Who Do You Believe.

gtfpv · 21-09-2005, 10:32 PM

AS YOU ARE AWARE I CRASHED THE EL on saturday morning . now my car was towed to a repair centre . holding station . the station is not an NRMA approved repairer so the car was stowed there until monday until the NRMA assessment centre is open for business .the nrma was supposed to tow my car out of stowage to thier facility for assessment on monday it is now wednesday night and the car is still there .
the NRMA tells me that the owner of the stowage shop hates the NRMA and wont let them on his property to get the vehicle and they have to get the police involved tomorrow morning . apparantely they they have been trying to move the vehicle since monday . the owner of the smash repair , stowage centre where the car currently is tells me the car has been there ubtouched since saturday morning and the NRMA have not even rang him.
GO FIGURE ONE OF MY EVER LASTING DRAMAS. WHO DO YOU BELIEVE.???

:

CruizinEB · 21-09-2005, 10:45 PM

i would believe the smash repair guy because i don't trust insures to get of there *** and do anything for anyone (it costs them money:().

Kryton · 21-09-2005, 10:45 PM

look really does it matter?
if theres that much problems then call a tow truck yourself and be there when it arrives. its your car so he cant do anything. pay the towie his $50 and then talk to NRMA about reimbursement. even if they dont want to give you your money back then just think of it as getting your car back on the road quicker.
also as the owner of the holding yard he can legally say who can and cannot enter his property. NRMA doesnt own the car so he can refuse to let them in.

**FTE217** · 21-09-2005, 10:55 PM

Go and see the guy yourself, he's probably one of the many good panel beaters who have left the NRMA in droves and I don't blame them. He would probably sympathise with the owner of the car but not the goons at the NRMA.
He's probably doing this on purpose to stick it up them and unfortunately with your car.

Black XR6 · 21-09-2005, 11:01 PM

Call NRMA and ask them what time they will be there to collect the car with the ploice. Then turn up at the same time and you will soon see who is telling the truth. If the cops turn up then you will know.

gtfpv · 21-09-2005, 11:15 PM

yeah the replies are true i say the nrma are stuffing me around and trying to pin it on the shop.

Keepleft · 21-09-2005, 11:28 PM

You certainly seem to be caught up in this industry stand-off against NRMA. To do with NRMA's online tendering process and more...

b2tf · 22-09-2005, 12:45 AM

NRMA can get stuffed IMHO, their new process is going to mean a lot more dodgy repairs done on the cheap.

Mike Gayner · 22-09-2005, 05:26 AM

Insurance companies lie, fact of life. And they are slow as hell too. It's been 12 days since my car burned to the ground and my insurance company so far has done sweet bugger all. The car only just got towd off my driveway yesterday. Of course they are appointing an assessor and investigator and also hired an auto sparky to see if the fire was caused by a wiring fault, which apparently isn't covered under my policy. Not that I can find that clause anywhere in my policy.

Yaw · 22-09-2005, 06:35 AM

Mate,
NRMA are not too popular with the smash repair industry at the moment since they bought in thier new system. AAMI had similar problems in the eighties when they bought in thier two quote system. A lot of people dump on AAMI especially the smash repair industry because it was AAMI that revolutionised the smash repair industry forcing smash repairers to be competitive, much like NRMA are trying to do with thier "approved repairers" at the moment.
You see without a two quote system the repairers get greedy. In the eighties Tow truck drivers would leave your car at a smash repairer on an ad-hock basis, that is who ever is going to give the tow truck driver the biggest kick back for providing the work to the smash repairer. (i imagine this still goes one behind closed doors, just as spotters fees are offically no longer given according to the towing industry, I know they are still given because I used to get them myself when i worked in service stations and saw an accident, I would call and get the spotters fee) Anyway, thats a little off track, back to what the smahs repair industry do, a car gets towed to thier shop, they used to be guaranteed the work, suddenly the insurance companies that are looking to keep both costs and premiums down saying we need a second quote and we will choose the most complete and competitve quote gets the smash repairers greedy nose out of joint because now they have to be competitve. In the eighties smash repairers were refusing to release the car to the insurance compaines making the insurance company get the client involved saying to the repairer to release the car would find the car is parked in, or suddenly has flat tyres even though that did not happen in the accident.

This gives you a little insight into the problem.
I suggest to you this time the smash repairer is lying his *** off to you because NRMA have suddenly wanted him to start to be competitive in his repairs, its the same thing that happened in the eighties to AAMI.
Everyone needs to be thanking AAMI and now NRMA for putting in the hard work to make the smash repair industry fair and competitive. The ONLY reason all companies do not do this and still offer "choice of repairer" is because they lack backbone to stand up to the greedy tow truck drivers and smash repairers. It does noting more than inflate insurance premiums for everyone insisting on "your own repairer" when companies that have a two qute system guarantee the repairs for life anyway.

LTDHO · 22-09-2005, 08:04 AM

It's simple 'wanna be' businessman who think they know how to run/opperate a business because they can panelbeat!
If they can not meet the criteria of an insurance company, then don't sook about it, grow the fu(k up! There are other companies that need their cars fixed. It is very bad business to feel you have to withold property that is not yours and the owner needs to involve the police (with the insurance company).

Mike. I sent ya a PM.

98AUXR6 · 22-09-2005, 08:26 AM

NRMA are hopeless. I had a repair a couple of years ago and had the NRMA accounts department ring me to ask if the car had been assessed. As you may guess, I suggested she ring the assessor! The whole process took so long, when they offered to right the car off or investigate further, I said just right it off.

loxxr6 · 22-09-2005, 06:04 PM

Quote:

NRMA can get stuffed IMHO, their new process is going to mean a lot more dodgy repairs done on the cheap.

back2thefutura : To add a bit of insult to injury with your particular run in with NRMA, they actually changed their wheel rim guidelines within the last week to what you would have been able to put on your car....go figure.

As an NRMA staff person I do have to say there's been lots of misrepresentation about this whole repair thing. I'm really caught between it too as my preferred repairer has elected not to join the tendering system. The fact is that the majority of the people who campaigned against the tendering process weren't even offered to join it. I do feel sorry for the quality guys who didn't get an invite. Its a tough business.

One quote I have found extremely funny regarding this whole issue can be found below.

A letter to the editor of the SMH from an IAG shareholder, "All these motorists who are protesting against NRMA Insurance because they want to use their own preferred crash repairers must be pretty awful drivers if they are on such familiar terms with those repairers. As an IAG shareholder I hope they will take their motor insurance business elsewhere in protest, so saving the company, and me, the expense of their claims

GTFPV : I can't speak for who's right regarding what happened (it could honestly be either side's fault) but with the current anti NRMA Insurance environment it wouldn't suprise me if the repairer was making it difficult. Really, what gain have the NRMA got to make your claim take longer. They won't keep you as a customer if the pi$$ you off.

Quote:

if theres that much problems then call a tow truck yourself and be there when it arrives. its your car so he cant do anything. pay the towie his $50 and then talk to NRMA about reimbursement. even if they dont want to give you your money back then just think of it as getting your car back on the road quicker.

This really sounds like the best plan to me. You should def be able to get the tow outta there covered as they'll prob wear the cost of the tow-and-store tow.

loxxr6 · 22-09-2005, 06:09 PM

Quote:

NRMA are hopeless. I had a repair a couple of years ago and had the NRMA accounts department ring me to ask if the car had been assessed. As you may guess, I suggested she ring the assessor! The whole process took so long, when they offered to right the car off or investigate further, I said just right it off.

I'm sure everyone has a bad experience with one insurer or another. I can honestly say I've had my claims dealt with pretty quickly with both NRMA and GIO.

b2tf · 22-09-2005, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loxxr6

back2thefutura : To add a bit of insult to injury with your particular run in with NRMA, they actually changed their wheel rim guidelines within the last week to what you would have been able to put on your car....go figure.

: spewing! Ah well.

Stevo · 22-09-2005, 06:23 PM

the towie will charge by day for your car to sit in his yard
the longer it sits there, the more money he gets from your insurace company

Yaw · 22-09-2005, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

NRMA can get stuffed IMHO, their new process is going to mean a lot more dodgy repairs done on the cheap.

NOTHING can be further from the truth.

They like most other insurers that force the repair industry to start to be fair and reasonable without inflating repair cost simply because they are making the repairer accountable by giving the job to the most COMPLETE and COMPETITVE quote for the repairs and then to boot NRMA are offering a lifetime guarantee on the repairs!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are simply doing what should have been done years ago which in turn passes more comeptive insurance premiums onto you...the consumer.
I would also like to point out the most complete and competive repair does not nessecarily mean the cheapest, The life time guarantee must be able to stand up.
Hopefully now the smash repair industry and tow truck buisness will sit up and take notice as the writing is on the wall for those that do not start to be competitve like every single other industry from milk, bread to building industry has to be.

So many people complain about thier insurance premium prices and it has been a result of the repairers that are crying the loudest over this issue.

I would also like to point out I DO NOT work for NRMA, in fact I work for thier competition.

loxxr6 · 22-09-2005, 09:04 PM

"In theory" insurers paying less for repairs = cheaper insurance premiums.

**FTE217** · 22-09-2005, 09:25 PM

[QUOTE=loxxr6]back2thefutura :

As an NRMA staff person I do have to say there's been lots of misrepresentation about this whole repair thing. I'm really caught between it too as my preferred repairer has elected not to join the tendering system. The fact is that the majority of the people who campaigned against the tendering process weren't even offered to join it. I do feel sorry for the quality guys who didn't get an invite. Its a tough business.

Come on loxxy thats a good company speel and rightly so I admire a good company man.

I personally know 2 very good repairer's, 1 of them with a top professional operation employing up to 30odd ppl.
They were both NRMA preffered repairers for many many yrs. Like them and many of the others who have oppted out were the top class ones in Sydney.
My understanding is that most of the ones aligned with NRMA now are the 2nd and 3rd choice business's which would not have got a guernsey had the top shelf ones stayed.
I had been with NRMA for over 20yrs and had experienced great service but the last 5yrs have been a Huge slippery dip.
I am starting to phase them out, car is with Allianz from earlier this year and house will be next to go come renewal time. Its a pity but it's not like it used to be sdaly.

gtfpv · 22-09-2005, 10:12 PM

wel i threatened to involve the fair trading department today as to why my car is sitting in a workshop where it is not going to be repaired . i told the nrma so . i also rang the workshop where it is and informed them . the workshop owner congratulated me . and sure enough the car was removed and taken to the assessment centre within 30 minutes of the phone call to bot parties . this was 11 am today at 3 o'clock i rang the assessment centre to see if it had been assessed yet . they sympathised and told me they would assess it and ring me with what is going to happen from there . needless to say . i did not recieve a call . come to think of it . the nrma have sympathised with me but not rang me once since the accident .oh well , maybe tommorow i might ring them after lunch and see if it has been assessed and where it will be repaired . but i will probably be told that they will ring me some time on monday . so the cycle evolves.

loxxr6 · 23-09-2005, 12:16 AM

Quote:

My understanding is that most of the ones aligned with NRMA now are the 2nd and 3rd choice business's which would not have got a guernsey had the top shelf ones stayed.

My understanding is that they signed on/around at least 80% of the people they wanted.

After hearing many opinions from repairers, the media and the insurance side I still believe that there's a lot of hype over this and many people don't really understand what really happens. People need to get the facts before they jump up and down argue about it.

Quote:

the nrma have sympathised with me but not rang me once since the accident

That does sound pretty slack. I'd be on their cases too.

chief · 23-09-2005, 01:25 AM

I didnot like how NRMA has handled the one and only claim that I lodged and it wasn't my fault and they stuffed me around something cronic. Plus being 20 means not a great deal of mods can be done. So I switched to Vigil insurance.

b2tf · 23-09-2005, 01:29 AM

loxx I have no doubt that there is plenty more to this whole issue than we know or are told, but where I get lost is that, as I understand it, the aim of the NRMA's new system is to get cheaper quotes and jobs done quicker by repairers.

Now this makes sense from a business point of view and obviously it will have a positive effect on insurance premiums (you would hope anyway), but what I dont understand is that if companies are getting the nod because theyre doing jobs cheaper and quicker, does that impact on quality of repairs?

My old car had a nice little bustup, required a new front end - $8k worth of damage. The repairer was not a preferred NRMA one but the lifetime guarantee on repairs still applied on his work. You may remember from old FF that the colour match looked like it was done by a blind man, and NRMA told him to use secondhand parts in line with the age of the vehicle (at that time 8yrs old). He still used new parts though (made sure of it), but if for example, he is now told that unless he submits the cheapest quote he wont get the job, does this mean he's going to actually use 2nd rate parts and do the job quicker for less money? How is the quality of the repair effected in those circumstances, and how is the guarantee of the repair job done affected?

Basically the way I see it - these repairers are going to be doing the job quicker - which may mean rushing it, and using cheaper parts - which may compromise quality. Why would anybody want that for their car?

**FTE217** · 23-09-2005, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loxxr6

My understanding is that they signed on/around at least 80% of the people they wanted.

After hearing many opinions from repairers, the media and the insurance side I still believe that there's a lot of hype over this and many people don't really understand what really happens. People need to get the facts before they jump up and down argue about it.

That does sound pretty slack. I'd be on their cases too.

80% ppl they wanted, spin doctoring from the ivory tower imo.

Good point getting the facts.....but unfortunately the average punter never gets the true facts and therefore must make a decision.

As for gtfpv's case as far as I'm concerned it stinks ! Imagine how many more of these cases are really out there ?
Wind back to the 'ol NRMA the car would be just about finished for him to pick up.
Hope it gets sorted out soon gtfpv.

loxxr6 · 23-09-2005, 10:17 AM

Quote:

what I dont understand is that if companies are getting the nod because theyre doing jobs cheaper and quicker, does that impact on quality of repairs?

It shouldn't but in reality it could. However if repairers are seen to cut corners and do shonky work, you would only expect their involvement to be reviewed. See it's not just the owner of the car that gets shafted. The insurance company then gets a bad name and then they lose business. It's not doing the insurer any benefit to get complaints.

I can honestly say that (in my exposure to it) almost of all the complaints have been from people that don't like the scheme and not from those that have had trouble with the repairs.

If as many people were as vocal about their good experiences as their bad ones then the perception of how the new system is going would probably change.

It also quite funny to see how the media blew this up as a brand new thing when other states and an insurer in NSW had been doing this for ages. Sounds to me like it was just the flavour of the month news....

**Cav** · 23-09-2005, 10:23 AM

I'm an old bloke and I remember when the NRMA used to look after motorists!

Sourbastard · 23-09-2005, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cav

I'm an old bloke and I remember when the NRMA used to look after motorists!

Yeah, they had it good during the Boer War.

loxxr6 · 23-09-2005, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Now this makes sense from a business point of view and obviously it will have a positive effect on insurance premiums (you would hope anyway), but what I dont understand is that if companies are getting the nod because theyre doing jobs cheaper and quicker, does that impact on quality of repairs?

My old car had a nice little bustup, required a new front end - $8k worth of damage. The repairer was not a preferred NRMA one but the lifetime guarantee on repairs still applied on his work. You may remember from old FF that the colour match looked like it was done by a blind man, and NRMA told him to use secondhand parts in line with the age of the vehicle (at that time 8yrs old). He still used new parts though (made sure of it), but if for example, he is now told that unless he submits the cheapest quote he wont get the job, does this mean he's going to actually use 2nd rate parts and do the job quicker for less money? How is the quality of the repair effected in those circumstances, and how is the guarantee of the repair job done affected?

Basically the way I see it - these repairers are going to be doing the job quicker - which may mean rushing it, and using cheaper parts - which may compromise quality. Why would anybody want that for their car?

You do have a valid point.

Repairers are reviewed and assessed on their repairs/quality/complaints. Surely no insurance company would want to keep paying a repairer that gives them a bad name. Plus the fact is the repairs have to stand up to the lifetime warranty they offer.

However I do agree that the necessity to do the best quote may cause people to want to cut corners.

LTDHO · 23-09-2005, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cav

I'm an old bloke and I remember when the NRMA used to look after motorists!

How are they not doing it now?????

They are getting the motorist's car fixed quicker and cheaper. Help's the motorist twice!

**Cav** · 23-09-2005, 10:44 AM

Really LTDHO?
Ten months to fix hail damage!
We had to go to one repairer who was booked solid.
Yet back in 1974 I had a bingle in my XY. Front end damage, radiator pushed back, needed new bumper, grille, bonnet, lights, and front fenders.
The accident happened on Monday arvo.... I picked up the car on Saturday morning