Auto Insurance Repair Time Balloons

Average auto insurance repair cycles have more than doubled in just two years, though a survey shows customer satisfaction with the process hasn’t suffered due to insurers managing customer expectations.

The J.D. Power U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study indicates the average repair cycle – from the time the vehicle was reported damaged to its being repaired and returned to the claimant – has jumped from 12 days to 23.1 days this year.

It said repair backlogs and some persistent parts shortages are to blame for the ballooned wait times.

Meanwhile, customer satisfaction in the repair process actually improved, J.D. Power said.

“It’s really a testament to strong client management processes and improved digital communications,” said Director of Global Insurance Intelligence Mark Garrett, who said that the insurers that improved most on satisfaction increased emphasis on showing concern for claimants experience from the outset and on keeping them informed of repair status.

“Being empathetic toward the customer situation goes a long way in building trust with them.”

Overall satisfaction improved in most aspects of the claims process, increasing five points on a 1,000-point scale to 878, said J.D. Power, which reported that the only factor that fell was rental-vehicle period, which a growing number of people said wasn’t long enough or resulted in them incurring out-of-pocket expenses.

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Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today