Dialogue Fails To Repair Rift
Newcastle Herald
Friday October 14, 2005
NRMA Insurance is taking a "divide and conquer" approach with Hunter smash repairers after talks to resolve industry concerns about its controversial "care and repair" program broke down this week.
The insurance giant will now focus on discussions with individual smash repairers as meetings with the Country North Vehicle Repairers Association, which represents 125 protesting repairers, failed to reach agreement.A settlement negotiated by the NRMA and the association, covering issues of contracts, web-based repair management and performance, was rejected by a 96 per cent majority of CNVRA members on Monday night.CNVRA president Gary Mamic said the two parties had reached a stalemate."The NRMA sent us a letter saying they can't give any more and we are saying that they haven't given enough," he said.The association is disputing the new web-based quoting system that was introduced on July 1.As a result, 90 per cent of the region's repairers are not registering to be accredited as NRMA-preferred repairers.The repairers maintain that the system erodes their customer base, denies consumer choice, and could push repairers out of business.The action has forced the NRMA to send vehicles out of the region to clear a backlog of repairs.NRMA Insurance's head of claims and assessing David Brown said the insurer would now target businesses one-on-one to encourage them to join the program."We will now be looking to continue discussions directly with individual repairers who are interested in working with us," he said.Mr Brown said the backlog of work in the Hunter region was down to two weeks, or about 1500 repairs.The NRMA is offering hire cars to customers whose vehicles are not back on the road within seven days.About 50 CNMVA members rallied at the NRMA care and repair centre at Gateshead yesterday as part of their continuing protest.
© 2005 Newcastle Herald