The Body Repair Industry Campaign, BRIC, has condemned the use of the 0870 telephone numbers often quoted by insurers for policyholders and suppliers to contact them on. BRIC points out that these are premium rate numbers and not toll free national ones, with which they are often confused by the general public.

“What is particularly galling,” notes BRIC director Shaun O'Reilly, “is to be told while in a queue on some automated telephone switchboards that 'Your call is valuable to us'. It certainly is, as the longer the caller is kept waiting then the higher the revenue to the insurers or other principal.”