E

Is there a charge for towing my vehicle for insurance claim repairs?

In most incidents no, but some insurance companies will not pay for a long distance tow or may charge for extra milage.

E

What area do you pick up from?

Bulahdelah,Wingham, Taree local surrounding areas. If an insurance company has authorised us to pick a vehicle in a specific area we can also do that.

E

Can you organise the insurance assessment for me?

Yes, all we require from the customer is a Claim Number.

E

Can you liaise with the insurance company for me?

Yes in most cases we can. However in some instances the insurance company may need to talk to the vehicle owner. If they require more information on how the incident happened they will need to speak to the owner.

E

Can I get a quote for repairs over the phone?

No, unfortunately we do require the vehicle to be seen to be able to obtain an accurate quote.

E

Will I pay an insurance excess if I am not at fault?

You will need to provide all details of the person responsible for the damage (see our accident checklist). Normally if the accident was not your fault you will not be required to pay an excess and your no Claim bonus will not be effected.

E

If I have an excess to pay, who do I pay that to?

Normally the excess is paid to the repairer on completion of repairs to the vehicle. The repaired vehicle is not released until the full excess has been paid to either the repairer or the insurance company. In some instances the insurance company may ask for payment over the phone by credit card when making the claim.

E

Can I choose Forster Smash Repairs as my repairer?

We carry out repairs for most insurance companies in Australia and you should be able to choose Forster Smash Repairs as your repairer.Your insurer may recommend another repairer to you based on price.You are under no obligation – it is your choice. You can contact us if you need any more advice.

E

When is my car a write off?

Insurance companies have different standards on writing off cars. Most insurers will value the damaged Vehicle and add the cost of repairs to this. If the total is more than the sum insured, than they will declare the vehicle a write off.

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If my car is a write off what will I receive?

This will depend on the insurance company and what type of policy you have – agreed value or market value. With agreed value you will receive the agreed sum insured , with market value it will be the figure that the insurer determines the vehicle is worth. If the accident was your fault the insurance company will also charge you for the excess, so the pay out figure will be less this amount. If you are not insured we can advise on how to minimise your loss.

E

What insurance repairs can you do?

Forster Smash Repairs work with all insurance companies and are preferred repairs for most insurance companies. All we require is a claim number and we can liaise with the claims department and assessors on your behalf. If your vehicle is safe to drive and you have not yet made a claim we can assist you with getting your claim started.

If you don’t think your vehicle is safe drive we can come and inspect it and organise our tilt tray to tow your vehicle back to the workshop for further inspection. In the event that your vehicle has been towed from an accident to another repairer or holding yard and you would like us to repair your vehicle, just give us a call and we can make the arrangements for you. If you are away from home when you have an accident some insurance companies will arrange to have your vehicle transported home for you, it will depend on the circumstances.

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Do you handle Fleet Management?

Forster Smash Repairs is associated with all major fleet companies and will organise all fleet claims on vehicles using all industry standards and guidelines.

INSURANCE CLAIMS HOTLINE NUMBERS

9

AAMI

132 244

9

ALLIANZ

131 000

9

NRMA

131 123

9

GIO

131 446

9

QBE

1300 361 516

9

REAL INSUR

1300 301 618

9

SHANNONS

134 646

9

A & G INSUR

1300 139 591

9

BUDGET INSUR

1800 601 383

Questions