Introduction
You’ve had an accident. You’ve done your research, found a specialist bodyshop you trust, and told your insurer you’d like to use them instead of the approved network repairer you’ve been offered. And then your insurer drops this into the conversation: if you use your own repairer, your excess will be higher.
It might be framed as a “non-approved repairer surcharge,” an “additional excess,” or simply a higher figure than the one in your policy documents. Whatever the label, the effect is the same — you’re being financially penalised for exercising a right that is legally yours.
This practice is widespread, and it’s designed to steer drivers back towards the insurer’s preferred network. But it’s also something you can challenge — and in many cases, successfully. This guide explains what’s happening, why insurers do it, what the law says, and exactly how to push back.
What Is Excess Doubling — and Why Do Insurers Do It?
Understanding your standard excess
Your insurance policy will specify a compulsory excess — the amount you must pay towards any claim — and you may also have chosen a voluntary excess to reduce your premium. Together, these form the total excess you’d normally be expected to pay.
The non-approved repairer penalty
Some insurers apply an additional excess — sometimes called a “non-approved repairer excess” or “non-network repairer charge” — when you choose to use a bodyshop outside their approved network. In some cases, this can effectively double your out-of-pocket costs.
Why they do it
Approved repairer networks are profitable for insurers. Repairers in these networks agree to discounted labour rates and preferred parts suppliers in exchange for guaranteed work volumes. When you go outside the network, the insurer loses that cost advantage.
The additional excess is a deterrent — a financial nudge designed to make you reconsider your choice of repairer. It’s not applied because your chosen repairer is inferior. It’s applied because your chosen repairer doesn’t benefit the insurer’s cost model.
Is It Legal? What the FCA Says
The FCA’s position on fair treatment
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requires insurers to treat customers fairly and to act in good faith. Applying punitive excess charges specifically to penalise customers for exercising a legitimate legal right sits in uncomfortable territory — particularly when that right is enshrined in UK law and recognised by the courts.
While the FCA has not banned the practice outright, it has made clear that:
- Insurers must be transparent about any non-standard excesses at the point of sale
- The terms of policies must be clearly communicated
- Practices that work against the customer’s interests may fall foul of the Consumer Duty regulations, which came into force in 2023
The Consumer Duty
The FCA’s Consumer Duty — introduced in July 2023 — requires firms to act to deliver good outcomes for retail customers. This includes being honest about costs, not creating barriers to the exercise of legitimate rights, and not imposing charges that serve the firm’s commercial interests at the customer’s expense.
If a non-approved repairer excess was not clearly disclosed when you took out your policy, or if it appears designed primarily to restrict consumer choice rather than reflect a genuine cost difference, it may be challengeable under Consumer Duty principles.
How to Challenge a Non-Approved Repairer Excess
Step 1: Check your policy wording carefully
Before you do anything else, read your policy documents. Look for any mention of non-approved repairer excess, network repairer requirements, or additional excess for a chosen repairer.
If the excess is genuinely in your policy documents and was disclosed to you at purchase, you’ll be dealing with a contractual term rather than an undisclosed charge. That’s still challengeable, but on slightly different grounds. If the insurer is citing a charge that isn’t clearly spelt out in your policy, that’s a stronger position for you — they cannot impose terms that aren’t in your contract.
Step 2: Ask for the charge in writing and its justification
Don’t accept a verbal mention of a higher excess as the end of the conversation. Ask your insurer to confirm the exact excess figure in writing, explain specifically why the additional charge applies, and point you to the policy clause or schedule that sets this out.
Step 3: Invoke your right to choose your repairer
State clearly and in writing that you are exercising your legal right to choose your own repairer, as recognised under UK law, and that you do not accept that this right should be subject to financial penalty beyond the terms of your policy.
Reference the FCA’s Consumer Duty and fair treatment obligations if the insurer continues to push back. Simply stating that you’re aware of your rights and prepared to escalate changes the dynamic of the conversation.
Step 4: Escalate to the insurer’s complaints department
If the customer services team won’t budge, use the insurer’s formal complaints process. Put your complaint in writing, keep copies of everything, and note the date and reference number. The insurer has eight weeks to respond with a final resolution.
Step 5: Refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service
If you’re not satisfied with the insurer’s response — or if they don’t respond within eight weeks — you can refer your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS is free to use, independent, and has the power to direct insurers to change their position if it finds they’ve acted unfairly. It has upheld complaints against insurers who have applied undisclosed or disproportionate charges to penalise customers for choosing their own repairer.
The Specific Case of Non-Fault Drivers
If the accident was not your fault, the question of excess becomes largely irrelevant — but it’s still worth understanding.
In a genuine non-fault claim pursued correctly, you should not be paying any excess at all. The at-fault insurer covers the cost of your repair. Your own excess only comes into play if you’re claiming through your own policy.
This is why the choice of how to manage a non-fault claim matters so much. If you’re pushed into claiming through your own insurer — with the at-fault insurer’s recovery happening in the background — you may find yourself facing excess charges that wouldn’t apply if your claim were managed differently. A specialist bodyshop or non-fault claims handler will structure your claim to avoid this scenario wherever possible.
Non-Fault Accident? Don’t Let the At-Fault Insurer Control Your Repair
What Are My Rights in an Accident That Is Not My Fault?
Practical Tips: Protecting Yourself at Policy Renewal
The best time to address this issue is before an accident happens. When renewing or taking out a new policy, ask your insurer or broker directly:
- Is there an additional excess if I choose a repairer outside your approved network?
- What is that excess, and where is it set out in the policy?
- Does this apply to both fault and non-fault claims?
If the answers are unsatisfactory, factor this into your decision when comparing insurers. A policy that penalises you for exercising your legal rights may appear cheaper on paper — but could cost you significantly more when you actually need to make a claim.
Conclusion
Excess doubling is a frustrating but common tactic. The good news is that it’s not something you have to accept without question. Your right to choose your own repairer is legally established, the FCA requires insurers to treat customers fairly, and the Financial Ombudsman Service exists specifically to hold insurers to account when they don’t.
At Crash Specialist Garage in Macclesfield, we regularly support customers through this exact situation. We know the process, we know how to engage with insurers effectively, and we’re committed to making sure our customers get the repair they’re entitled to — at the repairer they’ve chosen.
If you’ve been told your excess will increase because you want to use a specialist repairer, get in touch before you accept it. We’ll help you understand your position and your options.
Related posts:
• Your Insurer Can’t Tell You Where to Get Your Car Repaired — Here’s What the Law Actually Says
• What Are My Rights in an Accident That Is Not My Fault?
• Non-Fault Accident? Don’t Let the At-Fault Insurer Control Your Repair
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on whether the charge was disclosed in your policy at the time of purchase. If it was clearly set out in your policy schedule, it is a contractual term — though you can still challenge it on fair treatment grounds. If it wasn’t disclosed, you have stronger grounds to reject it entirely.
Read the policy carefully to confirm this. If it is there, your next step is to decide whether to proceed with your chosen repairer and pay the higher excess, or to challenge the fairness of the charge through the complaints process and, if needed, the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Yes. The FOS can direct insurers to refund charges and change their position if it determines the insurer has acted unfairly. There is precedent for the FOS upholding complaints against excess surcharges applied to penalise customers for choosing their own repairer.
In a non-fault claim handled correctly, you shouldn’t be paying any excess at all — the at-fault insurer bears the cost. The excess doubling issue typically arises when you’re claiming through your own policy. This is one reason why the route your claim takes matters significantly.
That’s your decision to make — but you shouldn’t feel obliged to accept it without question. The excess doubling practice exists because many drivers do exactly that. Challenging it takes a little time and effort, but the FOS route is free. If the amount at stake is material, it’s worth pursuing.
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