Insurance valuation - CAP/Glass's Vs autotrader

[Bill]

My car's been written off, it's a non-fault claim but in France so not entirely straightforward. At the moment it's going on my insurance with the expectation of recovering everything when the mess is sorted out. (Unfortunately the biker who hit me died.)

Car is a 60 plate D4 on 105k.

Initial offer from the insurance assessor was just <£10k. I wrote back pointing out there's nothing remotely comparable on autotrader for less than £12.5k. Their new offer is an average of Glass's (11,570 once they've knocked off 430 due to above average mileage (WTF*...)) and CAP (10.850 advertised, 10,741 transacted).

Autotrader suggests it's 15k below average mileage and should retail (a dealer showed me this in his system) at £13.5k.

Assessor I've been dealing with has sent copies of Glass's and CAP as evidence and reckons that's what the financial ombudsman would use so suck it up. He also argues that I'd have a warranty with any retail sale which puts me in a better position.

So where do I go from here?? I'm planning to send him links to equivalent cars on autotrader, and part of me is tempted to take photos of the claimed FSH of the cars I've seen which have massive gaps in and no evidence of a cambelt service.

[Bill]

Sorry, nothing that exciting. Discovery 4...

[MikeGTi]

MrsGTI had a similar experience a few years ago when she wrote off our TT.

I trawled Autotrader for the closest age, spec, and mileage that I could and threw them into a spreadsheet with the relevant details highlighted and a link to the advert (via archive.org so they stayed available). Think I ended up with around 10-15 cars in the list.

Managed to get an increased offer of around £3.5k I think which put us at the going market rate.

You'd have thought the assessor was paying us out of his own pocket.

[Bill]

MikeGTi said:

You'd have thought the assessor was paying us out of his own pocket.

Thanks for the encouragement, they do seem to be completely taking the piss!

[jeremyc]

Isn't the line:

Bill to Assessor said:

Please show me where I can buy a replacement 60 plate Discovery 4 for your measly <£10K

And back it up with a list of all the closest examples you can find for sale.

Good luck!

[vikingaero]

Send them copies/screenshots of Autotrader ads within 50 miles. If nothing is available then supply up to 100 miles and mention appropriate costs. At the same time, invoke your Insurers complaints process.

[Yellow Lizud]

Bill to Assessor said:

Please show me where I can buy a replacement 60 plate Discovery 4 for your measly <£10K

I wouldn't do that, there are loads on AT for that price.

[Bill]

Yellow Lizud said:

I wouldn't do that, there are loads on AT for that price.

Not HSE spec and similar miles. Nevermind when I go to see them the claimed FSH is nothing of the kind.

Cheers all for the input. I've fired off an email with a disturbing number of links!

[paintman]

Went through this some years ago when my eldest's car was written off after being hit from behind whilst stationary in traffic.

Derisory offers from the insurers & much toing & froing with copies of autotrader ads for as-near-identical cars as possible until the insurers decide to just ignore us.

Ended up with the Obudsman who agreed with us & a sensible offer was made.

Took 9 months in total.

[e21Keith]

Ask the insurance company to send an Engineer in person to look at your car as they are obviously having issues valuing it from photos. Also point out that the price guides, whatever they are using, do not accurately reflect market conditions at the moment and must be regarded as unreliable in this instance.

[Countdown]

On the one hand you'd think Glass's / CAP figures are accurate because their reputation relies on them being accurate. OTOH the market is crackers at the moment and AT will be a closer approximation to what you will actually HAVE to pay, regardless of what Glass's/CAP say.