Motor Claims: Repair Sector is Losing Skilled Workers

As modern EV and hybrid cars become more complex it’s essential that insurers can rely on the repair sector to get policyholders’ cars back on the road, here’s the word;

The UK’s accident and repair sector is losing skilled workers at a rate that threatens to drive up motor insurance costs and extend vehicle repair times for millions of motorists, according to new research from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). The report, Understanding the UK Accident & Repair Workforce, reveals that the sector loses an estimated 4,700 workers every year through retirement and labour market churn, while only around 3,000 new entrants join. This is leaving a net annual shortfall of approximately 1,700 skilled workers which the voice of the automotive workforce believes could widen without urgent action.

“The entire motor claims system depends on a workforce that is skilled for current and new technologies,” explained Nick Connor, CEO of the IMI. “However, our analysis shows that employers are not currently recruiting and retaining talent in key areas of the accident and repair ecosystem as individuals either retire or move into other sectors. And this is having a damaging effect on both customer satisfaction for insurers and indemnity costs.”

For insurers, the implications are direct and financial. A shrinking pool of qualified technicians means bodyshops face growing capacity constraints, pushing repair times up and increasing the cost of courtesy vehicles, alternative transport, and extended claims handling. Without coordinated action across industry, education, and government, the IMI believes these pressures will intensify.

Paint and glazing face the sharpest shortfall

The IMI report reveals that the skills crisis is not evenly spread. Paint technicians and autoglazers are the occupations under the most severe pressure. In paint alone, annual exits number more than 800 against 400 new entrants – a gap of more than 400 workers every year. And only 12% of paint technicians are under 25, highlighting the challenges employers face in attracting new talent into the sector. The picture is similar for body repair with exits outpacing entries and an older-than-average workforce profile.

The IMI believes the disparity in skills in specialist areas is because the majority of qualification activity across accident and repair pathways is concentrated in general Accident Repair. The specialist roles – paint, body repair, and glazing – receive a disproportionately small share of training provision.

The report also flags a longer-term threat. As electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) become more prevalent across the UK vehicle parc, the technical demands placed on accident and repair technicians will increase significantly.

The IMI is calling for coordinated action across three areas to address the skills challenge:

• Increase the volume of new entrants into the sector, particularly into shortage occupations
• Better align training provision with real-world demand
• Strengthen retention and progression pathways for workers already in the sector

“Apprenticeship starts across key pathways have not grown, and in some cases have declined leaving the sector without the talent pipeline it urgently needs,” added Nick Connor. “We have a training system that is not aligned with demand with the result that employers are struggling to find paint technicians and glaziers because the pipeline predominantly produces generalists. That misalignment has to be addressed.

“The IMI will therefore advocate on behalf of the sector to government as well as the wider industry to drive change. The accident and repair workforce underpins the entire motor claims ecosystem in this country. Protecting that workforce is not just a matter for bodyshops and garages – it is a matter for insurers, fleet operators, and ultimately for every driver who needs their vehicle repaired.”