Most people who’ve been in a car accident in Adelaide have had this experience. You’re already stressed. The car’s damaged, there’s paperwork everywhere, and your insurance company rings and tells you to take it to a specific repairer. Somewhere you’ve never been. Somewhere you didn’t choose.
A lot of South Australian drivers just go along with it. They assume they have no say.
They do. And knowing that could make a real difference to how your car gets fixed.
The Simple Answer
In South Australia, you have the right to choose your own collision repairer. Full stop.
Your insurer can suggest a preferred repairer or a network shop. They can recommend it all they like. But they cannot make it a condition of your claim under a standard comprehensive insurance policy. Australian consumer law and the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 both support your right to a proper repair, carried out by a repairer you’ve chosen.
This isn’t a loophole. It’s your right as a policyholder.
Why This Actually Matters
It’s worth understanding why insurers have preferred repairers in the first place.
The relationship exists because those repairers have agreed to work within a cost structure set by the insurer. That arrangement can, under pressure, create incentives to use cheaper parts, faster methods, or less thorough assessments than your vehicle actually needs. Not every network repairer cuts corners. Many do good work. But the financial dynamic is worth knowing about.
When you choose your own certified repairer, the repairer’s obligation runs to you, not to the insurer’s preferred outcomes. That’s a different relationship. You can read more about why choosing a credentialled repairer matters when the quality of the repair is on the line.
What Insurers Say vs What They Mean
There are a few phrases you’ll hear when you tell an insurer you want to use your own shop.
“We have preferred repairers in your area.” This is a recommendation. You can decline it.
“We can’t guarantee the work if you use your own repairer.” Under Australian law, the insurer is obligated to cover a complete repair that restores your vehicle to its pre-accident condition. That obligation doesn’t disappear because you exercised your right to choose. If the repair is deficient, the repairer is responsible for fixing it. Your claim doesn’t just evaporate.
“There may be delays with a non-network repairer.” Sometimes true. Sometimes not. Ask them to explain specifically what the delay would involve and why. A reasonable insurer can process a claim through any licenced facility.
“Our network repairers offer a lifetime warranty.” So does Eblen Collision Repairs. A lifetime warranty on all workmanship, for the life of the vehicle while you own it. This is not unique to insurer networks.
Managed vs Non-Managed Repairs
Policies usually describe this as managed or non-managed (sometimes called “owner’s choice”) repairs.
A managed repair is where the insurer takes over. They contact their preferred shop, arrange the assessment and repair, and handle most of the logistics. You hand over the car and get it back.
A non-managed repair is where you choose. You deal with the repairer directly and the insurer pays, either to you or straight to the repairer. There might be a few extra steps, like submitting quotes or waiting for the insurer’s own assessment. But the outcome should be the same: your car is properly fixed and the cost is covered within your policy terms.
Some policies also allow a cash settlement, which gives you even more flexibility about where the work gets done.
Eblen handles insurance repair claims across all of these pathways, including managed, non-managed and cash settlement arrangements. We deal with all major Australian insurers directly, so you’re not navigating the paperwork on your own.
When It Really Matters to Choose Your Own Repairer
For a small scratch or a simple door ding, the difference between a network shop and a certified independent might be pretty minimal. But there are situations where this choice matters a lot.
You drive a vehicle that needs manufacturer-approved repairs.
Some cars, particularly European makes, electric vehicles and GM-platform vehicles, require repairers who have been specifically trained and equipped by the manufacturer. The procedures are proprietary. The parts have to be genuine. The equipment has to be approved.
If your insurer’s preferred network repairer isn’t manufacturer-approved for your car, they might not be capable of carrying out a proper repair, even with the best intentions.
Eblen Collision Repairs is the only GM-Certified Collision Repairer operating in South Australia. We’re also one of only three Tesla-Approved Body Shop repairers in the state. For Tesla repairs in Adelaide, that approval isn’t a bonus feature. It’s the difference between a repair that meets Tesla’s structural and electrical standards and one that doesn’t. If you drive a vehicle that needs manufacturer-approved work, your right to choose us is not just a preference. It directly affects whether your car gets fixed correctly.
Your car has modern safety systems.
Any vehicle built in the last few years will have some level of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), including cameras, radar and sensors that need to be recalibrated after certain repairs. A repairer without the right equipment simply can’t do this. You can get back a car that looks perfect and has safety systems that are quietly not working properly. We’ve written a full guide on ADAS sensor calibration after a collision if you want to understand exactly what’s involved.
Your car is newer or higher-value.
Documented repairs at a credentialled, manufacturer-approved facility using genuine parts are worth more at resale time than undocumented repairs through a repairer nobody knows. It’s not a small thing when you come to sell.
You’ve been through this before and weren’t happy.
If you’ve used an insurer’s preferred repairer in the past and the experience or result was poor, you are under no obligation to repeat it. You can choose someone you trust.
How to Actually Do It in South Australia
The process is less complicated than it sounds.
Lodge your claim as normal. Tell your insurer about the accident. Don’t agree to have your car towed to a specific shop if you haven’t decided that’s where you want it.
Tell them you’re choosing your own repairer. Keep it simple. Something like: “I’d like to exercise my right to choose my own repairer. I’ll be taking the vehicle to Eblen Collision Repairs.” You don’t need to argue or justify it.
Get a quote from your chosen repairer. Your insurer may need to do their own assessment first, or they may accept the repairer’s quote directly. Ask them which process applies.
Let the repairer handle the rest. A good repairer will deal with the insurer directly, manage the paperwork, handle any scope disputes and keep you informed throughout. Eblen has been doing exactly this with every major Australian insurer for over 30 years. You don’t need to fight anyone. That’s our job.
Know your excess. Your excess is payable regardless of who does the repair. If the at-fault driver’s insurer is handling the claim, you may not have to pay an excess at all.
What to Actually Look For in a Repairer
If you’re going to exercise this right, it’s worth choosing well.
I-CAR Gold Class certification is the benchmark. It’s the highest ongoing training standard in the Australian collision repair industry, and the emphasis is on ongoing: technicians have to keep qualifying as new vehicles and systems arrive. Eblen Collision Repairs is an I-CAR Gold Class facility.
Look for manufacturer approvals specific to your car. These involve real investment in training, equipment and ongoing compliance auditing. They’re not just handed out.
Check whether they have experience dealing with insurers. A repairer who handles insurance claims regularly knows how to document damage properly, manage insurer communication and deal with disputes about scope. You shouldn’t have to navigate that alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my insurer actually refuse to pay if I choose my own repairer?
No, not legitimately. If they try to deny a valid claim purely because you chose your own shop, that’s a matter for the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), which handles disputes between consumers and insurers. AFCA has already ruled in favour of policyholders in cases exactly like this.
Will I pay more out of pocket if I choose my own repairer?
Not necessarily. In many cases the cost of a proper repair at a credentialled facility falls well within the insurer’s claim assessment. If there is a gap, your repairer should tell you before anything is started, not after.
What if my car has already been taken to the insurer’s repairer?
If work hasn’t started, you can still redirect it. Ring Eblen and we can walk you through the options. If work has been completed and it’s not right, you have avenues through your insurer and through AFCA to have deficient repairs addressed.
Does Eblen work with my insurer?
Yes. We work with all major Australian insurers and have for more than 30 years. You don’t need to check in advance whether we’re “on the list.” Get in touch with us and we handle the insurer relationship from there.
The Bottom Line
You pay for comprehensive insurance specifically so that your car gets properly fixed after an accident. That right extends to choosing who does the fixing.
Eblen Collision Repairs has been serving South Australian drivers from Somerton Park for decades. I-CAR Gold Class. Tesla approved. The only GM-Certified Collision Repairer in South Australia. Subaru authorised. Lifetime warranty on all work. And we handle the insurance side so you don’t have to navigate it yourself.
If you have a dispute with your insurer over a repair claim, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) can be contacted at afca.org.au or on 1800 931 678.
