is off the road with the insurers certified repairer, the owner will be given a courtesy car which will be increasing the overall cost of the repair for each day they have it. In some cases, repairers have been waiting over 2 years for replacement parts from manufacturers. As a result, insurance premiums rise to cover the cost.

Well known Youtuber Mark McCann recently investigated the repair policies of insurance companies to explore the reasons behind rising premiums and the effects it is having on certified repairers and consumers alike. He found that EVs in particular were victims of being written off for minor dents and damage purely because of the cost to repair certain parts of the vehicle.

He also found that in certain cases minor scratches and dents were required by insurers to have the panel removed and completely resprayed in full at a cost of over £2,500, when in many cases a simple SMART repair to the area could cost ten times less. While talking to a repairer he reflected similar findings to Quotezone, that more and more drivers were visiting repairers directly for quotes rather than going through their insurance to save money on their premiums in the future.

There’s no need to pay a costly visit to the body shop for repairs, our trained technicians will travel to you. We just need a safe working area and access to electricity. Our technicians work from specially adapted vans and use industry leading supplies and equipment to deliver quality repairs at a fraction of the cost of a traditional body shop. While Revive! does not recommend driving without insurance as getting caught could lead to significant fines and points on your license. We must also stress that you must inform your insurers of any accidents you’ve had even if you do not plan on claiming on said insurance.

If you are interested in our repair services, please get in touch with our team now!

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