Sustainable vehicle repairs: an environmental, social and societal issue

The advantages of sustainable vehicle repairs

Reducing the environmental impact of human activity is a shared responsibility in which insurance companies have a role to play, particularly as regards handling motor insurance claims.

Sustainable vehicle repairs are one way of reducing this impact, with the aim of repairing vehicles involved in an accident and damaged parts rather than replacing them. If this is not possible, preference should be given to reused parts to limit use of new parts.
 

Sustainable repairs: effective and environmentally friendly

Let’s take the example of a damaged windscreen. If the location and size of the chip allow, the windscreen can be repaired using a technique that has been around for over 20 years.

This effective process makes the windscreen look like new, with an almost invisible finish. This makes it preferable to replacing the windscreen, as manufacturing a new windscreen has a significant impact on the environment. It requires sand, which is turned into glass, as well as plastic for the protective layer, and the energy needed for manufacture creates greenhouse gases.

If repair is not possible, preference should be given to reused parts to limit use of new parts. These parts are recovered and prepared for use at end-of-life vehicle recycling centres, in a process subject to very specific criteria that determine which parts can be reused. This regulatory framework guarantees that reused parts meet the same quality and safety standards as new parts.

While reused parts are becoming are becoming more widely used in motor repairs, particularly since France’s 2015 Energy Transition Law encouraging repair companies to offer this as an option to their customers, their use is still not widespread enough. The development of the recycling industry should help to increase their use.
 

Know-how to boost the local economy

Sustainable vehicle repairs also have a positive economic and social impact, supporting local jobs for qualified workers that cannot be moved elsewhere. Opting for repair and using reused parts helps to support local recycling and repair businesses.

Furthermore, the values underlying sustainable repairs are giving new impetus to these businesses, which have faced challenges, making repair the favoured option. Unlike replacement using new parts, repair entails moulding, fixing and painting the surface to make it look like new. It takes a long time to perfect these skills, which deserve to be recognised for their true value.
 

Laying the foundations for developing sustainable vehicle repairs

Sustainable vehicle repairs – which are beneficial for the environment, society and the economy – are gradually becoming more widespread. Nonetheless, in 2023, just 29% of parts damaged during an accident or collision were repaired, and just 4.9% of replacement parts were reused parts. Covéa has looked into various ways of making sustainable repairs the preferred choice.
 

Responding to supply and demand

The various parties involved are seeing a convergence of interests and insurance companies are at the forefront in terms of supporting the growth of sustainable vehicle repairs.

They can help to increase supply by ensuring that vehicles involved in accidents are available to recyclers to recover more used parts. They also need to help them to develop, define their goals and familiarise themselves with the concept of optimised delivery rounds, which is essential in order to make parts more available.

In terms of demand, insurance companies can encourage repair companies in their network to use a certain amount of reused parts, while also reassuring their policyholders about the quality of these parts. When their vehicle goes in for repair, policyholders are free to choose whether or not they want to use reused parts. Even though people are becoming more aware of the environmental considerations, traceability and safety are still key concerns. MAAF, MMA and GMF strive to continually make their policyholders more aware of the importance of sustainable repairs. They can also find out which parts can be reused and what quality control measures are taken.

As a leading name in motor insurance, Covéa aims to involve all parties concerned, including repair and bodywork specialists, damage appraisers, recyclers, training centres and policyholders, as well as manufacturers, which receive regular information about vehicle repairability from Covéa’s technology centre Cesvi France, which is analysed by their staff
 

Keeping up with new developments and innovation

The increasing complexity of repairs means that repairers sometimes choose to replace rather than repair. The technology involved in vehicles and their parts and materials is evolving continually, particularly with the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and electric cars. This makes it vital to keep track of the latest developments.

Created 25 years ago, Cesvi France is a training and technical research centre focusing on motor insurance at the cutting edge of research and development. Covéa is the only insurer in France to have a centre of this kind.

Cesvi France analyses new vehicles and develops repair techniques for plastic, aluminium, optical instruments, alloy wheels and onboard electronics. The technology centre has also developed an exclusive process using 3D printing to produce small fasteners that car manufacturers do not sell separately, avoiding having to replace entire units.

In terms of innovation, AI helps to improve the repair process by automating certain tasks such as analysing repair estimates, making it possible to obtain an accurate valuation within a short time frame. By tailoring repairs to what is needed, AI provides greater speed, efficiency and transparency, with less of an impact on the environment. Covéa is experimenting in particular with a scanner that uses AI to assess vehicle damage caused by hail in just a few minutes.

 

Prioritising training

Sustainable vehicle repairs will be able to gain traction by addressing the issues of skills development and promoting best practices. Training is therefore key in ensuring that repairs are done well and/or reused parts are used properly. 

Cesvi France is at the forefront, training 2,200 repair professionals each year – 40% car experts and 60% repairers – in five areas: electronics, electrical fittings, bodywork, mechanics and paintwork. They learn to repair rather than replace, and in particular to “repair well” by choosing the right techniques, products and equipment. 

Finally, although it is important to support existing repairers and bodywork specialists by means of ongoing training, providing training for young people is another major way of adapting to the expectations of the sector and society, as well as attracting new audiences.

In 2023, 71% of the 521,000 vehicles involved in accidents owned by MAAF, MMA and GMF policyholders were repaired by Covéa’s repair partners, who receive regular training from Cesvi France. The figures in full can be found in Covéa’s white paper (in French).
 

Read the press release (in French):