Posted by News from ABP on 05/2/12:
The following article was written by Transport Secretary Justine Greening for the Mail on Sunday:

"With so many families tightening their belts, there is a growing feeling of deep unfairness about motor insurance premiums.

Cars are a necessity for most people, an essential part of everyday life that allow us to get to work, do the school run, or visit our relatives.

But it does not seem to matter how experienced or careful a driver you are, the chances are that insuring your car is costing more than ever before.

I know good drivers whose premiums have doubled recently for no apparent reason and I am sure many readers will do, too.

The average insurance bill today is £410 - a 17 per cent rise on last year.

But if you are the wrong age or live in the wrong postcode, it gets even worse.

Young people had to cough up for a 51 per cent rise last year, bringing average premiums to £2,500 for a young man and £1,400 for a young woman.

There is no getting away from it: the cost of car insurance is bearing increasingly little relationship to the real world, where motorists act more responsibly than ever and accidents really do happen less often.

If we look at the facts, driving tests have never been more rigorous and driving has never been safer.

Fresh road safety figures out last week show that while people are sadly still killed and seriously injured on our roads, the number of victims fell to 1,900 last year from 3,450 a decade before.

With this in mind, it would be reasonable to expect premiums to come down, or at least hold steady. But the cost of cover continues on a relentless climb.

We are already taking some solid steps to reduce the cost of insurance and make the system fairer for motorists.

We have cracked down on uninsured driving, which puts at least £30 on the price of each premium, by making it illegal to own an uninsured car.

This - combined with the welcome fall in road casualties - should be reducing insurers' costs, enabling savings to be passed on to customers.

And yet this has clearly not happened. So it is time to get to the bottom of it.

Earlier last week, the Government announced measures to transform the levels of customer service provided by garages.

We will work with the industry to drive up standards and the quality of work by supporting the development of industry codes and better information on the performance of garages.

Mystery shopper tests will also help to improve standards and protect consumers.

These will mean better quality and longer-lasting car repairs and tackle the problem of garages that overcharge simply because a repair is covered by an insurance policy.

We also recognise the link between premiums and referral fees in personal injury cases.

These occur when cases are passed between claims management companies, insurance companies and law firms, all of which charge each other a fee for 'referring' the claim up the line.

The raft of fees means a windfall for everyone involved in the complex chain of charges - except ordinary policyholders who are left to pick up the bill.

This is why we are banning such fees and reforming 'no-win, no-fee' arrangements to tackle soaring legal costs.

The Mail on Sunday is absolutely right to campaign on the spiralling cost of motor insurance and has highlighted a near-epidemic in whiplash injury claims fuelled by ambulance-chasing lawyers.

Sadly, Britain is now the whiplash capital of Europe, with more than 1,500 claims a day.

From texting and cold-calling drivers involved in accidents, to running high-profile advertising campaigns, lawyers are encouraging people to claim for whiplash injuries sustained in the most minor of incidents - which barely damage the car's paintwork, never mind its driver.

The scent of easy profits has made this a growth industry.

Some estimates suggest a doubling in the past year in the number of firms offering claims management services and 'no-win, no-fee' legal representation.

The seemingly ever upward trajectory of premiums raises some serious questions.

- Can we learn lessons from places such as Germany where there is a minimum speed limit below which whiplash cannot be claimed?

- Can anyone ever suffer whiplash if their car is nudged from behind at 3mph?

- Should claimants be required to provide more than one medical opinion to prove they have suffered whiplash?

- How can new technologies be developed by motor manufacturers and insurers to help bring down the costs of insurance?

- Is there enough competition in the motor trade, particularly with respect to expensive car parts, to bring down repair costs?

As Transport Secretary, I believe it is time to confront these issues head on and I'm determined to take a serious look at what can be done.

The first challenge will be to get the insurance industry to acknowledge that everybody has a collective responsibility to tackle this.

It is not good enough to agree there is a problem, but then claim it is everyone else's fault.

But I also know it is going to take more than the Department for Transport acting alone to sort out these questions.

That is why, in the coming months, I will be getting together with colleagues from the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department of Health and the Home Office to work jointly in finding some real solutions.

The Prime Minister will soon convene a summit looking at all aspects of the insurance industry and I want to make sure motor insurance is centre stage of any new thinking.

I am also keen to know the sorts of challenges being faced by insurance policyholders up and down the country and will keep a close eye on the experiences of Mail on Sunday readers to inform our work.

These are testing times and the public's sense of fair play will not tolerate unwarranted, and increasingly unaffordable, increases in premiums.

Car insurance firms must take a hard look at their prices and start treating customers fairly.

Premiums are not simply the price of an insurance policy, they are a contract of mutual responsibility and insurers must live up to their side of the bargain.

It is time for them to get a grip and put their houses in order.

Posted by News from ABP on 04/2/12:
Further to our recent communication regarding industry paint price reviews,(ABP - see below) we can confirm that we will be making an adjustment to our paint price tables for PPG (Nexa Autocolor, PPG), Akzo Nobel (Sikkens) and Dupont (Standox, Spies Hecker, Dupont Refinish) on Monday 6th February 2012 for our on-line users.
We will update our off-line users as part of our D4.03 data release.

The impact of the detailed data supplied by these companies is an indicative average increase of 5.63% on the calculated paint and materials.

These calculations are based on updated paint material tables which represent the basket of paint brands used in our system and takes into account the market share of the brands.
The data includes primer, basecoat, clear-coat, hardeners, etc., by volume/quantity.

Please note that this is an indicative percentage for guidance purposes only, as the actual increase, per job, will depend upon a number of factors including the specific paint operations (e.g. new part, surface, repair), paint type, and the surface to be prepared/painted (e.g. metal vs. plastic). The review is based on compliant product only.

Where non-compliant paints are used, customers are advised to negotiate on a job-by-job basis with your work providers.

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Posted by News from ABP on 24/1/12:
As you may be aware, many of the leading paint brands have announced that they are revising their prices.
In line with our policy on the implementation of paint materials price adjustments within our system, as each price list has become available, we have forwarded this onto AZT for analysis.
We are pleased to confirm that detailed pricing information has been received and is being processed for the following:

PPG
Nexa Autocolor - 23.01.12
PPG - 23.01.12

Akzo Nobel
Sikkens - 06.02.12

Dupont
Standox - 06.02.12
Spies Hecker - 06.02.12
Dupont Refinish - 06.02.12

Once AZT has completed its analysis and we have made the necessary adjustments to our paint tables, we will advise the indicative average percentage increase that our customers can expect to see as a result of the new pricing.

We are on track to implement the necessary paint price table adjustment for all of the above for our on-line users on 6th February 2012.

Posted by News from ABP on 03/2/12:
Responding to an increasing trend by motor manufacturers offering full body low gloss finishes in the market, PPG is proud to introduce a unique flexible Matt Clearcoat System.

This consists of two Deltron Progress acrylic urethane Clearcoats, which are designed to reproduce a range of low gloss levels for the specialised repair of vehicles originally finished with a low gloss clearcoat.

D8115 Matt Clearcoat and D8117 Semi-Gloss Clearcoat can be used alone to achieve a very low gloss finish, or mixed together to achieve a full range of low gloss levels for any body or trim finish.

Mixing ratios are simple, and since both products have the same activation ratio, they can be blended in any ratio required, to overcome any variation from vehicle to vehicle.

This flexibility enables the bodyshop to make fine adjustments and allow for the normal gloss variation, due to colour, model, position of the repair on the vehicle, or bodyshop conditions.

Another benefit of the PPG low gloss clearcoat’s is that they can allow for basecoat blending.
There is no risk of edge to edge colour variation compared to the OEM finish and the clearcoat’s can be applied to a convenient break line to enable a perfect match to the gloss level.

D8115 and D8117 can also be applied over rigid plastics, including wing mirrors, grills and bumpers without the need for special additives, providing a tough and durable finish.

These new PPG Low Gloss Clearcoats have excellent application properties and are both easy to apply, and fast to denib which leads to reduced process times and improved bodyshop productivity.

Posted by News from ABP on 03/2/12:
Each car marque specifies certain product systems for warranty work, with many insurers insisting on repairs conforming to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Individual products, such as hardeners, reducers or clear coats, are not approved, but rather the entire paint system – everything from the putty through to the clear coat.

Daniel Hartland, Spies Hecker brand marketing coordinator UK Ireland, says, “this is a serious issue. If the quality of the repair suffers from the use of replacement or non-specified products, the bodyshop itself has to forfeit, time, money and labour to re-work the repair resulting in a loss.”

Technical information from paint manufacturers is based on balanced product systems.
If, for example, refinishers don’t comply with the application instructions of the technical data sheets or use a product from a different supplier, they may encounter major problems with adhesion or with the paint finish as a whole.

“A supposedly inexpensive product from a cut-price supplier may later prove to be costly if a re-spray has to be carried out again,” Hartland stresses.

Along with advanced Permahyd Hi-TEC 480 waterborne basecoat, Spies Hecker also has its Permafleet product system for commercial vehicle. Hartland says, “these systems have been specially developed for the needs of these sectors.”

For car repair, Spies Hecker has special product systems for the repair of minor damage.
“The Speed Repair product line is the ideal technical solution where efficient processes are all-important,” Hartland explains.

Product systems make dealing with manufacturer approvals much easier – a hugely important aspect for independent bodyshops in particular.

Posted by News from ABP on 03/2/12:
In July 2010, one of the outcomes from the Allianz / ABP Club repairer initative was Allianz publishing their "Repairer Operating Guide for Non-approved Repairer edition"

This welcome move from Allianz was part of their recognition that their customers have the right to choose their own repairer - and this may be a non-approved repairer.

Thus Allianz produced a Guide on how they and a non-approved repairer should work together in a transparent and equitable manner to get the vehicle repaired quickly and safely for the benefit of the customer.

The Guide was posted in the 'members-only' section of the Club website on 7/7/2010.

It has now been updated with a new edition, Version R1.1.41 dated February 2012, (replacing Version R1.1.29v2 dated May 2010)

Allianz have asked ABP Club members to download and the new version from the ABP Club website and dispose of the old version.

Click Here to visit the ABP Club Members Library

Our thanks to the team at Allianz.

Posted by News from ABP on 03/2/12:
Sherwin-Williams has appointed Doug Slicker as market manager UK & Ireland to grow its profile and increase penetration of its revolutionary HP Process with air-dry technology among repairers.

Formerly national sales manager at Pro-Spray Automotive Finishes for 10 years and previously regional sales manager at Tetrosyl for seven years, Doug has considerable experience in the automotive repair industry.
He is tasked with working with Sherwin-Williams’ established A grade distribution and dedicated sales force to drive the business forward.

Mike Fowler, director of business development, EMEA for Sherwin-Williams, says:
“Doug’s extensive sales and market experience will ensure Sherwin-Williams is well supported in the UK & Ireland to bring HP Process the recognition it deserves for its rapid air-dry technology, helping repairers reduce their energy bills significantly and increase productivity by as much as 50 per cent.”

Doug Slicker comments:
“As the third largest paint company in the world, Sherwin-Williams has tremendous potential in the UK with HP Process and I am looking forward to working with key distribution to drive up the brand’s profile and achieve a significant presence in this market.”

Posted by News from ABP on 03/2/12:
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has today announced its proposed Annual Funding Requirement for 2012/13 – an increase of 15.6% to £578m.

This is likely to be the FSA's final Annual Funding Requirement before it splits in 2013 into:
- the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
- the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

The FSA recognises the difficult economic circumstances for many firms and is committed to keeping any essential cost increases to a minimum.
The FSA will achieve this by capping staff levels for the second year in a row and restricting core operating costs too, broadly in line with inflation.

The FSA levies fees on behalf of
- the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)
- the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
- the Money Advice Service (MAS).

The FSA's core programme for the year includes:

• Maintaining ongoing supervision of firms in a period of continued fragility in markets including business model analysis, capital/liquidity assessments, recovery and resolution planning and the Significant Influence Function regime;

• Continuing to influence the international and European policy forums;

• Implementing the current EU major policy initiatives, including Solvency II;

• Delivering on the principal FSA initiatives to improve consumer protection: the Retail Distribution Review and Mortgage Market Review;

• Continuing to focus on the quality of its staff;

• Continuing to deliver a tough and determined enforcement approach.

In addition to the funding of its core programme a significant part of the increase in this year's Annual Funding Requirement reflects the costs of implementing the government's reform of the UK regulatory framework.

The current £32.5m costs for the restructuring are within the overall estimates set by HM Treasury last year, which equates to 28% of the increase in Annual Funding Requirement.
The Annual Funding Requirement will also cover the costs of modernising the IT infrastructure to ensure it is a suitable platform before the transition to the FCA.
This will require a £22.4m increase in the Annual Funding Requirement, which equates to 29% of the increase in Annual Funding Requirement.

Overall the Annual Funding Requirement for 2012/13 is £578.4m, up from £500.5m in 2011/12, a gross increase of 15.6% in overall funding.

The increase in fees will be borne mainly by larger firms, reflecting the resources applied to intensive supervision of high impact firms.

Medium sized firms will see a proportionate increase reflecting the type of business they conduct.

Currently 42% of the FSA's authorised firms need only pay the FSA minimum fee and for the third year running the gross minimum fee for firms will remain unchanged at £1,000.

Ahead of the split in to the PRA and FCA the FSA will reorganise internally and move to a twin peaks model that will begin to reflect the shape of the new authorities.

This is the first step in moving from an integrated model of regulation to one that divides prudential and conduct regulation, put forward by the Government.
This will require a major change programme and a refocusing of resources.

The enforcement fines the FSA imposes during the previous year are returned to the industry by way of discounts to their fees in the following year.
This year anticipated financial penalties are estimated to be £58.7m.

Hector Sants, FSA chief executive, said:

"The year to April 2013 is expected to be a challenging one for the FSA.
We will be moving to a twin peaks model internally ahead of the split into the PRA and FCA, whilst at the same time continuing to focus on our supervisory role in a very difficult economic environment.

"We are mindful of any increase in costs to industry and have continued to maintain headcount and keep core operating costs in line with inflation.

"Nevertheless the Annual Funding Requirement is still rising as we implement the government's regulatory reform programme and invest in the necessary long term IT infrastructure.
The increases will be borne mainly by larger and more complex groups.
We have, however, minimised the impact on smaller firms by keeping the minimum fee at £1,000 for the third year running.

"Much of the increase in Annual Funding Requirement is the result of the additional resources needed to implement the new regulatory structure but these costs for the restructuring are in line with government forecasts.

"The FSA will continue to deliver intensive and intrusive supervision and develop the key policy initiatives but we are not planning any new discretionary initiatives.
The principal initiatives are progressing the domestic consumer protection strategy, implementing a number of key EU directives and influencing the continuing international regulatory reform agenda."