As a supplier of salvage services to most of the UK’s leading insurers, we will continue to provide essential services, ensuring that motor claims are processed and settled as quickly as possible during the covid-19 crisis.
Essential services
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed that the claims service provided to policyholders by their insurance companies is deemed essential under the Government’s Coronavirus Bill.
In addition, Defra has confirmed to the British Metals Recycling Association that front-line staff involved in the depollution and disposal of end-of-life vehicles are deemed critical workers. As a result, the British Vehicle Salvage Federation has confirmed that services supporting the management of end-of-life vehicles may continue.
Having received letters from Claims Directors and insurers’ legal counsel confirming that they classify us as a “critical service partner”, we are maintaining services to protect the insurance claims supply chain and the interests of insurers’ customers.
“We work for most of the UK’s major insurers, collecting, transporting and storing accident-damaged vehicles on behalf of insurers, enabling them to be assessed so that claims can be processed and customers can receive payment as soon as possible.
“This is especially crucial during this time when so many people are facing financial challenges – for example many people have loans to pay for their vehicles and need claims settlements to repay those.”
Jane Pocock, UK Managing Director
Protecting supply chain
We have set up a task force to collect all cars assigned to us by insurers as quickly as possible. But some damaged vehicles are now getting stuck in garages and body shops that have had to close.
This means the vehicles can’t be repaired as they normally would be. So some insurers have asked instructed us to collect some of these vehicles and to either store them, or put them into the total loss process so they can conclude matters with their policy holders.
However, we are only operating aspects of our services that are deemed essential services.
“We began reshaping our business as soon as it became clear that coronavirus was going to have a significant impact, the majority of our staff are now working from home, and we have been pro-active in scrupulously following safety guidelines and taking every action we can to keep all our people and our customers safe.”
Jane Pocock, UK Managing Director
Continuing these core operations may help some small automotive businesses reliant on the supply chain to maintain a level of trading.
It may also help to maintain the flow of parts to feed repair garages – which have been deemed as essential to keep key workers’ vehicles on the roads – at a time when parts supplies from many sources is drying up.
Our Operations Centres have capacity for over 65,000 vehicles across the UK (with significantly more on the way). This is key at a time when body shops and other places where vehicles may be stored are closed. They are in largely rural areas rather than in areas of high-density population.
Taking precautions
We have taken many measures to protect our employees and customers. These include closing our Operations Centres to all visitors and converting services from collection by customer to delivery by Copart.
We are continuing to keep our employees and customers informed with regular coronavirus updates.
Find out more about our ongoing response to Covid-19 or read our full Press Release.