LV= adjusts rates to aid staff retention

Britannia Rescue is re-introducing A and B call out rates for its road rescue network, differentiating day and night working payments to support the insurer’s Confederation of Britannia Rescue Agents (COBRA) network.

The standard A rate for call outs between 6am and 6pm will remain unchanged, while B call outs between 6pm and 6am will increase by £5.

The move, which sees LV= become the first industry provider to reintroduce these rates, is a direct result of feedback from its COBRA network, which has cited recruitment and staff retention as a major issue for the industry.

Martin Milliner, GI claims director at LV= Britannia Rescue, said, ‘Our relationship with our COBRA network is highly valued. During 2015 we held several COBRA business days where staffing issues, particularly ‘Out of Hours’ servicing, dominated discussions amongst our network – and we decided to act on it. We hope the re-introduction of these differentiating rates will support the network, and help us to continue providing a high level of service to our customers.’

The inclusive 20 miles will still apply to both call out rates, while the increase, which comes into play from 18 April, has no impact on charges to LV= third party and customers.

Richard Hilborne at Plymouth Car Recovery, added, ‘The spiralling costs of staff, particularly for night time work, has been a cause for concern for some time now. LV= Britannia Rescue’s move to reintroduce day and night pay differentials should be commended. It will certainly help us, and other road recovery providers, take another step towards helping resolve the issue of being able to offer staff competitive rates of pay.’