UPDATE (7 March 2024): Added comment by Suncorp.
Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) body repair members claim that Suncorp Group insurance companies are delaying assessing customers’ vehicles by up to five months. The Chamber also said it seems Suncorp chooses when customers and repairers can jump the “vehicle assessment queue”.
Additionally, the VACC says its body repair businesses allege that Suncorp motor vehicle assessors refuse to attend and complete assessments and opt for “over-the-phone intimidation tactics” to force repairers to accept repair costs prior to sighting the insurer’s assessment.
“On average, an accident damaged motor vehicle should take no longer than five working days for an insurer to assess once a repairer provides an estimate,” said Geoff Gwilym, CEO of the VACC. “Suncorp Group takes anywhere from three weeks to five months to return an assessment and in the meantime, the customer and repairer are in limbo.”
Gwilym said the VACC is also aware of cases where Suncorp Group companies tell their customers that assessments are six to eight weeks away, but they can forego an assessment wait time if the customer attends a Suncorp repairer. For example, the Chamber alleges that GIO recently told a customer that if they wished to use a particular repairer, the assessment wouldn’t happen for two months. However, if they chose a GIO repairer, the assessment and repair would occur immediately.
“Suncorp must address their systemic failures and operate fairly and transparently with customers and repairers. It’s unfair to consumers and bad for business. Suncorp Group needs to improve,” said Gwilym.
“Making customers wait five months for a vehicle assessment and authorisation is unacceptable. If staffing is an issue for insurance companies, then the simple message is ‘fix it’. Either hire and train more motor vehicle assessors or use external independent assessing firms.”
According to the VACC, general insurance complaints rose 50 per cent to 27,924 in 2022-23. Additionally, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority recently reported insurance claim handling delays as the top issue across all complaints received.
“Many insurance companies don’t meet their legal obligations when customers most need their support,” added Gwilym.
In response, Suncorp expressed disappointment at the situation and said it hadn’t been contacted about it.
“Suncorp is disappointed to hear of the issues raised by the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce, and that they haven’t been raised directly with us,” the company said.
“We take our obligations to our customers, repairers and the motor repair code very seriously.
“We hope to work constructively with VACC to address their concerns as a matter of urgency.”