Würzburg, July 26, 2007
The car insurance market is highly competitive. This is reflected in the prices of insurance premiums. However, customers often only benefit superficially from the often nonsensical discounts they are offered. Much more important for the consumer must be what happens when something happens.
The current issue no. 30 of the industry journal "kfz-betrieb" shows the correlation between insurance premiums and accident damage repairs. The discounts on premiums force insurance companies to demand horrendous discounts from garages in the event of a claim. This in turn has a direct impact on the quality of the repair work carried out. This is because garages are unable to generate the necessary margins to invest in their business and keep it up to date. Above all, investment requires staff training and workshop equipment. This, as the Würzburg trade journalists discovered at an expert meeting on body repair, is absolutely essential. The participants at the event came from car manufacturers, associations, workshop equipment suppliers and insurers.
Cars have changed drastically over the past ten years. This applies less to their appearance and more to their basic function. And it is precisely this change that makes it necessary for garages to invest. The insurance industry's claims management has a negative impact on this, as accident claims are directed to workshops that offer insurers favorable conditions. The trade journal "kfz-betrieb" therefore expressly warns against claims management - and not just the garages. This is because the end consumer also loses control over his vehicle - and then it may be that the repair workshop is not the one he trusts.
"kfz-betrieb" is a trade magazine published by Vogel Auto Medien, Würzburg. The most widely read trade magazine in the automotive industry celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2005 and is the official organ of the German Automotive Industry Association (ZDK), the professional interest group for over 40,000 car dealerships and workshops. Daily news from the entire automotive industry can be found at www.kfz-betrieb.de and in the daily newsletter.
If you have any questions, please contact
Konrad Wenz
Service & Technology" department
Editorial office "kfz-betrieb" weekly journal & online
Vogel Auto Media
97064 Würzburg
Phone +49 931 418-25 56
Fax +49 931 418-20 50
E-mail: norbert_rubbel@vogel-automedien.de
