A major insurer in China and an international body shop have entered a partnership agreement to expand their repair networks.
Auto insurer People’s Insurance Company of China (PICC) linked up with US-based body shop Fix Auto’s China arm, with the deal announced during Fix Auto China’s first annual national conference held recently.
Among the attendees were Fix Auto world president Steve Leal, and China Automotive Maintenance and Repair Trades Association (CAMRA) vice secretary Fengling Wang.
The agreement will have Fix Auto join PICC’s extensive network of recognised auto repair shops. According to a statement by Fix Auto, this agreement is an important preliminary step in developing a direct repair program (DRP) with PICC, which could lead to referrals to Fix Auto’s branches.
“Our national strategic cooperation agreement with Fix Auto China includes policy sales, claims, and the future development of a DRP in China,” said Zhang Haibo, general manager for motor insurance at PICC. “I am convinced that the collaboration between Fix Auto China and PICC will bring a new era for the development of the automotive aftermarket.”
“This is a pivotal moment for Fix Auto’s development in China,” commented Leal. “This strategic agreement with the nation’s largest insurance provider not only underscores Fix Auto’s promise to grow strong insurance partnerships for its network through operational consistency, but places Fix Auto in a position to deliver reliable service to even more customers in China.”
Fix Auto entered the Chinese market in December 2016 with an initial 78 branches. Currently, it has 156 independently owned collision repair franchise locations across China.
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