Why Your Repair Is Taking Longer Than It Used To

Your car is in a bodyshop, nobody will commit to a date, and you're wondering whether you're being messed about. You probably aren't. Here is what has changed.

Your car is in the bodyshop and nobody will give you a date. Here is what is happening.

This is the call I take most often. Someone had an accident that wasn't their fault, the car went in for repair, and weeks later they still can't get a straight answer about when they'll get it back.

Fair enough to be annoyed. But in most cases nobody is dragging their heels. Cars have changed enormously in ten years, and the work of putting one back together has changed with them.

That doesn't mean you should just sit and wait. There are things you can do, and points where you should pick up the phone.

Modern cars are harder to repair than they look

One figure explains this better than any amount of industry talk. The Association of British Insurers publishes quarterly data on what motor claims cost. In its latest release, covering April to June 2026, the average windscreen repair came in at £283. That was a 7% rise in a single quarter.

A windscreen. Not a bonnet, not a bumper. Glass.

And it isn't just glass any more. On most recent cars there are cameras bonded to it, feeding the systems that keep you in your lane, warn you about the car in front, and brake if you don't. Replace the glass and those cameras have to be aimed and tested again so they read the road correctly. That is ADAS recalibration, a technical way of saying the car's safety cameras have to be set up properly before it is safe to drive.

It needs specialist equipment, a measured and properly lit space, and a trained technician. Plenty of bodyshops have all three. But they have a queue for them.

The same goes for the rest of the car. Bumpers have parking sensors and radar, mirrors have blind spot sensors, and even a modest knock can trigger a recalibration that adds days rather than hours.

The ABI's figures show the average motor claim payout rising to £4,900 that quarter, up 4%, driven by exactly this. More technology means more to put right.

Electric vehicles add another layer

If your car is electric or a hybrid, there is a bit more to it.

High voltage battery packs have to be checked and made safe by someone qualified before anyone works near them. Some repairs also need sign off from the manufacturer, and parts on newer models can be tighter.

It is not a problem, it is a process. It just adds steps, and steps add days.

There are not enough people qualified to do the work

Recalibrating safety systems and working safely on high voltage batteries are skills that barely existed a decade ago. The training takes time and qualified technicians are in demand. The ABI itself has pointed to repair sector skills as something worth investing in.

So even a bodyshop with the right kit can be waiting on the right person. That is often the real bottleneck, and not one your repairer can fix in an afternoon.

What this means for your replacement vehicle

This is the part people worry about, so let me be straight.

You are entitled to be put back in the position you were in before the accident, and if you need a car to get on with life, that includes a replacement while yours is off the road. We cover that in your rights to a replacement vehicle, and how credit hire works explains the funding side. If you've also been offered a courtesy car, credit hire vs courtesy car sets out the difference.

What it is not is open ended. The hire period has to be reasonable, and you have a duty to keep it as short as you sensibly can. That is not us being awkward. It is how the law works, and the standard the other side's insurer will apply.

So we don't let a repair drift. We chase the bodyshop, push on parts and authorisations, and get your car back as quickly as it can properly be done. Longer repairs are a fact of modern motoring. A hire longer than the repair needs is not.

Four things you can do to keep your repair moving

1. Answer the bodyshop quickly. Repairs stall waiting on authorisations. A same day reply can save you days.
2. Ask what the car is actually waiting for. "A part", "an engineer's authority" and "a recalibration slot" are three different problems on three different timescales.
3. Tell us the moment a date slips. We'd far rather know on the day than a fortnight later.
4. Keep the replacement vehicle only for what you need. If your car comes back early, or you no longer need one, say so and we'll collect it.

When a delay is normal, and when to pick up the phone

Normal looks like this. The car is booked in, stripped and assessed, parts are on order, and you're getting rough timings that move a bit but keep moving forward. Waiting on a part or a recalibration slot is ordinary.

Pick up the phone when the picture goes quiet. If nobody can tell you what the car is waiting for, if a promised date passes with no explanation, or if you've stopped hearing anything, ring us. It is far easier to unstick something at week two than at week six.

If you're at the start of all this, what happens in the first hour after a non-fault accident walks you through it. And if you're reading this with a car in a bodyshop and no date, give us a ring. We'll find out where it is.

FAQ

Why is my car repair taking so long?

Usually because modern cars need more work than they used to. Cameras and sensors built into windscreens, bumpers and mirrors have to be recalibrated after repair, and that needs specialist kit and a trained technician. Both come with a queue.

Can I keep my replacement vehicle until my car is fixed?

Generally yes, while your car is genuinely off the road. But the period has to be reasonable, and you have a duty to keep it as short as you sensibly can. If your car comes back early, tell us and we'll arrange collection.

What is ADAS recalibration and why does it add time?

ADAS stands for advanced driver assistance systems: lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warnings and the like. They rely on cameras and sensors that have to be aimed and tested precisely. Disturb them during a repair and they must be set up again afterwards, in a controlled space with the right equipment. Skipping it isn't an option, because the systems wouldn't read the road properly.

What happens to my replacement vehicle if my car is written off?

If your car is declared a total loss, the clock changes. You are generally entitled to keep the replacement for a reasonable period after the settlement payment reaches you, so you have a fair chance to buy something else. It is not indefinite. Tell us as soon as a write off is confirmed and we'll explain the timings.