Vehicle estimate hold

Reasons for placing a vehicle estimate hold

Holds are placed on a repair estimate to prevent repairs or total loss settlements when

vehicle damage is inconsistent with the loss type
there is a potential
- breach, or
- fraudulent activity regarding the claim
there is a lack of coverage
the vehicle owner has outstanding Material debt and
- the third party (TP) has not reported or accepted responsibility, or
- there is no TP
further investigation is required
there is a material damage (MD) dispute
an engineer is hired to examine the vehicle by either plaintiff counsel (PC ) or defence counsel (DC)
PC or DC request a hold, or
a Special Investigation Unit (SIU) investigator or officer is required to investigate the claim or examine the vehicle

Important: Payments for vehicle repairs, total loss settlement or loss of use cannot be made if the repair estimate has a hold status.

Application and accountability

The same principles apply to every repair estimate hold, regardless if the vehicle is drivable, or non-drivable.

The vehicle damage exposure owner is responsible for placing and removing the hold on the repair estimate.

Handling for a repair estimate hold

The table indicates when to add or remove a repair estimate hold.

When to hold or flag	Hold or flag created	When to remove hold or flag
Stop payment for vehicle repairs or total loss settlement MD Dispute	Vehicle estimate hold	Investigation completed Debt paid Responsibility resolved
Vehicle damage is inconsistent Need confirmation from the RO on possible beach of rate class territory, or principal driver Awaiting valid driver's licence	Vehicle estimate hold	Investigation completed Debt paid Responsibility resolved
Breach automatically generated during first notice of loss (FNOL)	Coverage in question flag Vehicle estimate hold	Investigation completed
Further investigation required	Vehicle estimate hold	Investigation completed
No own damage coverage	Vehicle estimate hold	Responsibility resolved
Engineer or SIU investigation	SIU flag Vehicle estimate hold	Engineer viewed or provided report SIU investigation completed
Litigation - Further investigation required	Vehicle estimate hold	Defence strategy defined PC satisfied

Estimate holds and MD activities

Close all / Open all

MD Opinion Request activity
Manager approval is required for a claims representative to create a MD Opinion Request activity while there is a vehicle estimate hold on the claim.

Once created, estimators action the MD opinion request even when there is a vehicle estimate hold on the claim.
Note: Refer to Material damage opinion guidelines for more information.

Vehicle Channeling activity, or EST activity

A Vehicle Channeling activity, or EST activity is assigned back to the vehicle damage exposure owner when there is a vehicle estimate hold on the claim.

The vehicle damage exposure owner determines if the hold applies and if further MD support is needed.

When the vehicle estimate hold ...	And ...	Then ...
applies	an MD assessment is needed	Create a note on the claim: Subject: MD assessment with Estimate Hold Description:Reassigning <activity name> to complete <insert reason> for Hold resolution. Do not contact customer until the Hold is removed. Reassign the MD activity using automated assignment.
applies	an MD assessment is not needed	skip the MD activity.
is removed	an MD assessment is needed	Create a note on the claim: Subject: Estimate Hold Removed Description:Reassigning <activity name> to complete vehicle assessment as hold has been removed. Create a MD activity or reassign an existing MD activity using automated assignment.