Okay to deal direct with 3rd party insurance?
Discussion
Couple of days ago I had an accident on my motorbike. A car pulled out from a junction and I went into the side of him. I literally could not stop as he pulled out directly in front of me.
At the time we exhanged phone numbers. A lorry stopped and said he saw it all and offered to be a witness. The next day I text the guy and he responded saying it was my fault and he has a bad neck. Refused to give his reg or details. Fortunately the witness had recorded it. Even said he had reported it to the police but refused to give a reference number.
This morning I’ve had about 15 phone calls from his insurance company. They are saying they admit liability. They have offered to fix my bike and provide a cover bike (which I don’t want). And have offered me £150 if I deal direct with them. Is there anything wrong with this? And should I let them sort it as they have admitted liability?
It won’t be a big claim anyway. My bike is probably repairable and my injuries are limited to a bad back and pain going up my wrist from taking the impact through the handlebars. But I’ve not been to the doctors and don’t intend to claim compo or anything like that. I didn’t even come off the bike - my back wheel went in the air and somehow I managed to bounce sideways and stop upright. So I don’t even need a new helmet.
Any advice from anyone who has good or bad experiences dealing direct would be appreciated?? Cheers
At the time we exhanged phone numbers. A lorry stopped and said he saw it all and offered to be a witness. The next day I text the guy and he responded saying it was my fault and he has a bad neck. Refused to give his reg or details. Fortunately the witness had recorded it. Even said he had reported it to the police but refused to give a reference number.
This morning I’ve had about 15 phone calls from his insurance company. They are saying they admit liability. They have offered to fix my bike and provide a cover bike (which I don’t want). And have offered me £150 if I deal direct with them. Is there anything wrong with this? And should I let them sort it as they have admitted liability?
It won’t be a big claim anyway. My bike is probably repairable and my injuries are limited to a bad back and pain going up my wrist from taking the impact through the handlebars. But I’ve not been to the doctors and don’t intend to claim compo or anything like that. I didn’t even come off the bike - my back wheel went in the air and somehow I managed to bounce sideways and stop upright. So I don’t even need a new helmet.
Any advice from anyone who has good or bad experiences dealing direct would be appreciated?? Cheers
For a simple property damage claim I'd absolutely go through the 3rd party insurer - my personal experience is that they bend over backwards to be helpful.
Where there's an an injury (which there is) I'd go through my own insurer and divulge everything. There's a thread on here of someone on here finding out a week after an accident that they'd actually broken their back and it had a massive impact on their life, despite at the time thinking they were absolutely fine. At the moment you have no idea of the long term impact, so shouldn't be settling any claim directly.
Where there's an an injury (which there is) I'd go through my own insurer and divulge everything. There's a thread on here of someone on here finding out a week after an accident that they'd actually broken their back and it had a massive impact on their life, despite at the time thinking they were absolutely fine. At the moment you have no idea of the long term impact, so shouldn't be settling any claim directly.
milkround said:
Couple of days ago I had an accident on my motorbike. A car pulled out from a junction and I went into the side of him. I literally could not stop as he pulled out directly in front of me.
At the time we exhanged phone numbers. A lorry stopped and said he saw it all and offered to be a witness. The next day I text the guy and he responded saying it was my fault and he has a bad neck. Refused to give his reg or details. Fortunately the witness had recorded it. Even said he had reported it to the police but refused to give a reference number.
This morning I ve had about 15 phone calls from his insurance company. They are saying they admit liability. They have offered to fix my bike and provide a cover bike (which I don t want). And have offered me £150 if I deal direct with them. Is there anything wrong with this? And should I let them sort it as they have admitted liability?
It won t be a big claim anyway. My bike is probably repairable and my injuries are limited to a bad back and pain going up my wrist from taking the impact through the handlebars. But I ve not been to the doctors and don t intend to claim compo or anything like that. I didn t even come off the bike - my back wheel went in the air and somehow I managed to bounce sideways and stop upright. So I don t even need a new helmet.
Any advice from anyone who has good or bad experiences dealing direct would be appreciated?? Cheers
Yes. Do it. I would take the cover bike as they will be more inclined to act faster. If the write the bike off consider keeping the salvage and repair yourself.At the time we exhanged phone numbers. A lorry stopped and said he saw it all and offered to be a witness. The next day I text the guy and he responded saying it was my fault and he has a bad neck. Refused to give his reg or details. Fortunately the witness had recorded it. Even said he had reported it to the police but refused to give a reference number.
This morning I ve had about 15 phone calls from his insurance company. They are saying they admit liability. They have offered to fix my bike and provide a cover bike (which I don t want). And have offered me £150 if I deal direct with them. Is there anything wrong with this? And should I let them sort it as they have admitted liability?
It won t be a big claim anyway. My bike is probably repairable and my injuries are limited to a bad back and pain going up my wrist from taking the impact through the handlebars. But I ve not been to the doctors and don t intend to claim compo or anything like that. I didn t even come off the bike - my back wheel went in the air and somehow I managed to bounce sideways and stop upright. So I don t even need a new helmet.
Any advice from anyone who has good or bad experiences dealing direct would be appreciated?? Cheers
kestral said:
Yes. Do it. I would take the cover bike as they will be more inclined to act faster. If the write the bike off consider keeping the salvage and repair yourself.
I’m going to sound soft here. But after struggling to play with and pick up my daughter today I think I might have outgrown bikes after this. Don’t get me wrong - I’ve had more fun and done more on bikes than most people ever will. I’ve been around Central America. I’ve toured south east Asia. I’ve even done a euro trip on a scooter. Some of the happiest times of my life were on crappy bikes and sleeping in hammocks. But I’m not Peter Pan and we all need to grow up. The idea of not being in my little girls life is more scary to me than not going on silly adventures on a motorbike. So I’m in no rush to get back on anytime soon. It’s not that I’m scared of getting on a bike as much as I just don’t feel the need right now.
I’d consider getting the salvage but truthfully I don’t have the time or the interest in repairing it. Depends on how much they charge… if they offer it cheap I can leave it rotting in the garage until I get bored and fancy a project.
I’ve accepted the 3rd party insurance offer for repair. I’ll take the bike to a main dealer and let them sort it out. If it’s fixed up it will go in the garage until I cba to ride. If it’s written off I’ll spend the money on taking my little girl on a euro trip in my car. Which we will both love. It’s not the same as a bike but I can’t take my girl on a bike and never would even when she’s older. Part of my won’t mind if it’s written off.
It is fine as others have said.
One note of warning, if you have a complaint about what they do, such as valuation or quality of repairs etc, you will not have the right to refer the complaint to the FOS if your unhappy with their final response. (As you have no relationship with them)
One note of warning, if you have a complaint about what they do, such as valuation or quality of repairs etc, you will not have the right to refer the complaint to the FOS if your unhappy with their final response. (As you have no relationship with them)
Trax said:
It is fine as others have said.
One note of warning, if you have a complaint about what they do, such as valuation or quality of repairs etc, you will not have the right to refer the complaint to the FOS if your unhappy with their final response. (As you have no relationship with them)
Because it’s a motorbike they don’t have approved repair centres. So I pick. I’ll take the bike to a Honda main dealer and let them sort it. If they do a crap job I’ll take it up with Honda. One note of warning, if you have a complaint about what they do, such as valuation or quality of repairs etc, you will not have the right to refer the complaint to the FOS if your unhappy with their final response. (As you have no relationship with them)
I don’t mind saying the insurance company as they have been sound. Hastings were the third party insurance company. They admitted liability straight away… which shocked me as the bloke who pulled out on me got really difficult when I asked for his insurance details and tried implying I was at fault. I was lucky I have a witness but they have not been needed. The £150 isn’t the be all but it will pay for a meal out on my birthday on Friday with my girlfriend and daughter. So it’s a bonus.
They offered me a replacement bike and I had to be fairly firm I didn’t want one. Because I have a car and I have no interest in riding right now nor do I want the stress of worrying about a loaner being stolen etc. I lose sleep enough leaving me own bike anywhere which isn’t a secure sight or my garage with my gaurd dogs and alarm system protecting it.
If it saves money and brings down insurance costs I’m all for it. I’m old enough and have enough no claims that my insurance costs are not a big deal - but cheaper insurance benefits everyone
I’ve had a couple of accidents where I went directly to the third party insurance.
Both were open and shut cases with no room for dispute. Otherwise I would’ve gone through mine.
Last one I had on my motorbike their insurance company were great, told me to take the bike wherever I wanted (BMW dealer) offered me a courtesy bike which I didn’t take up and after turning down their first ridiculous offer gave me a price I was happy with. All in double quick time.
The call handler asked me if I’d been injured, at which I said no, I’d been sideswiped but hadn’t come off. Then I remembered I’d got a bruised pinkie (it must have belted the guys wing mirror). He went off to consult his manager and I got 90 quid. Result!
Trax said:
It is fine as others have said.
One note of warning, if you have a complaint about what they do, such as valuation or quality of repairs etc, you will not have the right to refer the complaint to the FOS if your unhappy with their final response. (As you have no relationship with them)
So what would one do in the case of crap repairs or a low valuation?One note of warning, if you have a complaint about what they do, such as valuation or quality of repairs etc, you will not have the right to refer the complaint to the FOS if your unhappy with their final response. (As you have no relationship with them)
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