getting screwed by my Insurers ?

[Bin Man]

Here’s an outrageous situation…… looking for some tips on how to deal with it……

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My car got a small dink ( by me) and I requested that the small cosmetic repair was done under the insurance policy. It was taken away by my insurers ( collected by a recovery company contracted by them) for repair and taken to their recommended and approved repair shop.

A week later they advised that their repair shop couldn’t do it and it would need to go to another repair shop 20 miles away. My insurers again arranged for further collection ( using same recovery company).

Driver of the recovery van couldn’t find the new garage ( allegedly) and was approached and duped in the street by an opportunist pro-thief masquerading as a rep from the garage. Driver gave keys to Pro-thief, who backed the car off trailer and drove away with the car.

Car was reported stolen ( initially not by me). Then it seems that car was dumped by Pro-thief (with keys), then joy-ridden, then dumped, then vandalised.


If the insurers write the car off and give me a fair price then that’s ok, but if they don’t I’m considering various options to contest them:-

Questions:-

1.
Will the Insurers of the recovery company pay-up, or will they dismiss claim on grounds of driver being negligent ? ( In which case will have to sue my own insurance company who in-turn will sue the recovery company directly).

2.
Should my insurer provide a courtesy car ( I’m not entitled to one under my policy) ?

3.
Is this a claim for theft on my policy ? ( the last document I have is the collection note from the recovery company taking my car away for a small repair) ?

4.
Should I have to pay an excess for theft ? ( I haven’t actually made a claim for theft). Should Insurers initially deduct my No-Claims Bonus ( this is not my fault so it would ultimately be re-instated)



I will name names later, as I think I have to be a bit careful on this one since the situation is about to reach a verdict.


thanks

Bin Man

[Richard C]

I was involved a few yrs ago in a no fault claim. Norwich Union have arrangement with large chain of repairers who spent 3 weeks trying to decide which branch would collect it. It was parked outside my workplace during that time and thieves stole over £ 1000 parts from it in that time. I advised NU and they tried to make a second claim against me. I suggested they recover the cost from the repairers and believe they did so.