Non fault insurance claim - can I insist on my bodyshop?
Discussion
One of my neighbours reversed into my car today. Significant damage to the door and it’s just caught the rear quarter annoyingly (3 door).
She has admitted fault immediately and her insurer (LV) called me today to arrange repair. They want to send it to JCT600 in Bradford and have said it is an approved repairer (my car is a BMW) and I get 5 years warrnaty. They’re sorting me a courtesy car, all seems very efficient.
My only issue is my car is only 2 months old and it is metallic black. It was absolutely perfect, completely free of any swirls etc and I am pretty meticulous about it.
My worry is this ... JCT is a big dealer bodyshop, my guess is they’ll do it to a price and timeframe, and I know now I won’t be 100% happy with it.
I see a bodyshop run by a chap Called Chris Gregory, who is local to me who is very well thought of on the forums.
Given how new my car is, and how perfect it was, can I insist it goes there? I haven’t asked but they talked about warranty and needing to be bmw. Is this an issue in reality?
Cheers.
She has admitted fault immediately and her insurer (LV) called me today to arrange repair. They want to send it to JCT600 in Bradford and have said it is an approved repairer (my car is a BMW) and I get 5 years warrnaty. They’re sorting me a courtesy car, all seems very efficient.
My only issue is my car is only 2 months old and it is metallic black. It was absolutely perfect, completely free of any swirls etc and I am pretty meticulous about it.
My worry is this ... JCT is a big dealer bodyshop, my guess is they’ll do it to a price and timeframe, and I know now I won’t be 100% happy with it.
I see a bodyshop run by a chap Called Chris Gregory, who is local to me who is very well thought of on the forums.
Given how new my car is, and how perfect it was, can I insist it goes there? I haven’t asked but they talked about warranty and needing to be bmw. Is this an issue in reality?
Cheers.
It could be. If you have problems with rust in the future, they could point to the non-approved body shop repair. Many people want the car to be repaired by the car's Dealer for this reason.
You always have the option of rejecting the work if it's not satisfactory, but you would have less sympathy from the Insurer if you went against their recommendation and then had problems with the repair.
Tim
You always have the option of rejecting the work if it's not satisfactory, but you would have less sympathy from the Insurer if you went against their recommendation and then had problems with the repair.
Tim
Yes, you absolutely have the choice of repairer, if you were at fault your own insure might increase your excess for using a non-approved repairer, although they still can't stop you, as this is non fault you can pretty much tell LV to jog on if they try to insist. If you find they are being insistant about it, ask them to put it in writing, they'll normally back down at that.
To be honest you probably don't need to bother speaking to them, take your car to the repairer you're happy with, give them the details and they should be good to sort it out. Speak to them about the warranty to issues, I don't know for certain, but would say 90% that's just LV trying to scare you into doing what they want.
To be honest you probably don't need to bother speaking to them, take your car to the repairer you're happy with, give them the details and they should be good to sort it out. Speak to them about the warranty to issues, I don't know for certain, but would say 90% that's just LV trying to scare you into doing what they want.
Edited by Dark85 on Friday 6th October 23:44
[quote=panholio
My worry is this ... JCT is a big dealer bodyshop, my guess is they’ll do it to a price and timeframe, and I know now I won’t be 100% happy with it.
[/quote]\]]
If you now know you already won't be happy with the repair job even before it's been carried out, I wouldn't like to be the body shop undertaking the work. Notwithstanding that, yes you can insist on whichever bodyshop you want to do the work. Let's hope you find one you'll be happy with.
My worry is this ... JCT is a big dealer bodyshop, my guess is they’ll do it to a price and timeframe, and I know now I won’t be 100% happy with it.
[/quote]\]]
If you now know you already won't be happy with the repair job even before it's been carried out, I wouldn't like to be the body shop undertaking the work. Notwithstanding that, yes you can insist on whichever bodyshop you want to do the work. Let's hope you find one you'll be happy with.
Two things to consider:-
1) BMW's corrosion warranty, as above - find out from your dealer which bodyshops are approved in the area, if the car's 2mths old probably not worth taking it outside the network unless you're 100% sure of the other bodyshop.
2) You're free to choose your own bodyshop, but if there are then ANY issues with the repair, YOU have to deal with the bodyshop, as YOU nominated them (i.e. the insurer won't have any liability/responsibility anymore). I had this and then had some fun and games when an allegedly first-rate, highly-recommended bodyshop managed to completely botch a paint-match and argued the toss...
I'm not saying take it to JCT600, I'm saying be aware of the other considerations first.
1) BMW's corrosion warranty, as above - find out from your dealer which bodyshops are approved in the area, if the car's 2mths old probably not worth taking it outside the network unless you're 100% sure of the other bodyshop.
2) You're free to choose your own bodyshop, but if there are then ANY issues with the repair, YOU have to deal with the bodyshop, as YOU nominated them (i.e. the insurer won't have any liability/responsibility anymore). I had this and then had some fun and games when an allegedly first-rate, highly-recommended bodyshop managed to completely botch a paint-match and argued the toss...
I'm not saying take it to JCT600, I'm saying be aware of the other considerations first.
Thanks for the replies all. Much appreciated.
I think I’ll go with JCT, it’s an approved repairer for BMW and lots of other brands like Bentley etc. so they must have some idea what they are doing.
I totally get the argument that if I go to my own it becomes my issue. Will be driving the car down there myself for a chat with them.
I think I’ll go with JCT, it’s an approved repairer for BMW and lots of other brands like Bentley etc. so they must have some idea what they are doing.
I totally get the argument that if I go to my own it becomes my issue. Will be driving the car down there myself for a chat with them.
Before you do that, check your own policy. Some used to (but I'm a bit out of touch now) have a clause about accident damage on a very new car which entitled you to a new car in replacement and they took and repaired the damaged one. Clause might not exist but worth a check. You also need to advise your insurers of the accident too - disclosure.
Ah...just re-read this, one thought - are you dealing with the 3P's insurer directly then?
If so, stop, go to your insurer, let them deal with it. This is important.
Why? Because the 3P's insurer doesn't have a duty of care towards you, whilst your insurer does. Essentially this means that in the event of an issue with the repairs, the 3P's insurer COULD (legally) just pay the bodyshop and walk away, leaving the bodyshop with the cash and you with a poorly repaired car. Their only obligation is to their policyholder to settle any liability he has.
I know it sounds odd, but it's to do with the contractual relationships under law - i.e. you have one with your insurer, and YOUR insurer would have one with the bodyshop, so there's an unbroken chain there...but not if you go through the 3P insurer...
If so, stop, go to your insurer, let them deal with it. This is important.
Why? Because the 3P's insurer doesn't have a duty of care towards you, whilst your insurer does. Essentially this means that in the event of an issue with the repairs, the 3P's insurer COULD (legally) just pay the bodyshop and walk away, leaving the bodyshop with the cash and you with a poorly repaired car. Their only obligation is to their policyholder to settle any liability he has.
I know it sounds odd, but it's to do with the contractual relationships under law - i.e. you have one with your insurer, and YOUR insurer would have one with the bodyshop, so there's an unbroken chain there...but not if you go through the 3P insurer...
For them, sure. Which is why (at this stage) they're so keen for you to deal with them - they're in cost-control mode.
For you - makes no odds if it all goes smoothly, as you'll have to tell your insurer at renewal anyway, so your renewal premium will be the same regardless. But if it doesn't go smoothly...that's when you hit the snags with this approach.
I'm not in the insurance industry, so would be good if someone who is in it can comment, but my posts above reflect my personal experience and understanding (from car and other insurances for self and family).
The 'duty of care' one is a biggie and I've seen first-hand a north-west based 2-letter insurer (!) try and dump a very poor mis-repair on the claimant because of it. Only failed in this instance because it was property and rather more complicated than most...otherwise they'd have walked away leaving the claimant/victim with a 5-figure bill for (start-all-over-again) rectification...
(funnily enough, we were insured with them for home and travel...when renewal came around we dumped them as fast as we could...)
For you - makes no odds if it all goes smoothly, as you'll have to tell your insurer at renewal anyway, so your renewal premium will be the same regardless. But if it doesn't go smoothly...that's when you hit the snags with this approach.
I'm not in the insurance industry, so would be good if someone who is in it can comment, but my posts above reflect my personal experience and understanding (from car and other insurances for self and family).
The 'duty of care' one is a biggie and I've seen first-hand a north-west based 2-letter insurer (!) try and dump a very poor mis-repair on the claimant because of it. Only failed in this instance because it was property and rather more complicated than most...otherwise they'd have walked away leaving the claimant/victim with a 5-figure bill for (start-all-over-again) rectification...
(funnily enough, we were insured with them for home and travel...when renewal came around we dumped them as fast as we could...)
Edited by havoc on Sunday 8th October 14:20
panholio said:
Hi yes just dealing with the third party insurer direct.
Thought this was the most cost effective way?
This is the way I've had a claim dealt with recently when a car hit my A8 and drove off. Traced them and their insurer agreed to deal with the claim. They will have a dedicated third party team to liaise with you. They will bend over backwards to ensure you let them deal with the claim rather than go to your own lawyers or accident management company who will try and get you into a credit hire car at a massive daily hire rate.Thought this was the most cost effective way?
If you go to your preferred bodyshop, hopefully you won't have any issues. That's down to the standards and professionalism of the individual bodyshop of course.
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