Should Repairers Share Paint Mix Reports with Insurers?
If you’re a motor body repairer, you’ve probably been asked by an insurer to provide a paint mix report. At first glance, it seems like a reasonable request — after all, it shows what paint was used, right?
But here’s the reality: you should not share paint mix reports with insurers.
And here’s why.
Insurers often request mix reports because they lack the tools or technical knowledge to calculate fair paint costs. But the report doesn’t actually help them do that — in fact, it often works against you.
Instead of being used to understand your costs, mix reports are more commonly used to question your pricing and push your quote down. And if your costs are higher than expected, it usually results in comments like:
“Your paint cost is too high — maybe you should decline the job.”
Not exactly a constructive approach.
The Problem with Mix Reports
Here’s why relying on mix reports creates more problems than solutions:
- They only reflect the initial mix — not the tinting or corrections needed to achieve a perfect colour match.
- Primers are often mixed in bulk and used across multiple vehicles. Allocating a fair portion to one job is extremely difficult, so it’s usually left out entirely.
- There’s no standard for factoring in labour, consumables, or markup. If the insurer doesn’t see these costs on the report, they assume they don’t exist.
- Pricing in the report can be outdated or differ between systems — creating more confusion.
- Reports can be manipulated, intentionally or not.
- They’re only available after the job is done — so it’s too late to use them during quote negotiations.
The result? You’re stuck trying to justify a price while the insurer uses a partial, flawed document to challenge it. All while being compared to other shops that may be underquoting to secure the work.
The Bigger Picture: A Broken Model
Sharing paint mix reports plays into a flawed pricing model — one that hurts repairers instead of supporting them.
The truth is: you’re responsible for working efficiently and keeping material waste low. But that doesn’t mean any savings should go back to the insurer. If they want to run a cost-plus model, they should accept that your time, expertise, and business risks all have value — and those don’t show up on a paint report.
A Better Way to Prove Your Value
This is where PaintWizz makes a difference. Instead of relying on mix reports that only tell part of the story, PaintWizz gives you a proper quoting system that:
- Reflects actual toner costs per job
- Includes blend-in calculations
- Accounts for labour, margins, and consumables
- Helps you stand your ground in pricing discussions
No more explaining your quote to people who don’t understand the work involved. Just clean, credible, data-backed pricing that protects your profit.
Final Thoughts
So, should repairers share paint mix reports with insurers?
No — because they don’t reflect the full cost, and they put your margins at risk.
It’s time to move away from outdated tools and toward smarter systems that support your shop’s sustainability.
👉 Stop losing money. Sign-up for a PaintWizz account today and start protecting your profits.