Insurance dilemma - Accident

Mr Angry

Mr Angry

A2OC Donor
Hi Guys,

My wife had a non fault accident around October last year with someone reversing into the front passenger side bumper. I submitted photos to insurance company just before xmas and this is me just catching up with it however, they have deemed the car a total write off with just minor front bumper damage. They have asked for the car to be uplifted by salvage to make a proper estimate but i wasn't happy with this as the car is being used daily.

My concern is to fully avoid an insurance catergory letter with it being deemed a write off but if i want to drop the claim and fix myself i can avoid this but i would need to fix the car myself and at my cost if i decide not to use my insurance company???

I do have a spare bumper that could replace my current one but i want to get something for my hassles. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best course of action?

Can i contact the 3rd party and ask them if it's an option for me to claim for a 2nd hand bumper or labour costs to cover the inconvenience?

Any help is appreciated

Cammy
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Explain to your insurer that the car can be repaired, using used parts, (new nla), for (say) £300. Explain that the damage is cosmetic and that the car is still in daily use. Ask them to contact the third party's insurer, to request that they accept your proposal.
Mac.
Edit: Have you been given the sum you'll be awarded, against the write off?
Don’t, on any account, allow the car to be taken from you.
 
I think you need to have a conversation with the third party. It sounds to me as though the claim has already advanced further than ideal. That bumper is probably mendable for about £300.00 with a good smart repair person. The conversation that should be had with the third party involves you explaining the benefits to them for not claiming, insurance record and so forth, and a getting them to pay a cash settlement.

It rather depends on the third party. The alternative is to cancel the insurance claim and sue them in the small claims court for the cost and inconvenience.

Good luck.
 
simon martyn said:
I think you need to have a conversation with the third party. It sounds to me as though the claim has already advanced further than ideal. That bumper is probably mendable for about £300.00 with a good smart repair person. The conversation that should be had with the third party involves you explaining the benefits to them for not claiming, insurance record and so forth, and a getting them to pay a cash settlement.

It rather depends on the third party. The alternative is to cancel the insurance claim and sue them in the small claims court for the cost and inconvenience.

Good luck.
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Because the claim is on your insurers, (regardless of it being the third party's fault), they are dealing with it.
All insurers only want to close the claim at the lowest cost to them, so asking for a cash payment, in lieu of a higher write of payout is likely to be viewed favourably.
Contacting the third party's insurer direct will only add complications, and, at best, will not help your case.
Mac.
 
Just to add to good information above.
Value your Vehicle to the best of matching examples of your A2 (as of the loss date, if you can), your Insurer will have done this already.
Best to know what value they put on your A2, and what your research shows.
Would get back in touch with your Insurer.
Damage does look to be cosmetic with no structural damage.
Is your M.O.T. due soon, only asking as if has gone through or will go through an M.O.T. since incident date (in present state) it gives more chance of settling the claim on Cash In lieu basis.
Insurer's don't (or at least shouldn't) settle a claim on a Cash in lieu basis if Vehicle is not roadworthy.
A Cash in lieu settlement would appear to be the best way forward, no Salvage marker (probably would be N, as non structural) on your A2, your Insurer has just settled your claim made against you Motor Policy.
 
The insurance company have said it would be most likely a Cat N if i were to go through with the claim. They were absolutely hopeless with helping me in regards to the policy/claim number for contacting the 3rd party insurance due to data protection. Thankfully my wife still had the registration number of the car involved in order for me to try and resolve this with the 3rd party.

I will not know a valuation until an engineer has guestimated and got back to me. It didn't sound like it was going to be a worthwhile amount given the advisers tone. That being said, should i get this fixed by the insurance company and label my car with a category or take it on the chin and not categorise it? I feel like i'm being shafted with this being non fault and me being the one that's going to be out of pocket :/

Cammy
 
simon martyn said:
Mac. as ever I agree with you. Contacting the third party in person was what I had in mind.
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I'd ask
simon martyn said:
Mac. as ever I agree with you. Contacting the third party in person was what I had in mind.
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OK Simon, see what you mean.
Might work, if he's, (the third party), got a hefty excess, and a significant NCB, getting him to pay @Mr Angry his excess, +/- and you withdrawing the claim could appeal to him, and @Mr Angry would emerge with an unblemished, (apart from the bumber), record.
It does look like cosmetic bumper damage.
Mac.
 
I think we all need to learn a lesson here about insurance companies, you have either got to go to a specialist insurer that does agreed value or just go for the cheapest so you are road legal but not involve the insurer if you have a minor prang, whoever's fault it is and take a chance.
I think all of my cars are currently worth more as parts than what the insurance company are likely to offer.

Good luck and hope it works out for you ok.
 
When someone reversed into my dad's galaxy's front passenger door the repair was clearly more than it value, they wanted him to surrender all keys and let Co part take it away. He phoned them saying no I am keeping the car and want to buy it back, they contacted some breaker and came back saying for £100 off his settlement he can have it back (car never left him mind) and he got a cheque for £600, to my knowledge he didn't need to send v5c off either
 
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When my BMW got trashed last year by a fox, they turned up next day to take the vehicle, so I thought great this is going to be a speedy transaction,,
When I took out the policy 9 years ago I was unemployed, and now that I was working they said, `they cant verify my claim" and cancelled the policy, due to the discrepancy.
They had different phone numbers for the broker, claim department and underwriters (who would only make contact by email).
From early August to late October, I phoned and chased every department that I was put through too, having to explain my problem every time I was transferred, I phoned and chased twice a week. But was told my case cant be verified due to my change of employment.
Mid September I got an email asking for my bank details, so they can transfer me the agreed settlement. Which I ignored, I wanted my vehicle back.
I continued calling twice every week, sometimes spending up to 3 hours being transferred from pillar to post, resulting in being told, due to my change of employment my claim cannot be verified. I was receiving letters from the broker, telephone calls from the Claims dept, and Email from the underwriters telling me different things, they were apparently 3 different companies (That wasn`t mentioned when I took out the policy).

Early one morning whilst preparing myself for the next days phone attempt, I decided to email the underwriters (who do not use telephones), then whilst on the phone waiting to be transferred and being put on hold, I noticed an email arriving from the underwriters who had agreed to my request and had simply halved the settlement agreement and allowed me to have my vehicle back.

I waited 48 hours for the three companies to sort out their loose ends, and phoned to request my vehicle which was now being held in a Co Part 160 miles away and I would have to pay £268.00 for delivery.
On receipt of my vehicle, I was given 30 days to repair and MOT the vehicle, and send the U/W`s all receipts and proof of a post accident MOT, which I did and I to this day have never heard or received any correspondence to assist me.

Every thing our Insurance companies do is sub contracted out to 3rd parties, and I think now we have the great Co Part Sites littered all over our land, it is far easier for them to Write Off every vehicle and pass the problem onto someone else, saving on their precious Admin fees, that we all pay handsomely for.

Good Luck, I know what I would do as I`ve previously posted.

John
 
Don't worry they will not be getting the car.

@Axit that is a terrible scenario to be in....it's bad enough being given the runaround but to think that your insurance company would do this is beyond belief and i thought my claim was bad :/

@RZX i will seriously consider a specialist going forward but i was drawn in to a bigger discount by having 2 cars under the same company.

I will follow up when the engineer has given me an estimate and hopefully other alternative options to consider but i ain't holding my breath!
 
@Mr Angry maybe get that bumper off, then take pics to, (hopefully), confirm cosmetic bumper damage only. Then send the pics to your insurer, stating that the bumper can be replaced with used parts, and painted to match for £xxx.
I'm sure they will be happy to pay, as it'll be considerably less than the write off offer minus scrap value after collection etc.
Mac.
 
Howey said:
Whatever you do don't let them take the car!!
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I was looking for this point before commenting, under no circumstances let them take the car. You will not get it back without paying storage and delivery fees. Get your insurer, not the third party, to come to you and start haggling. You have the car they want, they want to pay you the minimum possible then recover much of their losses through a salvage company.
Start with the value, argue it is much higher than the £700, or whatever they think it is worth.
Then argue for a cash settlement and you keep the car.
Fix the car yourself, it won't cost much.
Been through this with my A2, two doors dented in a car park and they wanted to write it off. the cash settlement paid for two new doors and paint. I provided the labour. 10 years later I still have my A2.
 
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My 21-year-old A2 1.4Tdi SE has a book value of £160. I have restored it from the ground up over. If we had paid a professional to do this, it would have cost £24K; however, we have spent £6K. It looks like a new car, as indeed it is. Engine, gearbox, fuel lines, breaks and break pipes, tyres, re-upholstered seat, and much more. I can't convince my insurance company that before I put it back on the road, it is worth £6K
 

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You need an agreed value via a specialist broker. Well thought of in classic/motorsport circles are Adrian Flux. Not the cheapest but no doubt your photographic evidence will help your case.

Best of luck,

Simon
 
Mr Pip said:
My 21-year-old A2 1.4Tdi SE has a book value of £160. I have restored it from the ground up over. If we had paid a professional to do this, it would have cost £24K; however, we have spent £6K. It looks like a new car, as indeed it is. Engine, gearbox, fuel lines, breaks and break pipes, tyres, re-upholstered seat, and much more. I can't convince my insurance company that before I put it back on the road, it is worth £6K
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Try doing some research, starting here, on Market Place, to find some genuine sales prices. Even those sold with modest prices will multiply their £160 by ten. The value of your car is, broadly, what it would cost to replace.
But first, ask your insurer where £160 came from. The shell plus cat is worth 5 or 6 hundred.
Mac.
 
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