Then choose the repairer.
Choice of Repairer determines whether you can nominate the smash repairer that repairs your vehicle after an accident, or whether your insurer can direct the work to one of its preferred repairers.
For owners of prestige, performance, enthusiast or highly maintained vehicles, that decision can influence the repair conversation, the repair scope and who you trust with the final result.
Choice of Repairer is a feature of some Australian car insurance policies that lets the policyholder nominate the repairer they want after an insured accident. It may be included as standard, offered as an optional extra, available only on certain levels of cover, restricted in some circumstances, or not offered at all.
If your policy does not provide Choice of Repairer, the policy may allow the insurer to decide where your vehicle is repaired. That will commonly be a repairer within the insurer’s preferred or partner repair network.
If you are considering a claim under your own comprehensive policy, look through the Product Disclosure Statement and your policy schedule before repairs are authorised. The Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code says participating insurers should identify their Choice of Repairer policy clearly in the Product Disclosure Statement. [1]
Search for these terms, then ask your insurer a direct question if the answer is unclear.
- Choice of Repairer
- Repairer
- Repairs
- Preferred Repairer
- Partner Repairer
- Parts Policy
Ask: “Am I entitled under my policy to nominate my own repairer, and what conditions apply?” Then ask for the answer in writing. You will be in a better position to compare repair pathways when you know whether choice, parts, excess and hire car arrangements are controlled by your policy.
When you make a claim under your own comprehensive policy, the terms of that policy apply. That includes any conditions about repairer choice, parts, excess, approval and replacement transport. This can still be a sensible route in the right circumstances, especially where liability is unclear or the other driver is uninsured.
Ask whether the insurer is appointing a repairer, whether you may nominate one, who prepares the repair scope and what parts policy applies. If the insurer selects and authorises the repairer, it is responsible for the quality of the work and materials and must handle complaints about the repair. [2]
If another driver caused the accident and they are insured, you may be able to pursue the at fault driver and their insurer directly for the reasonable cost of repairing the loss. That is different from making a claim under your own comprehensive insurance policy.
In that situation, the Choice of Repairer restriction in your own policy does not itself decide the repairer. You may be able to nominate the repairer you want, while the at fault insurer still assesses liability and the proposed repair. Understand the facts and your position before authorising repairs. Read the not at fault accident guide for the broader process.
That can be confusing, but it does not automatically mean you must make a claim under your own policy. If the other driver was at fault, your own policy terms and the at fault pathway remain separate questions.
Ask the insurer which claim pathway it is recording, then ask a trusted repairer to explain the practical repair implications before you agree to a repairer, a scope or a settlement.
Insurers commonly establish preferred, authorised or partner repairer networks. These arrangements can simplify the claims process, give insurers visibility over repairs and allow pricing and processes to be managed across a large volume of vehicles.
That is not inherently wrong. An insurer needs to manage the cost of claims. A vehicle owner may be focused on other outcomes at the same time: repair quality, manufacturer procedures, parts, paint finish, corrosion protection, structural methods and the long term condition of the vehicle.
Preferred repairers may work under commercial agreements that address labour rates, parts procurement, assessment processes, timeframes and other performance requirements. Those arrangements can create a gap between what an insurer is prepared to pay and what a repairer believes is required for a particular operation.
That does not automatically mean a vehicle will be repaired poorly. It does explain why it is useful to understand the repair scope, ask questions about the proposed method and choose a repairer you trust to explain the work in plain language.
Do not judge a repairer only by whether it belongs to a network or is independent. Ask who will prepare the repair plan, what manufacturer information will be considered, what parts are proposed, how hidden damage is handled, and who stands behind the completed work.
There are highly skilled tradespeople working inside insurance repair networks. There are also excellent and poor repairers outside those networks. The label alone is not a quality guarantee in either direction.
Choice of Repairer has value because it gives you the chance to research the workshop, ask questions and make your own decision about who repairs the vehicle you have worked hard to own.
Some insurers include Choice of Repairer as part of their policy. Others offer it as an optional extra, only on selected cover levels, or not at all. A cheaper premium may suit your circumstances, but it can be misleading if you have not compared the repair conditions that matter to you.
Before renewing or taking out cover, compare the excess, Choice of Repairer terms, parts policy, hire car terms, repair warranty position and the process for resolving a repair concern.
- Can I nominate the repairer I want, and what conditions apply?
- Who will inspect the vehicle and prepare the repair scope?
- How will additional damage found during repairs be assessed and approved?
- What parts and repair methods are proposed, and why?
- Who is responsible for repair quality and how is a concern handled after handover?
- Can I have the scope of works in writing before I authorise the repair?
A workshop assessment gives you a chance to understand the visible damage, possible hidden damage, the repair method and the claim pathways before you commit. It also gives the repairer the facts needed to explain the right questions for your insurer.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers to the questions vehicle owners often ask before agreeing to an insurer repair pathway.
No. Choice of Repairer generally lets you nominate the repairer you want. The insurer may still assess the damage, ask for a quote or repair scope and determine whether proposed costs and repairs are covered under the policy.
Read the policy wording first. If you are claiming under your own policy, the insurer may be entitled to choose the repairer. If another driver was at fault, a direct claim through their insurer may be a different pathway. Ask for the circumstances to be explained before authorising repairs.
You may be able to nominate a repairer you trust when pursuing the at fault driver and their insurer directly. The at fault insurer may assess liability and the reasonable repair cost, but the repairer choice condition in your own policy is not the rule that controls this pathway.
That does not automatically require you to use your own policy. Ask which claim pathway is being used and get clear information about repairer choice before you accept a repairer or authorise a repair.
No. There are skilled repairers in insurer networks and independent workshops. The useful question is whether the repairer can explain the scope, repair method, parts, quality checks and workmanship support for your particular vehicle.
Not necessarily. Your own policy may have a parts policy that permits new, recycled or non genuine parts. Ask for the proposed parts and method in writing, then discuss how they suit your vehicle, manufacturer procedures, safety, fit and finish.
Your own policy may apply limits or declaration requirements to modifications. When another driver was at fault, reasonable damage to items already on the car can be assessed as part of the overall loss. Keep photos, invoices and records, and make sure every affected item is considered during the repair assessment.
Raise the concern with the insurer first and keep photos, repair documents and any independent evidence. Financial Rights Legal Centre notes that an insurer is responsible for the quality of work and materials where it chose and authorised the repairer. If the issue is not resolved, ask about the insurer’s internal dispute process and external options such as AFCA. [2]
This article is general information only. Insurance policies, vehicle condition and repair plans can involve details specific to your situation.