If you are looking for a new car insurance, or simply compare if you are paying too much for your current one, you will be shown the option to choose a garage insurance. But many policyholders do not know exactly what it has to do with the workshop commitment. Reason enough to deal with this topic. In this guide, you will find out everything you need to know about workshop loyalty and whether it can be an advantage or a disadvantage.
Workshop binding yes or no?
What exactly is the workshop commitment?
In the case of a workshop commitment, you commit yourself to your insurance company to have the car repaired in a workshop specified by the insurance company in the event of a claim. One renounces thus on the free workshop choice. This sounds like a big restriction at first, but let's take a closer look.
First of all, the workshop binding is only possible in the comprehensive insurance, i.e. in the fully comprehensive or partial comprehensive insurance. In the case of liability damage, the opposing insurance company pays the damage, you are free to choose where you have it repaired.
If you have taken out the workshop agreement and have a comprehensive damage to the insured vehicle, then in the event of an accident your insurance company will determine in which workshop the damage will be repaired. Your car will then be picked up by this workshop and a rental car will be left for you for the duration of the repair.
Of course, your car will not be repaired in a workshop in the woods and meadows. In their own interest, the insurance companies only work with TuV-certified workshops that perform high-quality work.
But what is the benefit for me and the insurance company??
The whole topic of workshop binding is of course not offered without reason. Often also only from large insurers.
If you insure the "workshop commitment" when taking out the car insurance, then this is noticeable in the premium, namely a whole 10 to 20% can be saved on insurance premiums, a whole lot of money therefore.
The savings are possible because the insurance companies have framework agreements with various workshops, so the workshops can make cheaper prices. This price advantage is passed on to you as the insured person.
Are there also disadvantages with the workshop commitment?
Yes, there are also disadvantages, not for everyone the workshop binding makes sense. If you live in the country, it may be possible that the nearest partner workshop of the insurance is further away. If your broken car is not roadworthy, then it does not matter to you, it will be picked up anyway. If it is ready to drive then it can be that you have to accept a further way to the workshop. But you can take a look at the terms and conditions of the insurance, there is a radius in it that is considered reasonable.
Does the workshop binding for new cars and leased vehicles make sense??
Caution is advised here, although the warranty of the car manufacturer (legally regulated to 2 years) remains if you have the car repaired in an independent repair shop. But it is different with the goodwill. Even if the warranty / guarantee of your car has expired, there is often a goodwill payment from the manufacturer for certain repairs. But the manufacturers often have the condition that the car has only been repaired in an authorized workshop.
With leasing vehicles an insurance with workshop binding is likewise less recommendable. Because the owner of the car is the lessor, and he usually dictates where the vehicle should be repaired. The same can also be the case with financed vehicles. So if you plan to take out an insurance policy with a workshop commitment for your leased or financed vehicle, then make sure you check whether this is regulated in the contract.
Other repairs or maintenance work
Common misconception – you have to take your car to the partner workshops of the car insurer for every repair or service. But of course this is not the case! The workshop commitment only counts if you have a comprehensive damage to your vehicle. Any other repair or even maintenance work (inspection) can be done in any garage.
Contractual penalties if you violate the workshop commitment
If you have your car repaired in another workshop, then often a contractual penalty is to be paid. Often in the form of a double or even triple co-payment.
Paying out the damage – the fictitious repair
In the case of any comprehensive claim, you have the option of getting paid for the claim. This means you get the money paid out that the repair would have cost your insurance company (the net amount). But you will only get paid the amount your insurance would have paid at your partner garage, and this can differ significantly from another garage. So here you should compare and recalculate very carefully.