Network garage vs non-network garage vs dealer repair: which should you choose?

Car hit: should you go to a network garage or the regular garage you trust? Decide with 3 questions

Your car gets clipped in the morning, and the claims officer asks, “Will you go to a network garage, or do you have a regular garage?”

Many people don't know what to say, because one option is a garage the insurer arranges that they have never used, and the other is the mechanic who has looked after their car for five years, with no idea whether the insurer will pay.

In fact, the answer doesn't depend on which garage does better work, but on three things about your situation, which take less than a minute to answer.

The short answer

A network garage is a garage the insurer has an agreement with. Its big advantage is that it can submit the repair list and bill the insurer directly, so you usually don't have to pay the full repair cost upfront.

A non-network garage is one you choose yourself. You can still claim, but you need to notify the insurer and get the price approved before the repair, and you may have to pay upfront or cover the difference.

A service centre is the third option. You can use it when your policy gives you dealer repair and that centre accepts direct billing with your insurer: two conditions that must both be true at the same time.

A simple rule that works in almost every case: take general work to a network garage, consider your regular garage for specialist work, and whichever you choose, don't start the repair before you have the approved amount.

Side-by-side comparison

A note to remember: a garage's reputation and its network status are two different things. A very skilled garage may not be a partner of the insurer you are with, and the same garage may be a partner of some insurers but not others.

3 questions that can decide for you

Question 1: is the damage general work or specialist work?

A dented bumper, a buckled door, scratched paint or a dented bonnet are jobs a network garage already does to standard. There is no reason to make things harder by looking elsewhere.

But for a modified car, a classic car, some European models, or an EV that needs its high-voltage system and battery checked, expertise matters more than convenience. Have the insurer and the garage confirm the repair approach before work starts.

Question 2: are you ready to pay upfront and handle the paperwork yourself?

A non-network garage usually means you pay first and claim it back later, keeping the estimate, receipts, tax invoices and photos complete. If your answer is that this isn't convenient, the answer is a network garage.

Question 3: what kind of repair does your policy give you?

If it is garage repair but you want to go to a dealer service centre, the higher difference is usually yours to pay. Ask for a written comparison of both options before deciding, not a verbal agreement at the counter.

How to check whether a garage is in the network

This is easy to answer, but people often skip it and only find out when they are presented with the bill. There are four ways to check within ten minutes.

1. The insurer's app or website usually has a network garage search, which you can filter by province or district.
2. Call the insurer's claims hotline, give the garage's name and address, and ask them to confirm.
3. Ask the garage directly whether it is a partner of this insurer and when it last billed this insurer. The second question matters more, because partner status can change.
4. Ask the broker who looks after your policy. This is the quickest way, because you don't have to explain the case again.

Once you have the answer, ask for it in writing rather than over the phone, because if there is a dispute later, a written message is what you can use as proof.

The thing people most often forget to ask: who guarantees the repair work

Everyone asks about price, but hardly anyone asks who is responsible if, after the repair, the paint doesn't match, the panels don't line up, or the same problem comes back.

Generally the garage guarantees its own repair work, but the difference lies in how you follow up. With a network garage, the insurer already has a contractual relationship with the garage, so there is an easier channel for getting the work put right. With a non-network garage, you have to deal with the garage yourself.

Before you sign for the car, get answers to three questions: how many months the paint and repair work is guaranteed for, what it covers, and who to contact if the work needs putting right. Get it in writing or as a message.

And wherever the repair is done, don't sign for the car if the work isn't finished properly. Check it in good light, looking at the paint, the panel joins, the parts, the electrics and every item repaired, because raising issues after you have signed for the car is much harder.

If you choose a non-network garage, do all 4 of these

1. Notify the insurer before taking the car in for repair so the insurer can inspect it and assess the damage first. Repairing first and notifying later is the number one cause of disputes.
2. Get the estimate and the approved amount in writing, stating clearly which items are approved and which are still pending.
3. Agree on the difference and how payment is made before work starts: whether the insurer pays the garage directly or you pay upfront, and if the price is higher than the approved amount, whether items will be adjusted or who bears the cost.
4. Agree in advance that if more damage is found after the car is stripped down, the garage must stop and wait for approval first. This prevents the most common problem: the garage carries on with the work because it doesn't want the car held up, and the final bill ends up higher than what was approved.

For details on paying upfront, the difference and claiming money back, read Why do you have to pay upfront for repairs? If you're insured, do you really pay first?

The 5 most common mistakes

• Taking the car to a non-network garage and starting the repair before notifying the insurer
• Not photographing the damage before the repair
• Assuming that whatever you pay upfront will be refunded in full as per the receipt
• Not asking about the difference in parts costs before work starts
• Signing for the car when the work isn't finished properly, out of politeness or haste

Before renewing next year: garage repair or dealer repair?

This is decided on the day you buy, not the day of the incident. A dealer repair plan has a considerably higher premium than a garage repair plan, in exchange for repairs at the dealer with genuine dealer parts, subject to conditions.

A simple rule of thumb: a new car still under the manufacturer's warranty and tied to scheduled dealer servicing is usually worth a dealer repair plan, while for an older car that already goes to an independent garage, paying extra premium for a benefit you won't use may not be worth it.

What to ask before renewing: how many network garages this insurer has near your home or workplace, whether there is a service centre for this model that accepts direct billing, up to what car age the dealer repair plan applies, and whether the regular garage you use is a partner of this insurer.

Read more about how each plan differs in How many types of car insurance are there? How Class 1, 2+ and 3+ cover differs

Frequently asked questions

Can you claim if you repair at a non-network garage? Yes, if the damage is covered and the insurer approves it through the proper steps. But you should notify the insurer before the repair, get an estimate and keep all the documents, rather than finishing the repair and then bringing in the receipt to claim.

Do network garages do better work than non-network ones? Not always. Quality depends on each garage. What network garages have going for them is familiarity with the insurer's procedures and a channel for following up the work, not automatically better workmanship.

If your policy is garage repair but you want to go to a dealer, can you? In many cases, yes, but the insurer is usually liable based on the repair method and price consistent with your policy entitlement. The extra cost of choosing a dealer is usually yours to pay, so ask for a comparison before deciding.

Do you still have to pay anything at a network garage? There may be an excess (deductible) under the policy schedule, work outside the claim, or items you choose to add. Always ask for an itemised statement before paying.

What should you do if the repair isn't done properly? Tell the garage and the insurer straight away, especially before you sign for the car. If you find a problem after collecting the car, keep photos, the repair list and all documents to support your follow-up, and if you can't reach an agreement, seek advice from the OIC (Office of Insurance Commission) hotline 1186.

Not sure which garage your case should go to? Let us take a look before you decide

Message us on LINE with just 3 things: photos of the damage, your insurer's name and the garage or area where you'd like the repair done.

We'll reply telling you whether that garage is in your insurer's network, whether you should go to a network garage, a service centre or your regular garage, and what to ask clearly before work starts. Free of charge.

LINE Official: @prakanthai Tel. +66 2 459 2223 Website: www.prakanthai.com

Prakanthai.com, non-life insurance broker, serving since 2004, broker licence no. 5104000004. We help check information and coordinate based on the documents we receive; assessing cover and approving claim payments is a matter for the insurer under the policy.

Note: This article is initial guidance to help you understand how to choose a garage and make a car insurance claim. Actual conditions depend on the policy, the type of cover, the details of the damage, the supporting documents and each insurer's assessment. It is not a guarantee that repair costs will be approved in every case.