Choice of Repair - Panel Workshop or Non-Panel Workshop

Following a car accident, photos should be taken, police reports should be made, and more general documentation should be done. Eventually, you’ll have to look for a workshop to have your poor, damaged car repaired. Naturally, you’d want to choose the most reliable workshop possible to ensure your car is in good hands.

However, many car owners have no prior experience with workshops. Your insurance company should have a list of several panel workshops, carefully selected to meet their requirements and standards to ensure you get the best care possible. Despite this, some car owners prefer sending their car to non-panel workshops.

So, the question of the day… should you go to a panel workshop or a non-panel workshop to have your car repaired? Firstly, you should understand the differences between the two.

What is a panel workshop?

A panel workshop is a workshop authorized by your insurance company and recognized by PIAM (Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia) under the PIAM Approved Repairers Scheme (PARS). This is done to ensure the standard of service, quality and professionalism of the workshops involved in the repair of vehicles, giving you the best care possible.

A non-repair workshop, however, is not authorized by your insurance company. You don’t have the same assurance of quality and service. However, this doesn’t mean it’s bad – it could just be authorized by other insurance companies instead.

For example:

Ali bought a PrOmilej insurance from Pacific & Orient Insurance. He got into an accident caused by Ahmad who is insured by company X. When making a claim, Ali must send his car to one of Pacific & Orient Insurance panel workshops to get his car repaired.

Sure, there may be many panel workshops nationwide, but you should only go to the ones authorized by your insurance company.

Why is it important to send your car to a panel workshop?

• To make an insurance claim

It’s important to send your car to a panel workshop if you want to make an insurance claim. Panel workshops are familiar with handling the claims process and often submit claims through an online system known as Merimen that acts as a platform to exchange information online in the insurance industry. As such, your claims can be handled most effectively and efficiently with a panel workshop.

• Expertise and quality of service

Panel workshops have all the equipment needed to carry out your repair work. Since they work closely with your insurance company, this can give you a peace of mind, knowing that you aren’t being scammed and that there is no fraud in your claim. The insurance company can also send an adjuster to the panel workshop to carry out an inspection of your car if necessary.

To help you prepare for any unforeseen events, Pacific & Orient Insurance has already taken the time to review and select each panel workshop. Visit poi2u.com or click here to view the list of panel workshops available nationwide.