Car repair and insurance costs on the rise in France
Technological complexity, inflation, and even weather are noted as reasons for the increase in prices
Price rose by nearly 8% in the first half of 2024
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The cost of car repairs continues to soar, new data from a safety and repair association shows, in a trend that has also seen insurance costs increase.
Costs increased by 7.9% in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, claims a report from Sécurité et Réparation Automobile (SRA), which groups several insurance companies.
The cost had already risen by 26% between 2019 and 2023.
The SRA said the average cost of parts increased by 10% year on year in the first half of 2024, and by 8.5% over the past 12 months.
The price of parts represents more than half (52.8%) of the total cost of car repairs.
The main reason is that cars are more technologically complex, the SRA said, adding that the average cost of repairing an electric car is around 15% higher than the average cost of repairing a combustion vehicle.
Read more: Electric cars: charging at French motorway services ‘too expensive’
The cost of labour has also increased: by 5.9% in the first half of 2024 and by 6.3% over the past 12 months.
This is due to inflation and increased social charges, the association said.
Insurance premiums also on the rise
Insurance premiums are around 4% more expensive, the SRA added, with drivers now having to spend €676 on average to insure their vehicle.
Comparison site Assurland said this has risen from an average of €651 in 2023, and €630 in 2022 – a rise of 7.3% in the past two years.
Rates are set to continue rising, it said.
This is due not only to rising repair costs, but also an increase in car theft (up 11% in 2023), extreme weather, including hailstorms, causing more damage to windscreens and bodywork, and the trend for larger and more complex cars.
Tax changes in 2024 have also affected insurance premiums.
New electric vehicles previously benefited from a 100% tax exemption, which has been reduced to 75% for 2024.
The situation has prompted some commentators in France to suggest that owning a car is now a luxury many people cannot afford.
This is exacerbated by the fact that fuel prices are still hovering around €1.95-€2 per litre for SP98 and SP95.
In 2023, the Observatoire Cetelem de l’Automobile polled people in 18 countries and found that “60% of people in France fear they will no longer be able to afford to own a car in the future”.
It also found that more and more motorists were skipping essential tests, such as their contrôle technique, due to a lack of funds.
