While the Productivity Commission in Australia gets set to conduct an inquiry into the relationship between the smash repair industry and motor insurance companies, smash repairers in New Zealand are also piling on the pressure. Panel beaters say the gap between the cost of repairing vehicles and the amount insurers pay is growing wider each year.

They say insurers took $968 million in vehicle premiums last year – an increase of 42% over five years – but Insurance Council of New Zealand CEO Chris Ryan says insurers paid an increase of 41% or $17 million over the same period.

“Premiums and claims have risen at almost the same rate,” he said.