Car written off, Insurance offer is rediculous
Car written off, Insurance offer is rediculous
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Discussion

hashtag

Original Poster:

1,116 posts

184 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
Hi

I wrote my car off recently. My fault.

I have today received an offer for the car. It is 20-25% less than I am able to replace the car with something comparable.

I have said no, and submitted plenty of adverts proving my position, and have in return received a suggested replacement with double the miles. (150k vs 80 on mine).

Basically the chap at the insurance company has said there is no movement. His letter states that SIMILAR models are selling for his figure but in reality cannot justify that statement.

Any suggestions as what do. I feel that I am being shafted big time!

thanks


ZOLLAR

19,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
hashtag said:
Hi

I wrote my car off recently. My fault.

I have today received an offer for the car. It is 20-25% less than I am able to replace the car with something comparable.

I have said no, and submitted plenty of adverts proving my position, and have in return received a suggested replacement with double the miles. (150k vs 80 on mine).

Basically the chap at the insurance company has said there is no movement. His letter states that SIMILAR models are selling for his figure but in reality cannot justify that statement.

Any suggestions as what do. I feel that I am being shafted big time!

thanks
Giving value to a car isn't an exact science and is merely based on opinion, your opinion is that it's worth X the insurance companies opinion is it's worth Y you both need to come to an agreement and settle at Z
Read in full.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications...

Do note

FOS said:
We do not usually find advertisements for similar vehicles very persuasive. A vehicle may often be sold for less than the advertised price – and differences in mileage, year of registration, model type etc can significantly affect the value.
Ask them what guide they're using for the valuation and go from there with a polite and reasonable attitude.

hashtag

Original Poster:

1,116 posts

184 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
ZOLLAR said:
hashtag said:
Hi

I wrote my car off recently. My fault.

I have today received an offer for the car. It is 20-25% less than I am able to replace the car with something comparable.

I have said no, and submitted plenty of adverts proving my position, and have in return received a suggested replacement with double the miles. (150k vs 80 on mine).

Basically the chap at the insurance company has said there is no movement. His letter states that SIMILAR models are selling for his figure but in reality cannot justify that statement.

Any suggestions as what do. I feel that I am being shafted big time!

thanks
Giving value to a car isn't an exact science and is merely based on opinion, your opinion is that it's worth X the insurance companies opinion is it's worth Y you both need to come to an agreement and settle at Z
Read in full.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications...

Do note

FOS said:
We do not usually find advertisements for similar vehicles very persuasive. A vehicle may often be sold for less than the advertised price – and differences in mileage, year of registration, model type etc can significantly affect the value.
Ask them what guide they're using for the valuation and go from there with a polite and reasonable attitude.
Thanks that is helpful, and now read. I agree with its content. However the price difference is such that even with a dealer discount I cannot get near to replacing with something similar.

As you suggest we need to agree Z!

Pferdestärke

8 posts

130 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
Have you looked on the Glass guide or Parkers valuation?
Spend a few pound on a accurate valuation and send to your insurers
Ask insurance company who they used for valuation also

andburg

8,746 posts

199 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
I would help to know how much we are talking about once you have removed your excess from the equation

25% of the car's value could be anything dependant on car.

£2000 car
£500 excess
£1500 offer seems rather reasonable

£20000 car
£500 excess
£15000 offer is clearly taking the piss




ZOLLAR

19,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
[quote=Pferdestärke]Have you looked on the Glass guide or Parkers valuation?
Spend a few pound on a accurate valuation and send to your insurers
Ask insurance company who they used for valuation also
[/quote]

The T&C in the public accessible glasses guide states it can't be used for insurance valuations.

http://www.glass.co.uk/terms/


2. USE OF THE SERVICES

Please remember that a Glass’s Valuation is a guide only. The values provided by this service are not insurance settlement values, cash values, or replacement prices and should not be presented as such.





Edited by ZOLLAR on Tuesday 12th January 16:52

Pferdestärke

8 posts

130 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
ZOLLAR said:
The T&C in the public accessible glasses guide states it can't be used for insurance valuations.

http://www.glass.co.uk/terms/


2. USE OF THE SERVICES

Please remember that a Glass’s Valuation is a guide only. The values provided by this service are not insurance settlement values, cash values, or replacement prices and should not be presented as such.
Edited by ZOLLAR on Tuesday 12th January 16:52
I'd still carry out a valuation check, and ask the insurers how they compiled their settlement figure?

ZOLLAR

19,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
[quote=Pferdestärke]

I'd still carry out a valuation check, and ask the insurers how they compiled their settlement figure?
[/quote]

Save the cost and just ask them to explain it really.

hashtag

Original Poster:

1,116 posts

184 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
They have emailed

There offer is based in glasses guide.

hashtag

Original Poster:

1,116 posts

184 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
andburg said:
I would help to know how much we are talking about once you have removed your excess from the equation

25% of the car's value could be anything dependant on car.

£2000 car
£500 excess
£1500 offer seems rather reasonable

£20000 car
£500 excess
£15000 offer is clearly taking the piss


25% before the excess is removed

Cooperman

4,428 posts

280 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
You need an independent professional valuation from a specialist in that make & type of car. Then you send it to the insurer with a letter stating that you will accept this figure and no other.
They may well accept it. If they reject it you simply say that you will be looking for a court date. They will not want to go to court.

ZOLLAR

19,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
Cooperman said:
You need an independent professional valuation from a specialist in that make & type of car. Then you send it to the insurer with a letter stating that you will accept this figure and no other.
They may well accept it. If they reject it you simply say that you will be looking for a court date. They will not want to go to court.
Court? are you serious?

Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill, I'd love to see the face on magistrates for that absolute waste of time.

Op if you're unable to come to an agreement on the valuation do as normal people do and escalate through the companies complaint procedures once exhausted they'll suggest you contact the FOS if you're still unhappy.
Once at the FOS they'll go through the link I've shown you.



Edited by ZOLLAR on Tuesday 12th January 18:16

andburg

8,746 posts

199 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
check my figures that's how I showed them....

vehicle Value
excess
75% of value

the £2000 example of 75%+ excess was actually 100% of the vehicle value
the £20000 example of 75%+ excess was only 77.5% of the vehicle value

As you are claiming you will never get 100% value as you'll always have to stump up your excess, look at offer+excess and see how close that gets you to a comparable vehicle not just the offer alone.








pinchmeimdreamin

10,902 posts

248 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
What car was it and what are the ballpark figures you are working with ?

hashtag

Original Poster:

1,116 posts

184 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
So he claims to have offers glass's to price.

However I have just paid for a glass's valuation, and it is significantly different from the offer.

Do glass's have 2 valuations?

anonymous-user

84 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
Is part of the problem that we as private owners buy at retail prices but the insurance company is using a trade valuation? If this the case then private owners will always be out of pocket.

Where's Loon when you need him..

ZOLLAR

19,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
hashtag said:
So he claims to have offers glass's to price.

However I have just paid for a glass's valuation, and it is significantly different from the offer.

Do glass's have 2 valuations?
Please see my previous posts, The publicly accessible one can't be used for insurance settlements.


Edit to add the same post.

The T&C in the public accessible glasses guide states it can't be used for insurance valuations.

http://www.glass.co.uk/terms/


2. USE OF THE SERVICES

Please remember that a Glass’s Valuation is a guide only. The values provided by this service are not insurance settlement values, cash values, or replacement prices and should not be presented as such.




ZOLLAR

19,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
gottans said:
Is part of the problem that we as private owners buy at retail prices but the insurance company is using a trade valuation? If this the case then private owners will always be out of pocket.

Where's Loon when you need him..
No insurers don't use the trade valuation, it's quite clear on the glasses valuation which is which.

Cooperman

4,428 posts

280 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
[quote=ZOLLAR]

Court? are you serious?

Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill, I'd love to see the face on magistrates for that absolute waste of time.

Op if you're unable to come to an agreement on the valuation do as normal people do and escalate through the companies complaint procedures once exhausted they'll suggest you contact the FOS if you're still unhappy.
Once at the FOS they'll go through the link I've shown you.




Not at all. It would, of course, not be a magistrate as it would be a civil court.
If you insure your car fully comprehensively, when you make a claim under your contract for total loss the other party are contracted to pay the market value. i.e. to reimburse you for your actual loss. The loss is the true replacement value. Should they fail to do so then you have every right to pursue them through the courts. Small claims court are for up to a certain figure, High Court above that. There is no requirement to go for alternative arbitration should you not wish to do so.
In fact I had exactly this with a company Granada Ghia many years ago. The valuation was in my opinion very low and when our solicitors wrote to the insurer to say that the local Ford dealers had valued a replacement at £xxx and supplied a copy of the valuation, the true value was offered and accepted immediately, less the excess obviously.



ZOLLAR

19,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th January 2016
quotequote all
Cooperman]OLLAR said:
Court? are you serious?

Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill, I'd love to see the face on magistrates for that absolute waste of time.

Op if you're unable to come to an agreement on the valuation do as normal people do and escalate through the companies complaint procedures once exhausted they'll suggest you contact the FOS if you're still unhappy.
Once at the FOS they'll go through the link I've shown you.




Not at all. It would, of course, not be a magistrate as it would be a civil court.
If you insure your car fully comprehensively, when you make a claim under your contract for total loss the other party are contracted to pay the market value. i.e. to reimburse you for your actual loss. The loss is the true replacement value. Should they fail to do so then you have every right to pursue them through the courts. Small claims court are for up to a certain figure, High Court above that. There is no requirement to go for alternative arbitration should you not wish to do so.
In fact I had exactly this with a company Granada Ghia many years ago. The valuation was in my opinion very low and when our solicitors wrote to the insurer to say that the local Ford dealers had valued a replacement at £xxx and supplied a copy of the valuation, the true value was offered and accepted immediately, less the excess obviously.
The whole "will take you to court" thing is used all the time, t really holds no threat.
You realise the complaint procedure is free, that would have saved you the cost of a solicitors letter.
Failing to exhaust the complaint route and jump straight to litigation is a huge waste, of course there are sorts of people out there that enjoy that sort of thing and will be on the phone to solicitors etc at the slight hint of grievance.