Obtaining a customer's authorization for a mechanical inspection

Direct a customer to authorize a mechanical inspection of their vehicle to determine if damage is claim-related and covered under their insurance policy. A vehicle repair facility requires the customer's authorization to perform the inspection, commonly referred to as owner to authorize.

Process

1. Claim owner or exposure owner
   1. Ensures the customer understands their claim is not yet authorized.
      Note: For additional information, refer to

      • Hold Estimate - Automatic or manual, and
      • Apply a manual hold estimate.
2. Customer
   1. Selects a vehicle repair facility that performs mechanical repair.
      Note: Refer to the Repair facility selection policy.
3. Vehicle repair facility representative
   1. Explains the process of disassembly and mechanical inspection to the customer.
4. Customer
   1. Authorizes any disassembly for inspection or diagnostics at that facility.
5. Repair facility representative
   1. Performs the inspection.
   2. Details the findings as part of the invoice or as a separate document.
   3. Determines who to send the mechanical inspection report to.

      When the repair facility is ...	Then the repair facility sends the mechanical inspection report to ...
      an ICBC supplier	ICBC via [email protected].
      a non-supplier	the customer, who then submits the report to [email protected]. Important: When the customer chooses a non-supplier, the repair facility does not discuss the outcome with ICBC directly.

   4. Discusses the outcome of the mechanical inspection with ICBC and/or the customer.

      When the mechanical inspection is required to determine if ...	Then ...
      there is coverage	proceed to step 6.
      the damage is related to an already approved claim, or insurable loss.	proceed to step 7.

6. Claim owner or exposure owner
   1. Reviews the inspection report.
   2. Determines if the claim is authorized.

      When the claim owner or exposure owner...	And ...	Then the claim owner or exposure owner ...
      requires an opinion from an estimator	--	refers to Obtaining material damage opinion.
      does not require requires an opinion from an estimator	the damage is covered	contacts customer to advise the claim is authorized, and removes hold by selecting No on the Hold estimate? field.
      	the damage is not covered	contacts customer to advise why the claim is not authorized, and closes the claim. Note: Process ends here.

7. Estimator
   1. Reviews the claim details, inspection report and damage.
   2. Determines if the claim is authorized.

      When the outcome of the inspection identifies that the damage is ...	Then the estimator ...
      related to the claim	contacts customer to advise the claim is authorized removes hold by selecting No on the Hold estimate? field, and advises vendor to proceed.
      inconclusive	requests additional information from the repair facility and/or the customer, or notes the claim indicating the findings and other considering factors, and requests the claim owner or exposure owner determine if coverage will be extended to cover the cost of repairs. Note: Refer to Material damage opinion guidelines.
      not related to the claim	does not provide authorization to pay the claim, and notifies the customer of the outcome.