Insurance advise needed, please
Discussion
One of my cars was destroyed in May this year when the bodyshop it was in burnt down.
The bodyshop insurer initially offered (via the bodyshop) £300 which I rejected.
Several months passed and the bodyshop came back to ask for invoices and I provided these woth about £8000.
Another couple of months passed and the bodyshop owner called today to say the insurer had upped their offer to £850, which I have again rejected.
The insurer disputes the condition of my car but they had the wreckage cleared and destroyed with no reference to me. I've asked if they think I would have spent all that money and booked a full respray on a shoddy example?
He said the insurer claims that Ford sold a batch of new XR4i bodyshells in 2012 for £450. I've said I'll take two of those in settlement instead.
He also says that the insurer believes I should have had the car insured myself if I was looking for a proper payout based on value, but he had my car there for an EXTREMELY long time.
He asked what I WOULD accept, and I told him decent examples start at £3500 so I'll start there, even thoughI don't expect to get a car as solid or modified as mine for anything like that. He doesn't think they will go for that but will go back to them.
The advice I need is:
SHOULD I have maintained my own policy on the car, or was it reasonable to expect the bodyhop to cover the car while it was in their care?
Should theinsurer have contacted me before removing what was left of my car? (To be clear, it was destroyed and there is no way it could be repaired)
Is there any reason why I should not be able to deal directly with his insurer? I don't know who the insurer or the broker is and I recognise that we have no contract between us.
If we remain so far apart on valuation, how do we reach a settlement?
Thanks in advance for any information,
The bodyshop insurer initially offered (via the bodyshop) £300 which I rejected.
Several months passed and the bodyshop came back to ask for invoices and I provided these woth about £8000.
Another couple of months passed and the bodyshop owner called today to say the insurer had upped their offer to £850, which I have again rejected.
The insurer disputes the condition of my car but they had the wreckage cleared and destroyed with no reference to me. I've asked if they think I would have spent all that money and booked a full respray on a shoddy example?
He said the insurer claims that Ford sold a batch of new XR4i bodyshells in 2012 for £450. I've said I'll take two of those in settlement instead.
He also says that the insurer believes I should have had the car insured myself if I was looking for a proper payout based on value, but he had my car there for an EXTREMELY long time.
He asked what I WOULD accept, and I told him decent examples start at £3500 so I'll start there, even thoughI don't expect to get a car as solid or modified as mine for anything like that. He doesn't think they will go for that but will go back to them.
The advice I need is:
SHOULD I have maintained my own policy on the car, or was it reasonable to expect the bodyhop to cover the car while it was in their care?
Should theinsurer have contacted me before removing what was left of my car? (To be clear, it was destroyed and there is no way it could be repaired)
Is there any reason why I should not be able to deal directly with his insurer? I don't know who the insurer or the broker is and I recognise that we have no contract between us.
If we remain so far apart on valuation, how do we reach a settlement?
Thanks in advance for any information,
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