The average repair cost increased by 51% in the just 12 months in Northern Ireland, according to data from Accident Exchange.

Figures indicate that on average motorists paid £2,362 for repairs following an accident compared to £1,569 in 2014, with owners of ‘mainstream’ vehicles taking the largest financial hit to restore their cars’ condition.

Liz Fisher, sales director at Accident Exchange, said: “Car buyers today expect their vehicles to be laden with technology, however, they are significantly more costly to repair. Not only are materials more expensive but the repair methods are more complex and labour intensive, too.”

Classifying cars based on manufacturer, popular vehicles from mainstream brands commanded high repair values in the bodyshop.

By 2015, the average cost of repairing a ‘mainstream’ vehicle was 54% higher than the previous year while prestige repairs on luxury brands jumped 44%.

The two month study was carried out using data from bodyshops across Northern Ireland over a 12-month period from June 2014 to June 2015.