In July 1993, the Director General of Fair Trading asked insurance companies to clarify
consumers’ rights under the terms of ‘approved’ or ‘recommended’ repairer schemes. These schemes take the form of a list of garages or a telephone helpline service to put accident victims in touch with a vehicle body repairer with which an insurer has a special relationship.
Despite the Director General of Fair Trading’s request, insurance policy holders still remain largely unaware of their right to have damaged vehicles repaired at the garage of their choice, providing the chosen garage operates to industry standards and that repair costs can be satisfactorily agreed.
In such circumstances an insurance engineer’s inspection of the damaged vehicle may be requested before repairs can be authorised, but any necessary inspection should be arranged promptly in order to minimize delays in repairs.
