Help tracing my cars accident history
Discussion
Currently starting to/thinking about selling my car (an M3) and the car is CAT C from WAYyyy back on 16/8/2000. Fine, I knew it when I bought it. Had it inspected, did my due diligence and its been great.
Since I've had the car I've been trying to work out what happened to it but now I'm trying to sell it and I know I'm going to be asked. What happened to it?
I've honestly no idea, other than the fact the guy I had inspect it said it all looks good but its had paint on the rear drivers side.
Following that I asked the DVLA for info, they pointed me to the Motor Insurance Database. They confirmed the CAT C status and said they would look into any details for me. Yesterday they came back saying they don't have details but know who it was insured with and had gone back to the insurer to ask if it was ok to give out their details and if it's ok for me to call them up to gather the details. Got an email the morning saying all is good, AXA are the insurer call XYZ number and they'll let you know the details.
Needless to say its not gone quite that smoothly. Call the number and its a direct number. No call holding etc but straight through to lady that knows nothing. She puts me through to another department that say they have never insured the car. ok. Called the number back again and again no idea, put through to a different department and get a lovely older lady. She spends 15mins finding it in an archive database. awesome.
She tells me she cant look into it but she has the policy number. Cant give me policy number but can put me through to claims who can give me the details. Ok great, finally. Young lad answers the phone and I spent another 5 mins explaining the situation, he cant find it on the system. Goes away to speak to supervisor comes back and asks all my details. Address/phone number/DOB/Do I know the owner at the time of the crash. Goes away again and comes back. "Found it, got all the details on the screen. Cant tell you due to data protection of our client"
I spent the next 5 mins explaining that I don't need any details of how or why the claim happened, don't want any details of the policy holder just details of the damage to the car. He then says 'cant data protection'. I then try to explain that the MID sent me to them, they had already cleared it with someone at AXA and please can he check again. All through that sentence he butted in after every word with "data protection". Im afraid to say I lost my rag with that and swore saying "can I finish my f
king sentance". He listened and said data protection again.
At which point he's annoyed, I'm annoyed, there's no point continuing. "thanks, goodbye" An hour on the phone wasted.
I've gone back to the MID to see if they can request it on my behalf via their original contact that said it was ok or asked if I can have that persons direct contact details.
Is there any other way I can get the info? Any loopholes (was thinking of asking them to prove the details to verify the CAT C marker)? Are they talking bks? I understand data protection but after all it is my property they are holding details on and thats all I want information about? Any other avenues to go down? Its incredibly frustrating to be SO close and yet up against a brick wall.
Since I've had the car I've been trying to work out what happened to it but now I'm trying to sell it and I know I'm going to be asked. What happened to it?
I've honestly no idea, other than the fact the guy I had inspect it said it all looks good but its had paint on the rear drivers side.
Following that I asked the DVLA for info, they pointed me to the Motor Insurance Database. They confirmed the CAT C status and said they would look into any details for me. Yesterday they came back saying they don't have details but know who it was insured with and had gone back to the insurer to ask if it was ok to give out their details and if it's ok for me to call them up to gather the details. Got an email the morning saying all is good, AXA are the insurer call XYZ number and they'll let you know the details.
Needless to say its not gone quite that smoothly. Call the number and its a direct number. No call holding etc but straight through to lady that knows nothing. She puts me through to another department that say they have never insured the car. ok. Called the number back again and again no idea, put through to a different department and get a lovely older lady. She spends 15mins finding it in an archive database. awesome.
She tells me she cant look into it but she has the policy number. Cant give me policy number but can put me through to claims who can give me the details. Ok great, finally. Young lad answers the phone and I spent another 5 mins explaining the situation, he cant find it on the system. Goes away to speak to supervisor comes back and asks all my details. Address/phone number/DOB/Do I know the owner at the time of the crash. Goes away again and comes back. "Found it, got all the details on the screen. Cant tell you due to data protection of our client"
I spent the next 5 mins explaining that I don't need any details of how or why the claim happened, don't want any details of the policy holder just details of the damage to the car. He then says 'cant data protection'. I then try to explain that the MID sent me to them, they had already cleared it with someone at AXA and please can he check again. All through that sentence he butted in after every word with "data protection". Im afraid to say I lost my rag with that and swore saying "can I finish my f
king sentance". He listened and said data protection again. At which point he's annoyed, I'm annoyed, there's no point continuing. "thanks, goodbye" An hour on the phone wasted.
I've gone back to the MID to see if they can request it on my behalf via their original contact that said it was ok or asked if I can have that persons direct contact details.
Is there any other way I can get the info? Any loopholes (was thinking of asking them to prove the details to verify the CAT C marker)? Are they talking b
ks? I understand data protection but after all it is my property they are holding details on and thats all I want information about? Any other avenues to go down? Its incredibly frustrating to be SO close and yet up against a brick wall.Data protection does not apply to the information you're requesting. It's likely they have been told not to release any data at all for fear of someone going too far - most people haven't got a clue about the DPA and will just accept it. Same crap you get from a lot of car dealers when trying to get service history copies.
I'd put it in writing and ask them to confirm specifically which part of the DPA means they can't give you details of the damage.
I'd put it in writing and ask them to confirm specifically which part of the DPA means they can't give you details of the damage.
I think you need to read between the lines
They would not have wasted your time and their's looking it up, if they were always just going to they say they can't give out any details, so it's fairly likely there was something about what they found when they looked it up which made them reconsider letting you know anything, the most likely reason for this is pretty grim.
They have no obligation to give you any information at all it may not be a DPA issue, but that is a common excuse.
They would not have wasted your time and their's looking it up, if they were always just going to they say they can't give out any details, so it's fairly likely there was something about what they found when they looked it up which made them reconsider letting you know anything, the most likely reason for this is pretty grim.
They have no obligation to give you any information at all it may not be a DPA issue, but that is a common excuse.
You will never get anywhere with trying to find out the Cat C or D damage that was done years ago it's 99.9% impossible to find out.
The only slim chance would be if it was a one owner from new and that one owner had never moved house over the past 15 years and was prepared to reply to your letter.
However you can work out one thing, it was seriously smashed up to get a cat C record on an E46 M3 back then she it was quite new and still worth a large amount of money, it would not have been a pretty sight post incident!
The only slim chance would be if it was a one owner from new and that one owner had never moved house over the past 15 years and was prepared to reply to your letter.
However you can work out one thing, it was seriously smashed up to get a cat C record on an E46 M3 back then she it was quite new and still worth a large amount of money, it would not have been a pretty sight post incident!
You didn't ask what damage led it to be a Cat C at the time you purchased it, yet still bought it after getting it checked over but you know want to know what damage was caused to tell potential buyers? As said Cat C status tells its own story as a then young vehicle, must've been bad.
wc98 said:
not possible to contact previous owner listed on docs ? sure it is a while back,but you might get lucky.
Probably my best bet. Will see if the DVLA can help. ThanksETA: MID have come up trumps.
"I am sorry that the call did not go as you had hoped. Insurance Database services Limited (IDSL) did gain permission from Axa to provide you with the Insurer company name and they provided the number to us for passing on to you, therefore data protection has not been contravened. We have already requested the information relating to the damage that occurred to the vehicle but in the meantime wanted to provide you with their details to give you the opportunity to gain this information directly.
The Insurer are currently attempting to gain the damage detail and once we have a response from them we will be in contact with you via email."
Will leave it at that and wait for the report. Glad I didn't give up
Edited by S3_Graham on Thursday 21st May 09:17
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