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ABP Club Car Body Repair News - June 2011

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

30/6/11 - 08:14   No win, no fee - Personal injury lawyers condemn reforms
   
30/6/11 - 07:32   Allianz - win BMW insurance scheme from RBS Insurance
   
30/6/11 - 07:23   Referral fees - Ken Clarke signals he may intervene and ban referral fees altogether
   
29/6/11 - 17:11   Tony Peppard plus two key directors leave AXA
   
29/6/11 - 16:52   Lookers - the Trefick consortium withdraw their offer
   
29/6/11 - 15:48   Imperial Automotive appoints new PR Executive
   
29/6/11 - 15:30   MKPE joins ACIS network of independent distributors
   
29/6/11 - 13:19   Gocompare - 1 in 5 motorists have been contacted by a personal injury firm
   
29/6/11 - 13:04   Google - launch Google +, a rival to Facebook
   
29/6/11 - 12:59   Referral fees - Jack Straw to table amendment to new act to ban referral fees
   
29/6/11 - 12:50   BIBA (British Insurance Brokers Association) - accident management companies "add at least £1 billion a year to the cost of UK motor claims
   
29/6/11 - 12:43   Chaucer - shares to be withdrawn from Stock Market tomorrow, following completion of takeover by Hannover Insurance
   
29/6/11 - 08:10   TARC (Arbroath) Ltd celebrates ‘best repairer in region’ award
   
29/6/11 - 23:50   Kernahan of Witney - shuts showroom and bodyshop; to be redeveloped for housing
   
28/6/11 - 15:03   Allianz's Andrew Torrance comments on referral fees
   
28/6/11 - 14:54   AXA voluntarily bans referral fees with immediate effect
   
28/6/11 - 14:42   Australia: IAG, NRMA 'dumps more than $45 million worth of IAG shares'
   
28/6/11 - 14:34   elephant.co.uk reveals young men have most expensive crashes
   
28/6/11 - 11:27   UK Brokers view motor as top for growth in personal lines
   
28/6/11 - 11:29   Data protection watchdog confirms insurer probe following Jack Straw’s claims
   
28/6/11 - 09:53   AkzoNobel - World’s largest paint maker issues profit warning
   
28/6/11 - 09:42   Motor Insurance for young adults could be unaffordable
   
28/6/11 - 08:32   3M: Accident Express benefits from innovative primer application
   
28/6/11 - 08:18   Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly comments on the "Symptoms of a rotten suing culture"
   
28/6/11 - 07:55   Towers Watson - Escalating claims have continued to decimate the results of many UK motor insurers
   
28/6/11 - 07:10   Medics 'don't know what whiplash is'
   
28/6/11 - 22:53   Volkswagen presents "Temporary Auto Pilot" - a technical advance towards accident-free driving
   
28/6/11 - 06:59   BBC Scotland - "this is so daft" as insurers say ""Ban us from this scam, because we can't stop ourselves from indulging in it"
   
28/6/11 - 06:51   Daily Telegraph - "Motor insurance 'racket' over no-win no-fee lawyers pushes up prices says Jack Straw"
   
28/6/11 - 06:47   The Guardian - Comment - "This car insurance racket must be stopped"
   
28/6/11 - 06:44   The Mirror - "Insurance companies selling on customer details to personal injury lawyers says Jack Straw"
   
28/6/11 - 06:37   The Guardian - "Straw hits out at insurance industry's 'dirty secret' "
   
27/6/11 - 22:18   Daily Mail front page story - Police cash in on car crashes: It's not just insurance firms making millions by selling drivers' details
   
27/6/11 - 16:19   IMI Awards Outstanding Achievers Receive Royal Stamp of Approval
   
27/6/11 - 16:11   Gocompare.com: Buying online turns Brits into car insurance experts
   
27/6/11 - 14:25   Helphire - financial update; £27 m overstatement on ABI debt; further adjustments of £2m on credit repair and £12m on settlement values
   
27/6/11 - 08:38   Broker Assistance appoints Sales and Marketing Director
   
27/6/11 - 07:10   Rising Cost of Premiums; Solicitors React
   
27/6/11 - 20:51   Jack Straw calls for reform of car insurance industry, describing referrals to personal injury lawyers as "a huge racket"
   
26/6/11 - 20:47   RAC calls for action on high fuel prices, but what about insurance?
   
26/6/11 - 08:57   'My car insurance quote was double what I paid last year. It's outrageous'
   
24/6/11 - 16:07   IMI - latest news on ATA re-accreditation; they will offer "Assessed Outcome Modules" (AOM); validity period reduced to 3 years
   
24/6/11 - 12:22   Nissan GB - appoint Jim Wright as managing director
   
24/6/11 - 10:09   Training 2000 - Lauren Wood was so inspired by the TV show "Pimp My Ride" that she's become an apprentice panel beater at Central Bodyshop
   
24/6/11 - 08:45   Towers Watson - 25% of all UK third-party claims now involves a personal injury claim; UK insurers paid out £1.24 for every £1 premium
   
24/6/11 - 07:44   NFU - sweep the board for motor insurance at Moneywise Customer Service Awards
   
24/6/11 - 07:39   Toyota - British built Avensis to be exported to Japan
   
23/6/11 - 20:38   RSA - lose subrogated repair cost claim under challenge from Cornish Mutual Insurance Company
   
23/6/11 - 12:34   iris enhances compliance programme
   
23/6/11 - 09:53   RSA - appoint Mark Wright as "UK Customer and Brilliant Service Director"
   
23/6/11 - 08:51   Government - massively exceeds their apprenticeship target
   
23/6/11 - 08:22   Saab - production at a stand-still again as parts suppliers unpaid; now they can't even pay its emploees wages
   
23/6/11 - 08:14   Hastings - add more insurers to their panel as they aim towards having 1 million policyholders
   
23/6/11 - 08:07   Fix Auto Dagenham - win pan-London accident repair contract from tfl (Transport for London)
   
23/6/11 - 08:10   Canopius- reorganise to integrate KGM motor business; results in departure of Colin Hart
   
23/6/11 - 07:13   Aviva - sell RAC to venture capital company Carlyle Group for £1 billion
   
23/6/11 - 06:10   Ford Accident Management: A necessary change in the claims landscape
   
22/6/11 - 13:24   FraudAnalyst Software Set to Save Insurance Industry £Millions in Bogus ‘Cash for Crash’ Claims
   
22/6/11 - 11:36   RAC: High fuel prices causing motorists to make fewer journeys
   
22/6/11 - 09:20   Tough challenges ahead for UK insurance industry leaders with improving reputation a priority
   
22/6/11 - 09:09   Aviva on verge of RAC sale
   
22/6/11 - 05:56   Germany - Innovation Group win accident management contract and telematics contract
   
21/6/11 - 20:55   SkillAuto - the list of finalists for next months final challenge
   
21/6/11 - 14:42   Motor insurance - what does the future hold?
   
21/6/11 - 14:35   AA surveys 150,000 drivers who tell it how it is
   
21/6/11 - 11:45   MINI - launch new iPhone app to get roadside assistance at touch of the screen
   
21/6/11 - 11:56   ABP Club launches member Motor Trade Insurance scheme
   
21/6/11 - 06:26   Co-operative Bank - 80% of adults worried about the state of their finances
   
21/6/11 - 09:52   Thatcham Graduation Day for Apprentice Vehicle Repairers
   
21/6/11 - 07:53   ABP Club member offer - FREE Classified Advert in the second edition of 'Auto Body Professional'
   
21/6/11 - 08:31   Norton launch new Safety Range
   
21/6/11 - 06:09   USA - Boyd Group acquires Cars Group of 26 bodyshops to make them largest accident repair business in North America with 164 sites
   
20/6/11 - 20:58   Broker Assistance partners with Alan & Thomas
   
20/6/11 - 13:27   Insurer proves 'crash for cash' conspiracy
   
20/6/11 - 10:47   SWR wins Ridgeway waste management contract
   
20/6/11 - 11:56   Thatcham: Adult training 'up to 50% off' offer; Apprentice funding 'available to 19-24 year olds'
   
20/6/11 - 10:26   Ford Retail Group - CEO Chris Hayden departs; interim replacement is Ford Retail Parts Operations Director
   
20/6/11 - 10:23   FSA - details announced of its replacement, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), which will regulate insurers
   
20/6/11 - 09:28   Green Flag - 1 in 5 car drivers driven off the road by soaring fuel prices
   
20/6/11 - 08:40   Insure The Box - telematics insurer choses ICE claims system from IT Freedom
   
20/6/11 - 07:30   Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) - DVLA awards 5-year contract to Capita
   
20/6/11 - 07:29   National Minimum Wage increases announced
   
20/6/11 - 07:11   Autoliv - present new design for a steel A-pillar which expands upon impact
   
20/6/11 - 07:08   Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) - BIBA welcomes warning letters that begin enforcement of new law
   
20/6/11 - 07:01   Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) - new law comes into force today
   
20/6/11 - 06:42   Inter-est - announce Insight, their new web-based administration system using Cloud Computing technology
   
20/6/11 - 06:37   Eco Express Body Repair Centres - gain IMI certification to deliver QAA training courses
   
18/6/11 - 10:40   Fix Auto appoints Pant Motor Bodies - Fix Auto UK network now totals 61 sites; 74% have BSI Kitemark (PAS125)
   
18/6/11 - 10:47   BBC: Insurance excess costs rising
   
18/6/11 - 09:59   Autoglass to cut up to 400 jobs due to "less vehicle damage"
   
17/6/11 - 14:33   ABP Club meeting overview - Thatcham
   
17/6/11 - 13:09   Motorexpo - 2011 event was the biggest in event's 16 year history with 410,000 visitors
   
17/6/11 - 12:42   Nationwide - picked by Investors Chronicle as one of their "Top 10 Cash Kings"
   
17/6/11 - 10:01   Deloitte - UK motor insurers lost 20p for every £1 of premium earned in the UK in 2010; total loss on motor of over £2 billion
   
17/6/11 - 07:11   PAAS Ltd - now offering 4-day ATA VDA course in Bristol
   
17/6/11 - 08:41   Auto Industry Insider, a new collision repair technical information and data service is launched
   
17/6/11 - 07:38   iris golf day benefits Sightsavers charity
   
16/6/11 - 19:29   Controlled partial penetration welding - how car manufacturers are chasing the perfect weld using one-sided surface welding
   
16/6/11 - 19:00   Weather - 10 days of rain starts today
   
16/6/11 - 18:51   Mirka Abrasives - move to new larger premises in Milton Keynes and change name to Mirka UK
   
16/6/11 - 17:49   Thatcham - announce the British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards 2011
   
16/6/11 - 18:30   BSI updates vehicle damage repair process specification - PAS 125:2011
   
16/6/11 - 17:41   Audatex - paint index increases by 0.21% from 20 June to account for 3M price rise
   
16/6/11 - 05:41   Car industry declares victory in war on thieves
   
16/6/11 - 00:06   SwiftCover - 61% of motorists actively looking to save money on motoring costs with nearly 1 million skipping annual service
   
15/6/11 - 11:05   Markerstudy Insurance Group acquires Tonbridge Coachworks Vehicle Repair Group
   
15/6/11 - 10:25   MP calls for Parliamentary debate into high fuel costs
   
15/6/11 - 08:05   AA - biggest ever Streetwatch survey shows 5% of drivers still not wearing seatbelts
   
15/6/11 - 07:32   Aviva - announce new chairman
   
15/6/11 - 07:18   Three Birmingham areas among top five UK postcodes for uninsured driving
   
14/6/11 - 20:08   Selsia enters into Prestige relationship
   
14/6/11 - 15:52   USA - Solera (owners of Audatex) announce completion of acquisition of Explore Information Services
   
14/6/11 - 16:48   Japanese earthquake - Honda forecasts 64% lower profits
   
14/6/11 - 15:25   LexisNexis - bringing motor underwriting and fraud detection products to UK motor insurance market
   
14/6/11 - 15:06   Tesco - trading update: successful migration of products to new insurance business
   
14/6/11 - 14:13   RBS Insurance - appoint former Tesco Bank man as Direct Line motor director
   
14/6/11 - 13:31   Thatcham - Matthew Avery (Crash & Safety Manager) wins award from America's NHTSA
   
14/6/11 - 12:16   AXA - go with nationwide for their commercial lines motor repair network
   
14/6/11 - 09:07   Ford - Ageas become first insurer to support the new Ford Accident Management programme
   
14/6/11 - 06:26   Government - RPI inflation rate in May unchanged at 5.2%; CPI inflation rate unchanged at 4.5%
   
14/6/11 - 06:10   Nationwide - trading update; current year has started well, first half results will be better than last year
   
13/6/11 - 22:14   Aviva - official announcement of their return to the telematics market for motor insurance
   
13/6/11 - 20:33   BMW Mini car worker caught selling stolen motor parts was rumbled when items were spotted on eBay
   
13/6/11 - 19:38   Innovation Group - Daily Mail's Midas tips their shares as a BUY
   
13/6/11 - 19:39   Audatex - launch AudaProFile giving a "right first time estimating" service
   
12/6/11 - 15:36   Audatex - Paint Operations; reminder that masking round items left in situ (eg door handles) is NOT included in AZT times
   
10/6/11 - 14:31   Audatex to demonstrate Thatcham Integrated Methods at Triple Focus
   
10/6/11 - 14:14   I Love Claims / ABP Club Motor Claims Conference - Overview
   
10/6/11 - 09:46   Brake - Fleet Safety Forum award winners
   
10/6/11 - 08:12   ABI - call for referal fee ban in article for Daily Mail
   
10/6/11 - 09:00   Grove Group appointed by Call Zebra
   
10/6/11 - 07:58   Norton adds to Technical Sales Team
   
10/6/11 - 07:29   Aviva - more details of their return to the fleet insurance market with a telematics product
   
10/6/11 - 07:26   AXA - up to 20 million consumers are cutting spending as a result of financial pessimism; 27% reduced car usage in Q1
   
10/6/11 - 07:17   Direct Line - Over 1.2 million drivers admit to driving under the influence of illegal drugs in the last year
   
10/6/11 - 07:16   Insurance: Comparing the meerkat
   
10/6/11 - 05:59   Vauxhall - GM in the USA is considering selling its European division; possible buyers include VW and the Chinese
   
09/6/11 - 21:51   Vision announces details of 2011 Help for Heroes Assault Course Challenge
   
09/6/11 - 21:42   Peterlee - 17 in court after ‘cash-for-crash’ probe
   
09/6/11 - 21:41   3 Saico spraybooths for sale - located in Dunstable
   
09/6/11 - 14:27   BMW - announce Barrett's ARC of Canterbury as their "Bodyshop of the Year"
   
09/6/11 - 14:00   Just Car Clinics - latest acquisition in Northampton attains PAS125 Kitemark to again give them 100% compliance across the group's 25 sites
   
09/6/11 - 13:54   Daily Mail - "The Last Word", article by Tony Hazell; "insurers encourage referral fees"
   
09/6/11 - 13:37   Referral fees - article from todays American news provider Bloomberg on UK situation
   
09/6/11 - 13:17   Halfords - comments from their annual results to 1 April 2011
   
09/6/11 - 10:58   UK interest rate - Bank of England leaves it unchanged at 0.5% for 27th month
   
09/6/11 - 06:36   Admiral - granted planning consent to build new Cardiff HQ; work starts December and completes early 2014
   
09/6/11 - 06:23   Nissan - announce £192m investment as Sunderland confirmed as production site for next generation Qashqai
   
09/6/11 - 06:19   BMW - announce £500m investment as Oxford confirmed as production site for next generation MINI
   
09/6/11 - 22:16   FSA - writes to price comparison websites to raise concerns about fair treatment of customers
   
08/6/11 - 21:16   Lookers - update re possible offer; confirm indicative proposal of 80p share
   
08/6/11 - 09:15   Quinn to continue writing UK policies until 2012
   
08/6/11 - 09:11   Growing interest in telematics insurance due to fair pricing
   
08/6/11 - 05:39   Daily Mail: Are you being mugged by your insurer? Astonishingly, it's not just fraud and greedy lawyers
   
08/6/11 - 00:15   ScottishPower - increases domestic gas bills by 19% and electric bills by 10% effective 1 August 2011
   
08/6/11 - 00:01   Circle Leasing - secures £5m funding package to increase the size of its fleet
   
08/6/11 - 23:35   USA - Solera (owners of Audatex) announce issue of $350m of "senior loans" to pay for $520m purchase of Explore Information Services
   
07/6/11 - 11:48   ABP Club meeting, Thatcham - 16 June - Book your place today!
   
07/6/11 - 12:58   Motor Insurance: 63% of people choose price over cover
   
07/6/11 - 12:31   AutoRestore - win £1,000 for "your funny pranged car story"
   
07/6/11 - 11:50   Junction (BGL) - win 5-year extension to continue running the RAC Insurance panel
   
07/6/11 - 10:51   Sainsbury's - launch new car insurance product with RBS Insurance; Premier cover includes like-for-like courtesy car plus Nectar points
   
07/6/11 - 10:36   Imperial Automotive appoints new sales director - growth and customer experience top priorities
   
07/6/11 - 10:28   Admiral face objection to new headquarters
   
07/6/11 - 07:42   Hella - to distribute Philips lighting in UK
   
07/6/11 - 07:44   Honest John - Ford Cleans Up Accident Management With Its Own Scheme
   
06/6/11 - 18:48   Aviva - sign preferred glass supplier deal with Autoglass
   
06/6/11 - 17:28   Confused.com - reveals the make and model of cars with the lowest claims rates AND the highest claims rates
   
06/6/11 - 17:26   SMMT - new van sales up 17% in May; YTD up 27%
   
06/6/11 - 17:20   Motorexpo - UK's largest motor show opened today, closes Sunday; FREE to attend
   
06/6/11 - 16:47   Cost of running a car up 20% in one year
   
06/6/11 - 16:16   Total Accident Management (part of Helphire) - woman company car drivers are better than male company car drivers - but only just
   
06/6/11 - 13:42   Fitch Ratings : UK non-life insurance rates to rise more quickly
   
06/6/11 - 13:10   Spraytech's Charles takes to the ring
   
06/6/11 - 10:29   Repanet - new developments look to the future
   
06/6/11 - 10:05   SMMT: New car sales - Year-to-date registrations down 7.3%
   
06/6/11 - 09:18   Thatcham Research News - Crash testing without the crash!
   
05/6/11 - 14:42   Referral fees - 2 page article in Sunday Times: "No-win, no-fee and no winners"
   
05/6/11 - 14:42   Sainsbury's to battleTesco in motor insurance war
   
04/6/11 - 18:10   Bankstone Advantage - sign agreement with All Fleet Services to support its Out of Hours service
   
03/6/11 - 15:01   Audatex connectivity update
   
03/6/11 - 10:47   Fix Auto Strengthens Greater Manchester Solution
   
03/6/11 - 12:13   BEN - appoints Head of Business Development
   
03/6/11 - 11:12   IMI - launch new CPD portfolio including vehicle damage repair techniques
   
03/6/11 - 10:10   Copart - worldwide results show sales up 7% in Q3; net profit margin in first 9 months of 19%
   
03/6/11 - 10:34   I Love Claims / ABP Club Motor Claims Conference - Joining Instructions
   
03/6/11 - 10:00   Aviva - investors call for crisis talks as UK chief departs
   
03/6/11 - 10:03   Vamco sees 15% increase in turnover
   
03/6/11 - 09:33   Admiral - survey reveals 51% of motorists have reduced their driving due to cost of fuel
   
03/6/11 - 08:58   France: Equip Auto, Paris - takes place in October, get free admission (saving £40) if you apply by 15 June
   
03/6/11 - 07:21   Fiat - takes majority control of Chrysler
   
03/6/11 - 08:19   U-POL opens new international distribution centre
   
03/6/11 - 06:53   Caffyns - results for y/e 31 March 2011; closed of 2 of their 3 bodyshops as part of restructure
   
02/6/11 - 16:12   Online review websites - "Amazon and TripAdvisor at centre of scandal as companies post fake reviews"
   
02/6/11 - 21:23   RMI - Paul Williams, resigns as a director and chairman, just 2 months after resignation of Rob Foulston as chief executive
   
02/6/11 - 14:38   AutoRestore - launch new consumer service "AutoRestore Repairs at your door"
   
02/6/11 - 14:02   Audatex - connectivity issue update
   
02/6/11 - 13:41   Audatex - confirm that paint index will reflect 3M price rise from date of increase on 20 June
   
02/6/11 - 13:31   Broker Assistance - unveils enhanced on-line system allowing customers to track their claims
   
02/6/11 - 11:22   Chaucer - their takeover by the USA insurer, Hanover, gets the final all-clear as Terra Firma pull-out
   
02/6/11 - 10:26   Aviva - announce Trevor Matthews as new ceo of UK to replace Mark Hodges who is leaving to join Towergate
   
02/6/11 - 09:06   Weather - March , April and May were the hottest and driest since 1910; below average rain expected for June
   
02/6/11 - 06:59   Fix Auto - new franchisee, Fix Auto West Hampstead (A B Dyne)
   
01/6/11 - 22:17   South Africa - PPG buys Ducol Coatings, its refinish importer and distributor since 2003
   
01/6/11 - 18:58   Fix Auto UK - Robert Hadfield, non-exec chairman, gives his first anniversary end-of-term report
   
01/6/11 - 18:55   Fix Auto - AutoRestore pilot ready to go
   
01/6/11 - 13:01   3M - announce average 5.4% price increase from 20 June, but some products will remain unchanged
   
01/6/11 - 11:36   Karl Vella Group - 25th anniverary golf day raised £13,570 for MacMillan nurses in memory of Rab Lee
   
01/6/11 - 11:24   ABP Club meeting at Thatcham, Thursday 16 June - book you place now
   
01/6/11 - 10:45   Motorexpo - UK's largest motor show opens on Monday 6 June and it's FREE to attend
   
01/6/11 - 10:39   Fix Auto Dunstable (Fieldhouse & Husband) - to close this month as site sold to supermarket
   
01/6/11 - 09:22   IMI - highlights importance of raising skill levels to meet challenges of technology
   
01/6/11 - 08:48   Moneywise - customer service awards; shortlist announced include three motor insurance categories
   
01/6/11 - 09:09   IMI - to sponsor two candidates per year on Automotive Dealership Management degree course
   
01/6/11 - 08:40   MG Rover - X-Part's Close Call continuing to save Rovers from being written-off
   
01/6/11 - 07:44   Veetec Group - continue growth with their 5th site, the former Minimec business in Bracknell
   
01/6/11 - 07:35   ABP Club website – record month in May; first time over 50,000 visits in a month; 60% up on May last year
   
01/6/11 - 19:28   NIBS - complete series of three Social Media roadshows attended by 100 NIBS Spectrum members