Why the Claim Workflow Is Where Panel Shops Win or Lose
Australian panel beating and smash repair is dominated by insurance work — typically 70-90% of revenue at independent shops. The major insurers (IAG with NRMA/CGU/SGIO, Suncorp with AAMI/GIO/Apia/Vero, Allianz, RACV, Youi, Budget Direct) all operate variations of the same workflow, and the shop's ability to run it efficiently is the single biggest determinant of profitability.
Two metrics matter:
- Cycle time — days from booking-in to vehicle delivered back to the customer.
- Supplementary recovery — percentage of strip-down hidden damage that ends up paid for vs absorbed as shop cost.
This guide walks through both.
The Standard AU Insurance Claim Workflow
Every major Australian insurer runs roughly this sequence:
- Booking-in — Customer drops off the vehicle. Shop captures driver/owner details, claim number, policy details, photo walk-around.
- Initial quote — Shop submits the repair quote to the insurer's portal or assessor with photos and labour-unit estimates.
- Assessor approval — Either desktop approval (smaller jobs, <$5K-$10K) or on-site inspection (larger jobs). Authorisation issued.
- Parts ordered — Shop orders OEM or after-market parts as authorised.