Claims by Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) members that Suncorp Group customers can wait up to five months to receive assessments for accident damaged vehicles – an issue raised by its media release of 29 February – is not a matter of a few individual claims but a broader systemic issue, severely affecting automotive repairers and consumers.
“The extended wait time issue VACC raised in the media is not just about a series of current claims. This is a systemic issue for the insurer Suncorp and its associated brands, and one that requires a significant change of business practice,” said VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym.
“There are signs of deeper issues with industry processes, practices and resourcing that mean it’s poorly prepared. Insurers are now ‘on notice’ with regulators ready to pounce on any unfair behaviour.”
Suncorp Group issued a brief statement after VACC published its media release, but omitted a major detail.
“I noticed that, in response to VACC’s claims, Suncorp Group did not deny its delaying tactics, only that it wishes to work with industry to create better outcomes,” said Gwilym.
“I remind Suncorp Group – whose after tax profit for the first six months of the 2024 financial year is $582 million – that motorists and small business owners are not in a position to fix their issues. Suncorp’s executives must do that work.
“If Suncorp examines its own claim list, they will see thousands of claims with unreasonable assessment delays. It’s not for Suncorp to fix a few, but time for Suncorp to fix them all and get back on track if they take their legal and regulatory obligations to their customers, repairers and the motor repair industry seriously.”
Following VACC’s recent media release, repairers have inundated the peak body with unprompted claim examples.
VACC is keen to meet with Suncorp executives on this matter once Suncorp Group has decided how it will address the broader systemic assessment delays through its policies and procedures.
VACC will also engage with relevant regulators to bring about a fair outcome.