Media release
February 24, 2004
New Approach To Accident Management Can Cut Fleet Costs By 40%
A fleet risk management company entering the New Zealand market can considerably reduce total fleet costs by slashing
accident related costs by up to 40%.
SurePlan New Zealand, a joint venture between First Assistance NZ and SurePlan Australia, is a professional fleet risk
management company designed to assist motor fleet owners and operators, vehicle leasing companies, motor vehicle
distributors and insurance companies to manage vehicle accidents and costs for their clients. It is possibly the most
advanced service of its kind to be offered in New Zealand.
Adrian Stone, managing director of SurePlan Australia since its formation in 1993, points out that the cost of a motor
vehicle accident to a company is often underestimated.
“The true cost of a fleet vehicle accident can be up to four times the actual repair cost,” says Mr Stone. “In addition
to the costs incurred for the actual repair of the vehicle, a company is also liable for costs relating to damage to
other vehicles, occupational health and safety costs, workers’ compensation, cost of rental vehicles and productivity
losses.”
As accident related costs are second only to lease ownership and fuel expenses in the total fleet costs, reducing these
is key to managing rapidly escalating fleet costs.
“A simple concept,” says SurePlan NZ managing director, Murray Berkett. “However one that is often overlooked by
attempts to reduce more transparent costs such as fuel expenses or fleet maintenance costs - two areas from which there
is not a lot of fat to trim.”
“By introducing SurePlan into New Zealand we hope to educate the market and demonstrate that it is possible to
substantially reduce fleet expenses by focusing on accident frequency and cost.”
SurePlan does this by implementing policies and procedures that help companies make savings by eliminating downtime due
to fleet crashes, making their fleets safer by targeting risky drivers and dramatically cutting insurance costs (even
without changing insurer) through recalibrating premiums.
As Berkett points out, it is usually a relatively small proportion of a company’s drivers contributing to the majority
of crash related costs, so it makes sense to target these rather than putting whole fleets of drivers through often
costly driving schools.
“It is in everybody’s best interests to find the fleet drivers most at risk and focus training efforts on them, rather
than the usual shotgun approaches that cost too much for little apparent return,” said Berkett.
The 24 hour complete fleet risk management service handles the entire repair and claims process beginning when the call
is made by the driver involved in the crash. SurePlan’s online FastTrack vehicle claims and accident management system
links whole networks of parties (clients, assessors, repairers, insurers, tow trucks, hire cars) giving them all instant
access to detailed accident data and enabling the repair process to be tracked and pre-agreed timeframes to be upheld.
Clients have round the clock access to detailed data including driver profiles, accident history and accident ratios
enabling them to build up a valuable database of information regarding their fleets.
“Feedback from interested parties has been very positive and in fact we have already signed up a major leasing company
as our first client,” concluded Berkett.
Ends.
Prepared on behalf of SurePlan NZ by Donovan Boyd Communications.
SUREPLAN NEW ZEALAND LTD
Murray Berkett
Murray Berkett is a co founder and MD of First Assistance (First Rescue & Emergency NZ Ltd) and its subsidiary, SurePlan New Zealand Pty Ltd.
Murray has had a long and successful career in the auto industry that began in 1970 as an automotive technician.
Seven years later Murray began employment with the New Zealand Motor Corporation (NZMC) which spanned a decade and
included roles in training, technical advising and sales and marketing.
In 1988 the Honda Motor Company purchased the distributorship from NZMC and moved the Head Office to Auckland where
Murray held the position of General Manager Marketing and Service. In 1991 he completed his Diploma in Business
Marketing at Auckland University and a year later he left the auto industry and began feasibility studies into the
establishment of a dedicated assistance company.
In March 1993 First Assistance commenced trading in the provision of travel medical and technical support services and
within the year expanded to offer general insurance services and automotive roadside assist services.
Currently the company, First Assistance (NZ) Ltd employs 72 staff with a multi million dollar turnover servicing a
national and international client base.
In 2003 he formed a joint venture company with SurePlan Australia to establish SurePlan New Zealand to introduce vehicle
risk accident management services to the NZ market. SurePlan NZ commenced trading in December 2003.
ADRIAN STONE
Adrian Stone is Founder and MD of the Stanford Pacific Group and its subsidiary, SurePlan Australia Pty Ltd.
Adrian began his working career in 1981 as a graduate (Bachelor of Science [Computer Science], University of Melbourne)
with IBM Australia Ltd.
After a 10 year career with IBM which included marketing, sales, management consulting and executive roles, Adrian
joined a family property and development and motor industry financing company which included a small insurance financing
division in 1990 to advance the company through its next stage of growth.
Adrian was a key instigator of the accident management industry in Australia when he founded SurePlan Australia Pty Ltd
in 1993, after forming an international alliance with The CEI Group (USA).
Widely regarded as a thought leader in the accident management, finance and insurance industries, Mr. Stone is consulted
by government bodies and industry leaders who value his insights on the future direction of these industries.