1 July looms as real times day

On 1 July bodyshops in NSW and the ACT are supposed to switch to real time, real money (RTRM) for estimating, but plenty of shops are still unprepared for the change.

To smooth the transition, the Motor Traders Association (MTA) has negotiated with the Insurance Council of Australia to run the RTRM in parallel with funny time funny money (FTFM) for a short period.

The MTA is suggesting that shops not yet comfortable with RTRM quote in FTFM as well - although the bottom line totals should be the same. The transition period during which the two methods are accepted by insurers is likely to last about a month.

In the case of NRMA and other IAG insurance brands, the 1 July move to what the company calls new times and rates (NTAR) is absolute. The insurer has spent more than two years training its preferred repairs in the preparation of quotes using its own times guide (virtually the same as the MTA's realistic times guide).

Newly appointed head of claims for NRMA Insurance, SGIC and SGIO, Sue Houghton, said by the end of May 93 per cent of the insurer's PSRs had signed up to NTAR

Presumably, PSRs that do not quote in NTAR will no longer get work from NRMA and related insurer brands.

That also applies to shops which may find themselves with NRMA jobs even though they may not be PRSs.