If you’re in a situation where there’s damage to your vehicle and repairs are needed, new laws in South Australia mean you’ll be able to make more informed decisions about repairers.

Regardless of whether the damage is due to a wild storm, minor scrape in a car park, or something more serious on the road, it’s helpful to know your rights with car repairs as you go through the insurance claim process to get your car back in shape again.

Information your car insurer must declare

Your car insurer must clearly advise if you have a choice of repairer, and they must do this any time you take out a new policy, renew your policy, or when you make a claim.

Not all car insurance policies will allow you to have a choice of repairer, and some have strict limitations around this option, so it’s important to read the information provided by your insurer so you understand your rights under the particular policy.

The car insurer must also declare their relationships with repairers, including any shared financial interests or a contract with the repairer. Ad-hoc or one-off arrangements do not need to be disclosed.

How this information must be provided

Car insurers must publish on their websites a list of repairers they have an interest in - called a statement of relevant interest.

Your insurer must also contact you directly, and let you know the statement of relevant interest is available on their website.

Often, this information has only been included in Product Disclosure Statements and may have been missed by consumers in the past.

The new requirement for car insurers to be more proactive with what and how they declare certain information to you will help you make more informed decisions.

Some car insurers will have already started to meet the new disclosure requirements, but insurers have until 1 December to update their systems and processes to make sure they are fully compliant.

Consumer and Business Services (CBS) will then be monitoring the industry and checking for compliance.

Tips for choosing a vehicle repairer

If your insurance policy allows you to choose your own repairer, and you decide that’s what you would like to do, ask friends or family members which repair companies they’ve used in the past and if they would recommend their services.

Consider the location of the repairer in relation to where you live and work, and how convenient or otherwise it will be for you to drop off and collect your vehicle from that location.

Check if the repairer has access to the right equipment for your car's make and model.

Before you leave your vehicle for repairs, check how long the repairs will take and also check your insurance policy to see what transport options are provided. Some policies include taxi fares to and from the repairer, or hire cars for a certain period of time while your vehicle is being repaired.

More advice

You can read about the new laws on the CBS web page: More transparency for motor vehicle insurance holders.