In Australia, accident management has gained in acceptance since the early 1990s, when it was pioneered by Phil Harrowell of CFC and Adrian Stone of SurePlan. The service has also given rise to a host of supporting services covering, rental vehicle provision; third party claims management, detailed risk analysis and mitigation services, according to Tony Robinson, fleet risk manager for AB Phillips Pty Ltd.

Robinson noted that over the past decade Australian business has become more relaxed when it comes to getting an external party to undertake functions it may have previously regarded as only able to be done through an underwriter or in-house, but as many tasks become more demanding in terms of expectations and managing, increasingly businesses are looking to have an external party undertake and deliver quantifiable benefits at a saving.

The spin off services like the finance and management of a business’ motor vehicle fleet has provided the successful operatives with the opportunity to add another layer of outsourcing in accident claims management and insurance cover and frequently not from the same source, according to Robinson.

The major players in this facilitation are the leasing and fleet management companies (FMOs) who predominantly outsource these services to another party, while marketing as their “own” service the supplier is frequently a specialist who flies under the radar in supporting the service, according to Robinson’s analysis.

Go here for the full text of Tony Robinson’s analysis of the Australian Accident Management Landscape.