Help hailed for damaged cars
30/03/2010
SGIO's emergency inspection centres have already commenced assessing hail-damaged cars to help minimise inconvenience for impacted customers.
SGIO Operations Manager Sandra Robinson said the aim was to make the repair process as simple as possible for customers once they had lodged an insurance claim.
“So far more than 11,000 SGIO motor and home claims have been lodged and customers who have lodged a claim are being contacted and booked in for assessments,” she said.
“We have assessors on site - including many employees here from interstate - to manage the next steps in the repair or settlement process.”
“There’s no need for Customers to run around and get repair quotes themselves. We’ll contact them and book them in to visit us at the assessing centre.”
Mrs Robinson said that a number of emergency inspection centres had been set up and that SGIO was also assessing hail damaged vehicles at the permanent Balcatta assessment centre.
“All bookings are being co-ordinated by the claims team using a priority system based on the severity of the damage and the main aim is to get customers back on the road quickly,” she said.
“In addition, SGIO’s major event rapid response vehicle is set up to assist us. This will facilitate the assessment and quick settlement of our customers’ claims.”
SGIO will also help motorists get back on the road quickly by utilising the latest repair technology, including Paintless Dent Repair, which uses specialist tools to remove dents rather the traditional panel beat and re-spray method.
Mrs Robinson said that there were many home assessors in the field, prioritising customers’ homes that were most severely impacted by the storm.
“Many of the claims have been allocated to builders, glaziers and other suppliers with allocation being prioritised according to the extent of the damage,” she said.
To make a claim, SGIO customers should phone the SGIO Storm Hotline on 1300 730 314 or report their claim online.