Insurance-approved garages 

Key takeaways

• An insurance-approved repairer is a garage that has been vetted by your insurer

• Insurers may insist you use them if you want a courtesy car or full repair reimbursements

• Insurance-approved garages usually offer a warranty on the repairs

What is an insurance-approved repairer? 

An insurance-approved repairer is a garage that has been approved and vetted by your insurance company and is trusted to carry out repairs for damaged vehicles.

Insurers prefer that you use an approved garage to carry out repairs on your vehicle so that they can feel confident in the quality of work being carried out.

Do you have to use approved garages after a car insurance claim? 

No, you do not have to use approved garages after you make a claim. You can choose to repair your car anywhere you deem appropriate.

Your insurance company is likely to incentivise you to use one of their approved garages. Specifically, they may offer:

• A warranty on the repairs - a promise that if there are any problems with the repairs within a certain timeframe they will fix them for free

• A discount on your excess

• A courtesy car - sometimes you are only entitled to this if you use an approved garage for your repairs

What are the pros and cons of using insurer-approved garages?

Pros  

• The standards of quality are checked and approved by your insurance company  

• The repairs are guaranteed under warranty for a set period 

• Your courtesy car is often contingent on you using an insurance-approved garage  

• It is often faster than finding your own garage

Cons  

• You may not have a long list of options to choose from  

• An approved garage may not employ any specialists in your vehicle  

• Approved repairers may not fit original parts (check your policy)

• The approved garages may be located far away or otherwise be inconvenient for you

What are the pros and cons of using my own choice of garage?

Pros  

• You can choose who repairs your car  

• You can use a garage that is more convenient for you

• You can use a mechanic who is a specialist in your vehicle  

Cons  

• Your insurer may not agree to pay the full cost of your repairs if their approved garages could have been cheaper  

• Your provider could want to authorise the repairs which can result your reimbursement being delayed

• Your insurer will not provide a warranty on any of the repairs or protection if further damage is done to your car while it was being repaired  

What should I do if I'm unhappy with the repairs of an insurer-approved garage?

Contact the garage as soon as you can and explain the issue.

You may also want to contact your insurer. Since the garage is approved by them, they may be able to intervene on your behalf or offer advice on how to proceed.