ABP Club Car Body Repair News - July 2010

Below is a news headline summary. The full bodyshop news stories appear on the ABP Club members' forum.

30/7/10		Inchcape - solid growth in first half of year; profits up 76% Inchcape plc, a leading international automotive distributor and retailer, [ABP - with 15 UK bodyshops] announces its half year results for the period ended 30 June 2010. Full article on members' forum

30/7/10		Caffyns - trading update; "ahead of plan" Brian Birkenhead, Chairman of Caffyns plc, the leading motor distributor covering 12 car franchises [ABP inc 3 bodyshops] in the south east of England, made the following Interim Management Statement at the Company's AGM Full article on members' forum

30/7/10		Gateshead College - invests £400,000 in new Auto Skills Centre for bodyshops Gateshead College is investing £400,000 in a new Auto Skills Centre to improve the standard of training available to people who assess and repair damaged vehicles. Full article on members' forum

30/7/10		Quinn Insurance - "business as usual" It's "business as usual" at Quinn Insurance, with redundancy numbers now likely to be lower than earlier anticipated, the High Court in Dublin heard yesterday. In a report submitted to the court, the insurer's administrators said they continued to retain merchant bankers to advise on any prospective sale of the company. Full article on members' forum

30/7/10		Helphire - trading update; "strong recovery"; small profit in year compared to £149m loss last year Helphire is today issuing its pre-close trading update for the year ended 30 June 2010. Since the interim management statement on 5 May 2010, the Group has successfully continued to execute its previously outlined recovery plan. Helphire expects its results for the year ended 30 June 2010 to show a strong recovery in performanceas a resu lt of the plan and to be in line with expectations. Full article on members' forum

29/7/10		MINI - first years insurance for £99 on all convertibles MINI Financial Services is offering customers who treat themselves to a new MINI Convertible this summer a year's car insurance from only £99. As well as providing potentially huge savings for drivers, the policy includes the reassurance that any repairs would be carried out at a MINI Approved Bodyshop using genuine MINI parts. Full article on members' forum

29/7/10		Independent Repair Group (IRG) - wins Norfolk County Council contract with help of PAS125 Kitemark The Independent Repair Group (IRG) made up of five bodyshops in the East Anglia region that all have the BSI Kitemark has recently won the Norfolk County Council contract for two years. Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		3M - set up Automotive Acoustics Group to develop new materials that address weight issues Diversified technology company 3M has established a specialist Automotive Acoustics Group in Europe. Already active in NVH and structural adhesives, the Group will focus on balancing manufacturers' weight reduction and acoustics requirements, and developing advanced materials and products into cost-effective bespoke solutions. Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Actuarial Profession - "the cost of settling injury claims is now growing by 30% each year" with the "growing number of claims management companies at the heart of it" Third party injury claims are rising according to the preliminary findings of a report due to be published later this year by the Actuarial Profession's third party motor insurance working party. However the working party has already identified that while settlement rates across the industry are speeding up, settlement amounts are increasing Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Autofocus - for sale; full details as provided by administrators Harrisons has recently received an instruction relating to Autofocus Limited, a business that provides market research information and price benchmarking for the insurance and credit hire sectors. We have been instructed to seek a buyer for the business and assets Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Accident Exchange - Autofocus go into administration Credit hire reporting company Autofocus has entered administration. The company, which has been embroiled in a legal dispute with credit hire organisation Accident Exchange, has appointed Southampton-based firm Harrisons as administrators. Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Quinn Insurance - state-owned Anglo Irish Bank to make takeover bid Anglo Irish Bank is within weeks of presenting the Financial Regulator with firm plans for its takeover of embattled Quinn Insurance, the Irish Independent has learned. The plan will reveal whether Anglo will make a play for Quinn on its own or with a partner and will also detail Anglo's exit strategy as well as its proposed management line-up. Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Electric vehicles - UK government confirms £5,000 subsidy from January 2011 Transport Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed today that motorists will receive up to £5,000 towards purchase of an ultra-low carbon car (electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell car),from January 2011 Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		NIG - to close personal lines motor, to concentrate on commercial motor NIG, part of the RBS Insurance Group, is proposing the closure of its personal lines business in a move to focus solely on its commercial business. It follows a "comprehensive review" of the RBS insurer's personal lines business. If the proposals are rubber-stamped within the next 90 days, the business will enter a run-off period lasting 12 to 18 months with 280 jobs likely to be affected Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Ireland - RSA buy 123 Money to become second largest general insurer in Ireland RSA Insurance Group plc announces the acquisition of 123 Money Limited (123.ie), one of the leading and fastest growing direct distributors of personal lines insurance products in Ireland. 123.ie offers Motor, Home and Pet insurance and, with around 170,000 policyholders, generated premium income of about £50m in the year ended 31 March 2010. Following this transaction RSA will become the second largest general insurer in Ireland Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Volvo - sues Pilkington over price fixing on car windscreens and sunroofs Car maker Volvo is suing Pilkington, the British glass maker, over allegations of price fixing. Volvo issued an action in the High Court in London earlier this month claiming damages from the illegally inflated prices charged for car glass over the period of the cartel. Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		Brit Insuraance - motor premiums down 25% in first half year; private motor down 60% as it is not "a sustainable class of business" Brit Insurance has announced its half-year results today. Buried away in the 40 pages of details are the following extracts covering their motor business. Their total gross written motor premiums fell by 26% to £44.8m in the half-year to 30 June 2010, compared to £60.8m in the same period last year. Brit saw a 60% reduction in its private motor account compared to the first half of 2009 as they "no longer consider it to be a sustainable class of business" Full article on members' forum

28/7/10		National Accident Repair Group (NARG) - win 2 new repair contracts National Accident Repair Group has secured two new repair contracts and will be shortly announcing a third. The group will now be carrying out all repair work for: - SITA, the national waste management company based in Maidenhead - Commercial Legal, who provide a motor claims service for brokers, based in Sheffield Full article on members' forum

27/7/10		Benbar Group - bodyshop "continues to exceed forecasts" Benbar - the Warrington based Toyota, Citroen and used car dealer group - has announced a 49% profit increase for the six months ending June. Turnover is up 8% to £16.5m with net profit after interest increasing to 1.9% of turnover. Full article on members' forum

27/7/10		Bob Linwood - leaves NIBS ABP Club understnds that Bob Linwood recently resigned his position as Business Development Director of the NIBS Group and is currently on Garden Leave until 30 September. Full article on members' forum

27/7/10		Ford Explorer - new model for the USA features inflatable rear seat belts The new 2011 Ford Explorer has been reinvented, raising the bar on SUV safety by combining technologies to help avoid crashes with those that set new standards of protection in the event of one. The comprehensive Explorer safety story adds new features plus an innovative new Ford safety technology - inflatable rear seat belts Full article on members' forum

27/7/10		Motor Codes - links up with IMI Motor industry regulatory body, Motor Codes, is to intensify its push to increase the service and repair sector's credibility as it enters a collaborative relationship with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). Full article on members' forum

27/7/10		IMI / ATA - Welding Expert Working Group Following a communication from the IMI to the industry earlier in April 2010, an ATA Expert Working Group for Panel was held on 25th June 2010 with a focus on several 'welding issues' highlighted by the industry. Full article on members' forum

27/7/10		IAG UK (owners of Equity Red Star) - Neil Utley to leave in September and replaced by Ian Foy Insurance Australia Group (IAG) [ABP - owners of Equity Red Star] has announced today that Mr Ian Foy, currently CEO of IAG's New Zealand business, will return to the United Kingdom to become CEO of IAG's UK business, succeeding Mr Neil Utley. Full article on members' forum

27/7/10		Ai Claims Solutions - trading update; ahead of market forecasts Ai Claims Solutions Plc, the ethical motor claims solution provider has witnessed increased demand from existing key referral sources and now expects turnover, profit before tax and earning per share for the financial year ending 30 June 2010 to be ahead of market forecasts. Full article on members' forum

26/7/10		Glass's says franchised dealers are vulnerable to shrinking car parc Franchised dealers are particularly vulnerable to the shrinking car parc, according to Glass's Guide. It said two years ago over 60 per cent of franchised dealer stock consisted of cars less than 24 months of age. Since then carmakers have allowed dealers to stock older cars with higher mileage but more needs to be done. Full article on members' forum

26/7/10		Nationwide: former Stourport mechanic refused compensation A Stourport mechanic accused of putting a woman motorist in danger because of loose nuts on the vehicle's suspension has lost a compensation claim for unfair dismissal against Nationwide Accident Repair Services Plc. Full article on members' forum

26/7/10		New car production rose by 29% in June The latest figures released by the SMMT show that new car production rose by 28.6% to 119,000 units in June 2010. Production is up 55% over the year-to-date, with 637,000 cars having been manufactured in the first half of 2010. Full article on members' forum

26/7/10		Ford: quarterly profits hit $2.6bn as sales rise Ford surprised Wall Street with a $2.6bn profit in the last quarter as it continued to take sales from rivals. America's number two carmaker saw sales growing at almost double the overall pace of the industry, in a sign that it has turned the corner. Full article on members' forum

24/7/10		UK Insurers expose over 2,300 fraudulent claims every week Insurers are detecting more fraudulent insurance claims than ever according to figures released yesterday by the ABI. Last year over 2,000 dishonest insurance claims worth more than £16 million were detected every week. Full article on members' forum

24/7/10		Nationwide Appoints Operations Director for Mobile Division Nationwide has appointed Gary Nicholls to a newly created role as Operations Director - Mobile Division. Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		BSI - launches Kitemark scheme for Energy Reduction Verification BSI has launched its Kitemark scheme for Energy Reduction Verification (ERV), which will verify and certify the organizations that achieve a reduction in carbon emissions through low energy usage. Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		Bodyshop manager.co.uk - expand worldwide The UKs leading automotive business growth support and marketing consultancy company has expanded its operations worldwide due to increasing demand for their services from businesses in other countries. Bodyshop Manager.co.uk are now providing business growth and marketing to assist automotive repair sector companies expand and increase profits despite the difficult current economic climate. Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		WNS - net loss of $6 million in Q1 compared to £1m profit last year WNS (Holdings) Limited, a leading provider of global business process outsourcing (BPO) services, today announced results for the fiscal first quarter 2011 ended June 30, 2010. Q1 turnover of $150.0 million, up 12.7% from the corresponding quarter last year Q1 net loss of $6.0 million, compared to net profit of $1.0 million in the corresponding quarter last year Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		IMI Awards - approves 500th centre IMI Awards, the UK's only specialist awarding body dedicated to automotive qualifications, has recently approved Helston Community College as the 500th to join the expanding network of IMI Awards approved centres across the UK and worldwide. Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) - uninsured driving fallen by 20% in last 4 years The number of people driving without motor insurance has fallen by 20% during the past four years, figures have shown. An estimated 1.5 million motorists were on the roads despite not having insurance cover during 2009, down from 1.8 million in 2005, according to the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB). Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		Quinn Insurance - potential bidders, including RSA and Aviva, study initial sales memo Several potential bidders for Quinn Insurance are studying the initial sales memo for the firm, including Aviva, FBD and RSA. A seven-page so-called teaser memo has been sent to interested parties with a view to.......... Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		Vertu Motors - trading update The Vertu Board is pleased to report that overall profitability has been in line with our expectations for the four months ended 30 June 2010 and anticipates the Group's results for the financial year will be in line with current market expectations. Full article on members' forum

22/7/10		Nationwide - trading update; mobile repair service to be launched "late summer" Trading in the six months ended 30 June 2010 has been encouraging and the Board is pleased to report that half year results are anticipated to be in line with management expectations at this stage. Full article on members' forum

21/7/10		PAS125 - welding certification ABP Club has been in contact with Ian Gilgrass today and a communication from ATA / IMI will be issued this week. ABP Club has also been in communication with BSI requesting a statement on this matter for the industry. Full article on members' forum

21/7/10		Jackson Report - Lord Young gives his "full support" to tackling Britains "compensation culture" and agrees with criticism of referral fees Lord Young, who has been given the job of assessing Britain's "compensation culture", has put his full weight behind the recent "Jackson Report" and echoes Jackson's criticisms of referral fees The government's health and safety tsar has given his full backing to the Jackson Review's recommendations for curbing the spiralling cost of claims litigation. Full article on members' forum

21/7/10		Thatcham - confirm details of their exhibition stand at Automechanika in September The British motors insurers' vehicle research centre, Thatcham, have this week confirmed their presence as an exhibitor at Automechanika in Frankfurt in September - the world's leading trade fair for the automotive industry. Full article on members' forum

21/7/10		Leasdrive Velo - win accident management contracts with Mencap and Scope The Leasedrive Velo Group, is celebrating two recent contract wins with charities - Scope and Mencap. The contracts cover a total of 475 vehicles and include accident management Full article on members' forum

21/7/10		Zenith Provecta - win 6,000 vehicle fleet accident management contract MITIE Group, a FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing business providing facilities, property and asset management to large UK public and private sector companies, has signed a contract with Zenith Provecta for the management of just under 6,000 vehicles Full article on members' forum

20/7/10		H R Owen - trading update; doing well, ahead of budget The Board of HR Owen Plc is pleased to report that trading during the period to the end of June has been ahead of internal budgets for both its Sales and Aftersales operations, and is significantly ahead of the same period last year. Full article on members' forum

20/7/10		Ai Claims Solutions - set for growth with extra £15m working capital and major new contract Ai Claims Solutions plc is set for further growth after securing a significantly increased working capital facility from Yorkshire Bank. Yorkshire Bank's Preston Financial Solutions Centre has provided an additional £15 million of working capital to enable Ai Claims Solutions to service growth. Full article on members' forum

20/7/10		FSG - link with Bollington in insurance deal for the FSG Masterserve network Commercial broker Bollington has entered an affinity partnership with fleet management specialist Fleet Support Group (FSG) to provide insurance to the FSG network. Full article on members' forum

20/7/10		Keoghs - publish Credit Hire review report Law firm Keoghs has today published an excellent 12 page report looking at the implications of legal decisions made in credit hire court cases in the last year. It is available as a free download from:............... Full article on members' forum

20/7/10		RAB Lee - a message from his partner Annie Keenleyside; she made it past £10,000 As all ABP Club members will be aware, RAB Lee passed away on 3 June. He was a much loved and admired man in our industry having started his career at Markhams of Reading alongside Charles Long and later moving to the Akzo Nobel group where he handled a number of roles. His long term partner, Annie Keenleyside, ran the Race for Life at the weekend in memory of RAB and to raise funds for Cancer Research. Annie's target was £7,000 - when she started the race the pledges had topped the magical £10,000 and currently stands at £10,300. Annie has kindly emailed ABP Club with the following:....... Full article on members' forum

20/7/10		PPG - ”automotive refinish business continued to recover in first half of 2010; 4% growth" PPG Industries has reported overall sales for the second quarter of $3.5 billion, an increase of 11% versus the prior year's second quarter. Their report includes the following Our automotive refinish business continued to recover from last year's recession and customer destocking. Aided by an improved general economic recovery and higher miles driven, the business accelerated to double-digit sales growth this quarter, excluding modest favourable currency impacts. Full article on members' forum

20/7/10		Allianz UK - publish first CSR report; includes section on motor claims Allianz Insurance is pleased to announce the release of its first annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report. The report outlines the Company's performance against its main CSR themes - managing environmental impact, addressing the risks and opportunities associated with climate change, and supporting communities in which we operate - and explains how these support and are integrated into Allianz's business plan. Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		USA - Earl Scheib - background information Earl Scheib was a company which specialized in repainting and collision repair of automobiles, with locations in 23 states in the US. Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		Solera (owners of Audatex) - announce 20% increase in dividend payments Solera Holdings, owners of Audatex and the leading global provider of software and services to the automobile insurance claims processing industry, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in its quarterly dividend of 20% per share of outstanding common stock and per outstanding restricted stock unit Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		USA - Earl Scheib, operator of 85 accident repair shops and paint manufacturer, ceased operations at the weekend Earl Scheib Inc., ceased operations nationwide effective July 16 and the corporation will no longer honor its customer warranties. Each store is now independently owned and operated by individual owners. Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		Audatex - restructure and update Certification course Claims solutions provider Audatex UK has announced a re-structure of its Certification course to place greater emphasis on the steps required to build comprehensive assessments based around methods information whilst, at the same time, optimising the wealth of new functionality and data now available within the AudaEnterpriseGold and Global Claims Centre (GCC) estimating and claims management system. Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		Mazda - appoints Equity Direct Broking Limited to administer its car insurance scheme Mazda UK has appointed Equity Direct Broking Limited to administer its car insurance scheme. The three year deal requires Equity Direct Broking to provide fully branded policies through Mazda's network of 153 UK dealerships, as well as administering its on-line quote and buy system Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		Accident Exchange - Autofocus fight back in legal case Autofocus is pleased that Accident Exchange has conceded and the Court of Appeal has confirmed that this issue remains at large, for the trial Judge to decide. Autofocus will therefore be able to rely on the witness immunity rule as a defence to Accident Exchange's claims at trial. Autofocus notes the intention of Accident Exchange to amend its claim yet again. Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		AA - motor insurance premiums rising at fastest ever rate Fraud is helping to push car insurance premiums up at their fastest-ever rate, according to the latest AA British Insurance Premium Index, with the AA insurance boss predicting a 50% jump in two years. Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		Quinn Insurance - potential bidders sent outline details in teaser document Potential bidders for Quinn Insurance have been sent a so-called "teaser'' report about the company designed to attract their interest before the full sales process begins Full article on members' forum

19/7/10		ABI - the inside story on Kerrie Kelly's departure ; "she wasn't focussed enough and wasn't delivering" The Mail on Sunday has the inside story of the departure of Kerrie kelly, director general of the ABI- Association of British Insurers Full article on members' forum

18/7/10		Full list of all 160 "failed" body repair industry businesses published by ABP in first 6 months of 2010 The full list of 160 body repair industry business failures that ABP Club has published on their website in the first 6 months of 2010: Presented in alphabetical order, together with the latest "state of play" the business has reached as at 30 June 2010. Full article on members' forum

18/7/10		Validus-IVC - a success story; 80,000 credit hire claims analysed, £200m worth with £37m of savings for insurers "None of this has been done with a plan" - so says chief executive Mike Srokowski, the head of Validus-IVC Ltd which is set to turnover £8m after just three years trading. At the end of its first 18 months of trading in June 2009, Validus had grown from being a small start up in Thorpe Road to having 50 staff and needing to relocate. Full article on members' forum

18/7/10		K T Coachworks, Crayford - former site becomes 5 storey block of 30 flats Plans to build a part four/part five storey block of flats off Crayford High Street, have been approved by Bexley Council. The redevelopment of the former KT Coachworks car repair business off London Road, Crayford, will provide 30 new homes. Full article on members' forum

17/7/10		AutoRestore - John Matthews (ex Fix Auto and Audatex) joins as Head of Business Development AutoRestore is delighted to announce the appointment of John Matthews as the new Head of Business Development. Chris Eldridge, Managing Director of AutoRestore commented......... Full article on members' forum

16/7/10		Thatcham BSI Kitemark accredited (PAS125) bodyshops - total now 700 The only change this week is the removal of one site from the Thatcham BSI Kitemark (PAS125) listing since we last published our exclusive analysis of the list on Friday 9 July. The new total is now 700 sites: 387 in groups and 313 single sites The site removed from the Kitemark list; First Class Automotive Repairs, Swindon Full article on members' forum

16/7/10		RAB Lee - Annie's cancer charity run is at £8,940; let's get it to £10,000 For all the people who knew RAB you will be aware that he sadly passed away last month after being diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas. Annie, his partner, requested that we didn't waste money on flowers, but instead she is running the Race for Life in RAB's memory tomorrow - Saturday 17 July and all sponsorship monies raised will go directly to Cancer Research. She's at £8,940 and it would be great to get it to £10,000 by the time she starts the run tomorrow. Full article on members' forum

16/7/10		ABI - director general "pushed out" after just 6 months in the job Kerrie Kelly has been pushed out as head of the Association of British Insurers, the powerful insurance and asset management industry body, after less than six months in the post Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Celette - the latest news; business as normal On July 13th a meeting was held to supervise the continuation plan for Celette. After hearing the representatives of the creditors and the company's directors, the Commercial Court of Vienne has ordered the continuation plan should remain in place. Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Bodyshop magazine - award finalists plus new jury is revealed The Bodyshop Awards Process culminated with Jury day on 8 July. We would like to thank all the assessors who have all worked long and hard over the past couple of months visiting and assessing in their respective categories This year we enlisted the expertise of a whole new jury who spent hours burning the midnight oil, checking through the reports and quizzing the assessors on the day. Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Chartwell - win Motor Trader "Workshop of the Year" award At last nights gala dinner for the 2010 Motor Trader awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, the winner was announced for the "Workshop of the Year" Winner: Chartwell (Derby) Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Celette - Rumour is killing us! Elie Mucciante interviews Bernard Cribier who just took the functions of Celette Chairman of the Board of Management on his own will, is coming back to the problems faced by the firm located in Bechevienne. Before his appointment with the Commerce Court, foreseen on July 13th, he confides without beating about the bush... Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Innovation Group - appoint Robert Thompson to head up entire UK operation The Innovation Group plc, is pleased to announce that Robert Thomson is to assume management responsibility for Innovation Group's UK business. Robert, who recently joined Innovation initially to head the UK Technology business, will now take responsibility for leadership of the entire UK operation. Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Aviva - black cab driver faces prosecution for false retirement claim A London black cab driver is to be prosecuted for contempt of court after falsely claiming that he had been forced into early retirement by an accident Describing insurance fraud as "endemic", Aviva's solicitor, John Lezemore, said: "The advent of accident management companies and no win no fee lawyers means that all fraudsters need to invest in their fraud is a day of their time at trial, if the case goes that far." Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Global Repair Solutions Launch National Network Initiative Wednesday 14 July saw the launch of a new repair network - Global Repair Solutions. Many of the UK's leading independent repairers gathered in the Midlands to hear how the Fast Track Repair System, which is hosted within a fixed site accident repair business, will deliver on time, 24 hour Key to Key repairs for insurance, accident management and fleet clients for Global repairs. Full article on members' forum

15/7/10		Credit hire - Brownsword find fraud "concerns" in 26% of cases An investigation by the Brownsword Group has uncovered high levels of malpractice within the credit hire industry. The company's credit hire validation management information, conducted over six months with more than 300 customers, found that in 26% of cases it investigated "concerns" were raised over fraudulent activity. Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Audatex - Joe Doyle's empire spreads to include United Arab Emirates; Ian Anderson leaves Audatex, part of the Solera group of companies, has announced that it is extending its UISA business (covering UK, India, South Africa, Australia, headed up by Joe Doyle, to include the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Accident Exchange - press release on "other Autofocus related matters" As well as the substantive action brought against Autofocus, and as previously reported, Accident Exchange has identified approximately 2,500 cases where the decision of a Court may have been unsound based on the evidence given by employees of Autofocus and where we believe that the hire charges recovered were below the level that should have been awarded. Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Accident Exchange - press release on Autofocus appeal court judgment The appeal was heard by The Court of Appeal on 9 June 2010 and judgment was handed down this morning by Lord Justice Maurice Kay, Vice President of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division). We are pleased to report that the appeal by Autofocus has been dismissed Accident Exchange will now make an application to the High Court to amend the original proceedings in this case to include all of the Autofocus employees against whom we believe we have further evidence of dishonesty. Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Accident Exchange - appeal court rejects Autofocus claim for witness immunity Accident Exchange is set to proceed with its action for unlimited damages against Autofocus after the Court of Appeal this morning struck out the witness immunity claim lodged by Autofocus Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Euro Car Parts (ECP) - win contract with RAC roadside patrols Euro Car Parts has won a national contract to supply components and consumables to the RAC's fleet of roadside assistance patrols. The contract, worth up to £10m a year, was formerly held by Unipart Automotive. Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Euro NCAP - announce reward system for new safety technologies Euro NCAP is announcing Euro NCAP Advanced, a reward system for new and emerging safety technologies. Euro NCAP Advanced aims to provide car buyers with clear guidance about the safety benefits which these new technologies offer them and their families Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Flatliner - Just Car Clinics buy 14 more systems Just Car Clinics have invested in a further 14 Flatliner panel repair systems throughout the group - to supplement the 8 systems they already had installed. Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Motor Trader - awards event tonight Tonight sees the gala dinner for the 2010 Motor Trader awards taking place at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. The finalists for the Workshop of the Year Award are: - Chartwell (Derby) - James Alpe (Lancashire) - M & M Vehicle Repairs (Stoke-on-Trent) - UK Assistance Accident Repair Centre (Cheshire) [UKAARC = RBS bodyshop] Full article on members' forum

14/7/10		Credit Hire - warning for fleets Fleets have been warned to be extra careful when using credit hire to replace vehicles taken off the road by a no-fault crash. The Court of Appeal has ruled that companies with access to any spare vehicles - such as a fleet with pool cars - must not take advantage of credit hire. Full article on members' forum

13/7/10		Call Zebra's MBO confirmed - Peter Harris joins as Network Director Call Zebra has today confirmed that a management buyout of accident management firm has been completed. Full article on members' forum

13/7/10		Innovation Group Insurer Claims Management Solution Recognized in Celent Report The Innovation Group plc (Innovation Group), today announced leading analyst firm Celent has recognized Insurer Claims in its recently published report, "European Claims Vendors in 2010 Report." Full article on members' forum

13/7/10		Thatcham - Autonomous Emergency Braking What is Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)? AEB systems automatically apply the brakes to reduce speed when sensors on the vehicle identify a likely collision and the driver has not applied sufficient braking and is not attempting to steer away... Full article on members' forum

13/7/10		Insurance policies - Top five requirements Financial research company Defaqto has recently produced research for motor insurers. From the raw data of 5,000 customers, it is clear to see what the customer actually wants from their motor insurance. Full article on members' forum

13/7/10		RBS Insurance prepares for £5bn restructure in advance of 2012 sale The UK's largest motor insurer, Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance (RBSI), is preparing for a multi-billion pound corporate restructuring in advance of a sale process, which is likely to take place in 2012. Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		Celette - translated statement from their French website The following is a translation by Google, of the statement in French on the website, www.celette.com Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		Thatcham Recognise Vehicle Security Installers Thatcham launched their new Thatcham Recognised Installer (TRI) scheme this week in front of an audience of insurers, installers, press and interested vehicle security personnel, at a specially arranged briefing in London's Lloyds Building. Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		Go Compare - moves into profit on back of 53% increase in turnover Go Compare has reported a £12m profit during the 2009 financial year following the £4m loss recorded for 2008, based on a 53% increase in annual turnover from £49m in 2008 to £74.9m in 2009 and an uplift in consumer response from increased brand awareness Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		Thatcham - launch Recognised Installer scheme for car security systems Thatcham launched their new Thatcham Recognised Installer (TRI) scheme this week in front of an audience of insurers, installers, press and interested vehicle security personnel, at a specially arranged briefing in London's Lloyds Building. Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		Fix Auto UK - add 4 new franchised sites; total now 48 According to the map on the Fix Auto UK website, 4 new members have been added - taking them to 48 sites. The 4 new sites are:............... Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		AJC Wilson Bodyshop - triple winners at Barking and Dagenham Business Awards The third Barking and Dagenham Business Awards Gala Ceremony took place on Tuesday 6th July 2010 at the Castle Green Conference Centre in Dagenham. This was the best-ever year for the awards with the number of entries up and the quality of the entries was higher than ever before. AJC Wilson Bodyshop won 3 of the 10 awards Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		EMB / Confused.com - average premium increased 14% in Q2 alone; 31% rise in last year The average cost of a comprehensive car insurance policy increased by 14.2% during the second quarter, research from Confused and EMB has shown. According to the research, the increase has added £74 on to the average policy, with annual policies rising 31% - adding an additional £142 to car insurance costs - since July 2009. Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		ABP Club National Meeting - Scotland, 13/14 September 2010 ABP Club is delighted to invite Bodyshops and Suppliers to our first National Meeting - Scotland, which is kindly supported by many of the industry's leading suppliers including headline sponsor Gildeas Solicitors and many other event partners, listed below. Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		Right to Repair Campaign - disbands after claiming victory The Right To Repair campaign (R2RC) has disbanded after claiming victory in its mission to create a fairer and freer aftermarket industry Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		HSBC Insurance - appoints Questgates for motor adjusting services Questgates has been appointed by HSBC Insurance UK as the solus provider of motor adjusting services for its run-off motor portfolio Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		WNS Assistance open new offices in Cheadle, Manchester WNS are delighted to announce a move to new offices in Cheadle, Manchester. The opening of new premises spearheads major investment by WNS in the Stockport area, as part of strategic growth plans over the next 3 years. Full article on members' forum

12/7/10		MoJ targets companies to clamp down on personal injury claim texts The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has targeted businesses who send unsolicited text messages to people promoting personal injury services. These companies have been criticised for encouraging people to lodge claims following injuries in the workplace or in motor accidents. Full article on members' forum

09/7/10		IRIS Coatings - Technical Trainer of the Year Award 2010 applications now open! IRIS Coatings is delighted to announce that applications for its IRIS Technical Trainer of the Year Award 2010 are now open. Now in its second year, the annual awards are designed to give something back to the refinish industry and reward the capabilities of its technical force. Full article on members' forum

09/7/10		Crashworth and Triple Focus videos added to the Club's video section We are pleased to advise members that two new films have been added to the Club's website video section. Full article on members' forum

09/7/10		Perry’s of Gobowen appointed to Fleetwatch After a stringent examination by PPG Commercial Transport Technical experts, Perry's of Gobowen has been appointed a member of Fleetwatch, the UK's leading national network of quality commercial vehicle paintshops. Full article on members' forum

09/7/10		Thatcham BSI Kitemark accredited (PAS125) bodyshops - total now 701 One new Kitemark accredited bodyshops has been added to the Thatcham BSI Kitemark (PAS125) listing since we last published our exclusive analysis of the list on Friday 2 July. Two sites have been removed from the list - Newark Coachpainting03 Ltd and Speyquest Ltd - see below. Full article on members' forum

09/7/10		MOT celebrates 50th year Happy birthday dear MoT test; 50 this year and still going strong. Most of us see the annual test - that'll be £54.85 please, sir - as just another costly addition to the list that includes taxing, insuring, fuelling, servicing and cleaning. Full article on members' forum

09/7/10		Accident Exchange - update on refinancing discussions As reported on 19 March 2010, the Company has been engaged in a review of its financial structure with its senior lender and its asset backed lenders. These discussions have more recently been extended to consider a potential restructuring of the £50m 5.50% unsecured convertible loan notes due 2013. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Peter Vardy - buys John Martin Vauxhall sites in Aberdeen and Edinburgh Peter Vardy Limited (PVL), one of Scotland's leading car dealer group's has increased its company portfolio following the acquisition of 2 Vauxhall sites from the John Martin Group. The two new additions are based in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and are also home to the Chevrolet franchise. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Kitemark - MP Robert Halfon tables motion in Parliament for garage servicing Kitemark (PAS80) Robert Halfon MP for Harlow has Tabled a Motion in Parliament following a successful wide reaching radio morning (Wednesday, June 30th) with consumer motoring champion Quentin Willson debating poor garage servicing. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		A W Repair Group - celebrate Allianz contract win A W Repair Group is delighted to officially announce that they have been selected as an Allianz Insurance approved repairer with immediate effect. Allianz have allocated a large area to A W Group, covering Lincoln, Newark, Sleaford, Grantham and East Nottinghamshire, which will be repaired at A W branches in Sleaford and Newark. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Bristish Insurance Awards - Allianz win General Insurer of the Year Allianz was crowned General Insurer of the year last night at the annual British Insurance Awards, organised by Post magazine. The evening was dominated by Fortis who won 4 awards Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		WNS - finalist in Service Provider of the Year at the British Insurance Awards WNS have been selected on the strength of its response to the worst weather for 30 years at the beginning of 2010. WNS Assistance recorded a substantial 37% increase in claims call volumes during this period, as the weather affected mobility across the country. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Fortis - win 5-year deal to provide Americam Express branded motor insurance Fortis Insurance and American Express have announced a new five-year strategic partnership to deliver fully branded motor and household insurance products to American Express' UK customers Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Total Accident Management - growth continues Total Accident Management says it has continued to expand over the past two years, despite the travails of parent company Helphire, and claims that it is looking to address the negative view some fleets have of the accident management industry. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Holiways boosted by increased bodyshop turnover Sales for the 12 months ending April 2010 for the North East Ford dealership totaled £40.4m, which were in line with the previous year's performance, with pre-tax profits up from £317,455 to £511,348. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Motor Codes - subscribing garages average 92% overall customer satisfaction Research issued today shows that an industry-leading 93% of motorists would recommend that friends and family use one of Motor Codes' 6,200 nationwide garages. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Solera (owners of Audatex) - move HQ from California to Texas Solera has announced its decision to move its corporate headquarters and global executive team from San Diego in California to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in Texas - a distance of around 1,200 miles. Full article on members' forum

08/7/10		Solera (owners of Audatex) - appoint new Chief Financial Officer Solera Holdings, Inc., owners of Audatex, today announced the appointment of Renato Giger to the position of Chief Financial Officer. Giger's appointment follows Solera's decision to conclude Dudley Mendenhall's employment as Chief Financial Officer. Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		Audatex UK - extend price freeze until September Audatex have taken the decision, in consultation with our Advisory Board, to extend this price freeze until 1st September 2010 - a full 20 months since their last review. Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		Aviva secures Premiership Rubgy deal Aviva is today delighted to announce that it is to become the new title sponsor of English rugby union's top flight league. Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		New voluntary code curbs insurers' contact with accident victims Insurers signing up to a voluntary code of practice agree not to make unsolicited visits to accident victims at home or in hospital, but can still cold-call them to offer an early settlement of their claim. Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		Allianz - Phil Brailey leaves UK and goes Global !! At the recent ABP Club meeting and the Allianz Repairer Roadshows, the news was given that Phil Brailey was moving to a full time role with Allianz HQ in Munich with effect from 1 July 2010 and thus no longer has any operational responsibilities for the Allianz activities in this country - the official press release is below Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		Allianz - their industry initiative with ABP Club - operating guide The third of the 3 sections of the Allianz industry initiative with ABP was for Allianz to publish a copy of their operating guide for non-approved repairers. This has now been done and is in the library section of the ABP Club website Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		Allianz - their industry initiative with ABP Club - Audatex response The second of the 3 sections of the Allianz industry initiative with ABP were a number of issues for Audatex. Allianz met with Audatex on a number of ocassions to develop this and the results are below and in the library section of the ABP Club website Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		Allianz - their industry initiative with ABP Club - results inc Allianz response Dane Loosley of Allianz made an inspiring presentation on the subject of "What should Insurers/Repairers and the Supply Chain do to minimise the impact of the current economic climate?" The results have now been presented at last months series of Allianz Repairer Roadshows and are in 3 sections. All 3 are now in the library section of the ABP Club website : Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		RAC Foundation - "pay-as-you-go" inevitable for motorists A "pay-as-you-go" system could be the answer to congestion, said the report from the foundation's director Professor Stephen Glaister. Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		RBS Insurance - accounts reveal issues with motor account The issues facing the motor business at RBS Insurance are highlighted in their accounts which were filed at Companies House on Thursday 1 July. They show how the cost of claims went up by £500 million, yet premiums fell by £75 million In 2009 they had a motor underwriting loss of £187 million, compared to a profit of £387 miilion in 2008 Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		UKAARC (Direct Line bodyshops) - turnover hit £121m last year; pre-tax profit margin of 23.6% UK Assistance Accident Repair Centres Ltd, (UKAARC) the RBS owned group of 16 bodyshops has just filed its accounts for the year to 31 December 2009. Turnover grew by 5% to £121m in 2009, compared to £116m in 2008 Pre-tax profits rose by 13% to £28.6m in 2009, from £25.2m in 2008 Full article on members' forum

07/7/10		Lookers - trading update; record results expected for first half of year The lookers Group is pleased to report that trading to the end of June is ahead of budget and the same period in the prior year, and that we expect Group results for the half year to 30 June 2010 to exceed management's expectations. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Tecreports appoints Rayner as Business Development Manager Tecreports Ltd is pleased to announce the appointment of Alan Rayner to the position of Business Development Manager. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Chartis Insurance (formerly AIG / Landmark / New Hampshire) - appoints new md and claims manager Chartis Insurance UK Limited today announced the following appointment: David Miller will assume responsibility for all UK Claims operations Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Autocourse launches new PAS125 Audit Autocourse has launched a new service called 5.5 Audit. It is a PAS125 audit carried out on behalf of bodyshops who have Kitemark. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Carlac grows by acquiring the automotive refinish business of Rigby Taylor (Paints) Ltd. With effect from Friday 2 July Carlac Ltd acquired the automotive refinish business of Rigby Taylor (Paints) Ltd. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Celette ABP Club published a new story earlier today from Australian News, which alleges troubles at Celette France. A number of stories have appeared in the last 2 weeks in the French press. We have removed the story whilst we obtain clarification. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		New car registrations up 10.8% in June; first 6 months up 19.9% on 2009 New car registrations were up 10.8% in June and 19.9% during first half of 2010. 25.3% rise in the fleet market helped to sustain growth momentum. Market up despite end of scrappage scheme, but volumes set to slip in second half of 2010. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Winn Solicitors boosts North East jobs Winn Solicitors, the Newcastle-based firm said it had seen a huge take-up of its services among insurance brokers and fleet managers over the last 12 months, which has seen its turnover grow from £18m to £24m and its workforce increase from 160 to 230. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Academy Group - Equipment for sale As a result of Academy not continuing in body repair, the following items of equipment are for sale. Full article on members' forum

06/7/10		Academy Group – the story behind their liquidation; WNS named as one of the main reasons Eden Clough Ltd, trading as Academy Group, was placed into voluntary liquidation by its shareholder and director Jason Mawdsley on 16 June 2010. This bodyshop business was based in Manchester and turned over around £2 million a year. The liquidators report is now available at Companies House, which includes details of the demise of Academy Group Full article on members' forum

05/7/10		EMB partners Teradata to enhance insurer data management Teradata Corporation, the world's largest company solely focused on data warehousing and enterprise analytics, announced today that EMB, the global actuarial and business consultancy, has joined the Teradata partner program. Full article on members' forum

05/7/10		Experian - Automotive business failures falls in May The rate of business insolvencies for the automotive industry almost halved from 0.12 per cent in May 2009 to 0.07 per cent in May 2010, according to the latest Insolvency and Late Payment indices from Experian. Full article on members' forum

05/7/10		Groupama - to float by 2012 French mutual insurer Groupama SA is likely to make its stock market debut in 2011 or 2012, raising funds for large-scale acquisitions, Chief Executive Jean Azema said Sunday. Full article on members' forum

05/7/10		Zenith Provecta wins another 150 car fleet contract TDG Group, the distribution, logistics and supply chain management specialists, has outsourced the funding and management of its 150 vehicle company car fleet to Zenith Provecta. Full article on members' forum

02/7/10		Audatex remind all users that the free trial of TIM (Thatcham Integrated Methods) lasts until 31 July 2010 With the roll out of our latest release of AudaEnterpriseGold (v3.5) now complete, I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of an additional benefit that accompanies this release Full article on members' forum

02/7/10		Audi - technicians to wear "Audi Cam" allowing owners to watch their car being worked on Pioneering new interactive audio visual system enables Audi customers to watch and communicate with Audi technicians as they work ■ AudiDirect Reception system allowing customers to be more closely involved in work undertaken on their cars is currently being rolled out across Audi Centre network ■Technician wears 'Audi Cam' which links to monitor in service reception, and communicates via two-way audio link Full article on members' forum

02/7/10		Thatcham BSI Kitemark accredited (PAS125) bodyshops - total now 702 Two new Kitemark accredited bodyshops have been added to the Thatcham BSI Kitemark (PAS125) listing since we last published our exclusive analysis of the list on Sunday 27 June. The new total therefore goes up by 2 to 702 sites: 383 in groups and 319 single sites Full article on members' forum

02/7/10		Brit Insurance - rejects improved offer from Apollo The Board of Brit Insurance Holdings N.V. wishes to update the market on the approach from Apollo Global Management, LLC. Full article on members' forum

02/7/10		RAB Lee - a message from Karl Vella For all the people who knew RAB you will be aware that he sadly passed away last month after being diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas. Annie, his partner, requested that we didn't waste money on flowers, but instead she is running the Race for Life in RAB's memory on Saturday 17 July and all sponsorship monies raised will go directly to Cancer Research. www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/raceforrab Full article on members' forum

02/7/10		Fortis (Ageas) - buy Kwik Fit Insurance for £185million Ageas (formerly Fortis) announced today the signing of an agreement with PAI Partners to acquire Kwik-Fit Insurance Services (KFIS), a UK insurance intermediary servicing more than 600,000 customers, for a total consideration of £215 million. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2010 subject to regulatory approval Full article on members' forum

02/7/10		USA - Law Firm Dussault and Zatir Settles Motor Vehicle Accident Claim for $44,700.00 July 1, 2010 -- The law firm of Dussault and Zatir settled a Motor Vehicle Accident Claim in the amount of $44,700.00. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Easi-Drive - continued growth leads to appointment of in-house HR function Leading accident management firm Easi-Drive has appointed its first ever HR Advisor to help manage an increasing number of employees. The total workforce at the Wythenshawe-based company is now 100 and with it comes a requirement for an expanded HR function in-house. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Credit hire - government back Lord Young's compensation culture investigation, despite his 3 million Accident Exchange shares The Cabinet Office has insisted Lord Young of Graffham remains the right person to lead an investigation into compensation culture in the UK, despite owning 3 million shares in credit hire firm Accident Exchange. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Jubilee Insurance- appoint new head of motor Jubilee Managing Agency has appointed John Shepherd as head of motor at Jubilee Syndicate 5820. Mr Shepherd will be responsible for the performance and development of Jubilee's commercial motor account, which focuses on fleets including specialist areas such as small to medium sized family owned coach operators. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Post magazine article on accident reduction technology - response from Thatcham's Andrew Miller I read with interest the article from Jack Brownhill regarding the article 'Safety First and Last' which covered Thatcham's vehicle testing. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Post magazine article on accident reduction technology - by Jack Brownhill How the insurance market responds to these new technology vehicles over time is yet to be seen, however, there can be no doubt that assessing the impact will be easier if the technology is standard in all vehicles of a particular make and model, and cannot be easily deactivated by the vehicle owner, as is the case with some existing developments — such as electronic stability control. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		KGM - Canopius confirm deal to buy KGM has gone through Canopius Group today confirmed that it has acquired the business of KGM Underwriting Agencies, which manages Syndicate 260, together with approximately 60% of Syndicate 260's capacity Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		AGM Services Expands Into Droitwich Spraybooth maintenance specialist, AGM Services, have opened an additional Service Centre in Droitwich. This provides a truly national engineering support package for customers. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Peugeot launches new 'all-inclusive' car purchase scheme Peugeot has launched a unique new ownership scheme called Just Add Fuel - a programme that covers all the major motoring costs in one single monthly payment. It means that driver's only have to worry about paying for fuel and also gives them the opportunity to drive a new car every three years. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Industry views on Trend Tracker's capacity shortfall forecasts The latest survey on the body repair industry by Trend Tracker forecasts a 9% repair capacity deficit by around 2015. If the prediction turns out to be even half-accurate, it will come as a shock to a sector long conditioned to having too many repair bays with not enough work to fill them. Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Euro NCAP - outlines its achievements in last 13 years Euro NCAP presents an overview of its recent achievements and new objectives in car safety....... Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		UK motor insurers - EMB say that 2009 was a very bad year for insurers profitabilty, with average losses of 20% Profitability went from bad to worse for most motor insurers in 2009. However EMB's latest analysis of the 2009 FSA returns, in tandem with recent industry data, shows that far from buckling under the strain of market pressures, many insurers are now in 2010 starting to turn a corner Full article on members' forum

01/7/10		Aviva Direct - offer lifetime guarantee on work carried out by approved repairers Aviva Direct's motor policies will come with a lifetime guarantee on the repair quality carried out by an Aviva approved repairer from today. The guarantee includes bodywork repairs, paint repairs and workmanship carried out to the vehicle following a claim. Full article on members' forum