Many people we see at CARS assume that they have to use an insurance-approved repairer, which often means taking their vehicle out of town, sometimes up to several hours away. In truth, you can take your vehicle to a repair centre of your choice, including any that are local to you! So, here’s why it’s best to pick a local repairer:

Supporting a local business

It goes without saying that when you use a local repair centre, you’re contributing to the local economy by keeping money within your community. This supports businesses and helps to create more jobs in the local area.

Proximity

A difficulty we often see with non-local repairers is the travel requirements when arranging collection and/or delivery of vehicles. For example, it might be your responsibility to get your vehicle to another town or city, and a claims handler is unlikely to be able to confirm whether your vehicle is driveable.

With a local repair centre, arranging collection or delivery is likely to be far simpler, and you may still have the option of taking away a courtesy vehicle. Additionally, if you have any future queries regarding the work carried out to your vehicle or further damage, you can just pop back in!

Communication

Local repairers allow for face-to-face communication. This allows you to learn more about the repair process and ask questions to make sure that your vehicle will receive a high-quality repair, in accordance with manufacturer guidance. Ultimately, this ensures that your vehicle will be safe and road-worthy when returned to you.

Customer service

A local repairer which isn’t directly authorised by an insurance company is likely to rely heavily on recommendations, reviews and referrals to continue obtaining business. In order to do so, they have to provide high-quality customer service. In contrast, a non-local, insurance-approved repairer will have an automatic flow of work provided by an insurer or network. Unfortunately, in some cases, this may mean that they do not rely as heavily on providing quality customer service.

Ultimately, there are many reasons why choosing a local repair centre might be more advantageous than a non-local repair centre. You should carry out your due diligence to ensure that your vehicle will be repaired in accordance with high-quality standards regardless. Visit our blogs ‘Why do repair costs vary from garage to garage?’ and ‘Do I have to take my vehicle to one of my insurer’s approved repairers?’ for further information.