Why claims sit waiting: parts, not labour
The bodywork takes days. The file takes weeks. Almost all of the difference is a part that has not arrived.
In short
In a claims case the calendar is set by parts availability far more than by labour hours. Every extra waiting day adds courtesy-car and downtime cost for the insurer or leasing company and blocks a bay in the body shop. Original reused parts are often both nearer and cheaper, provided origin, OEM number, condition and warranty are recorded in the file.
Where the time in a claims case goes
Between assessment and repair, the bottleneck is usually not technical but a search problem. A part on backorder keeps a car in the workshop for days longer — with courtesy car costs, unhappy customers and a schedule that slips.
In many cases, that same part sits just a few dozen kilometres away, at a fellow business or a dismantler. The problem isn't that it doesn't exist, it's that nobody can see where it is.
What reused parts do to the numbers
- Shorter turnaround when the part is available locally instead of on backorder.
- Lower parts cost, which can make the difference between repairing and writing off.
- Fewer courtesy car and downtime costs, which often outweigh the price of the part itself.
- Lower CO₂ impact per repair — increasingly a reporting requirement for fleet managers.
When a car becomes a total loss
A vehicle is declared an economic total loss when the repair cost approaches its residual value. Since parts make up a large share of that repair cost, choosing reused original parts can bring a case back within the repair threshold. For older cars and out-of-warranty fleet vehicles, this is often decisive.
Documenting correctly
Anyone using reused parts keeps the file traceable with four pieces of information per part:
- The OEM number, so it's established which part was fitted;
- The origin: which supplier, and from what type of vehicle;
- The condition at the time of delivery, with photos where relevant;
- The supplier's warranty terms.
With those four elements, the choice remains defensible to the customer, the insurer and the fleet manager — and stays that way months later.
For insurers and leasing companies
Anyone managing claims cost benefits from visibility into what's actually available before a repair decision is made. A shared overview of reused, refurbished and new offers makes the trade-off between repairing and writing off more concrete, and supports agreements with the repair network.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a body shop allowed to fit reused parts?
Yes, unless the policy or agreements with the client rule it out. These are original parts; the condition is that origin, condition and warranty are documented and the customer is informed.
Do reused parts lower repair cost enough to avoid a total loss?
They can. Parts make up a large share of repair cost, so a lower parts price can sometimes bring a case back under the threshold at which a vehicle is declared an economic total loss.
What should the file on a reused part contain?
At minimum the OEM number, the supplier and origin, the condition at delivery and the warranty terms. Photos taken at delivery make the file even more solid.
How do I know if a reused part is quickly available?
By querying several sources at once and sorting results by distance. What's available locally can often be picked up the same day.
What does one extra waiting day actually cost on a claim?
It is rarely one line on the invoice: a courtesy car or mobility cost for the insurer, an occupied bay for the body shop, and a driver without their own car. That is why a nearby part often beats a cheaper distant one even on a cost-controlled file.
What has to be in the file for a reused part to be accepted?
Origin of the donor vehicle, the OEM number, a condition description, photos and the warranty arrangement. With those five items the choice is auditable afterwards, which is usually the insurer's real concern.
Shorter turnaround per case
See in a single search what's locally available, along with condition and origin.