Can I just fix me car and send the bill to insurers?

[photosnob]

Clearly I'm not talking about myself on the drive...

My car went into the recommended garage. They didn't fix something pretty major. Apparently the engineer hadn't authorised it... Then when I called them in turned out that it was never sent off. So I have had to go through all the hassle of taking photo's myself, and sending them. I've now been waiting over a week and no one seems to work out what is going on - the garage say no authorisation, the insurers farm it out to a claims company, the claim company say they "think" the authorisation has gone through.

I've already been taken advantage off once by this crappy insurance company. I had to write to the ceo an email asking for a deadlock letter to get my courtesy car and £100 compensation. As they told me a pack of lies and left my without a car.

I don't trust them to put air in the tyres and longer. Let alone fix my car. They are shocking.

So can I just take it to the dealership, get it fixed and then send them the bill? I'm more than happy to take this to the ombudsman as they are shocking and need sorting out.

They have now taken my money and left me with a car which isn't even fixed. This is not about me being difficult - for once.

[Retroman]

photosnob said:

So can I just take it to the dealership, get it fixed and then send them the bill?

You can, but the chances of them paying the bill are zero.

[photosnob]

Retroman said:

You can, but the chances of them paying the bill are zero.

Why?

As in I'm not doubting what you are saying, but what will their justification be? I thought you were allowed to get your car fixed wherever?

[LoonR1]

What's broken amd needs replacing? Was it part of the original claim for damage?

Why aren't they approving it?

[TallPaul]

photosnob said:

Why?

As in I'm not doubting what you are saying, but what will their justification be? I thought you were allowed to get your car fixed wherever?

If the insurers are the ones paying the bill, you cant just get them done and then expect them to hand over the money if they haven't authorised the repairs. If its going through the process you'll just need to wait. There are plenty of instances where the customer thinks parts should have been repaired/replaced and the engineer decided (rightly or wrongly)at the quote stage these weren't damaged in the accident.
As Loon says, we need to know more facts to be able to help...

[photosnob]

LoonR1 said:

What's broken amd needs replacing? Was it part of the original claim for damage?

Why aren't they approving it?

Mrloon - I don't want to say too much exactly, on the off chance someone is reading this. However it's not something that affects driving and is something which is cosmetic.

They have approved the repair now... Apparently. On the phone they said they "think" the engineer has approved it, then they said it was approved on the 16th... Apparently it's the garage that are fobbing me off.

The problem is - that the garage is an hours drive away, and I work. I only let them take it to the "approved repairers" after falling for the rubbish about how much quicker it would be, how it's stress free and how I'm guaranteed my courtesy car. I don't care if they save some money - but I do care when I get mucked around like a toy doll.

So I'm now stuck in a situation where it's been agreed to be repaired - but the garage are telling me it hasn't been. Trying to get through to either the claims company or the garage is just pot luck. And they are both saying the opposite to each other.

I just want my car fixing. You know about insurance - yes or no. If I took it and got it sorted and kicked up a fuss are they likely to pay for it? Sorry if that's blunt. But I'm sick of it now. It would only be a few hundred quid.

And I'm not even going to bother complaining about how the paintwork that garage did is already flaking... I don't expect perfection. I just want a car with the basics fixed.

[LoonR1]

photosnob said:

Mrloon - I don't want to say too much exactly, on the off chance someone is reading this. However it's not something that affects driving and is something which is cosmetic.

They have approved the repair now... Apparently. On the phone they said they "think" the engineer has approved it, then they said it was approved on the 16th... Apparently it's the garage that are fobbing me off.

The problem is - that the garage is an hours drive away, and I work. I only let them take it to the "approved repairers" after falling for the rubbish about how much quicker it would be, how it's stress free and how I'm guaranteed my courtesy car. I don't care if they save some money - but I do care when I get mucked around like a toy doll.

So I'm now stuck in a situation where it's been agreed to be repaired - but the garage are telling me it hasn't been. Trying to get through to either the claims company or the garage is just pot luck. And they are both saying the opposite to each other.

I just want my car fixing. You know about insurance - yes or no. If I took it and got it sorted and kicked up a fuss are they likely to pay for it? Sorry if that's blunt. But I'm sick of it now. It would only be a few hundred quid.

And I'm not even going to bother complaining about how the paintwork that garage did is already flaking... I don't expect perfection. I just want a car with the basics fixed.

You won't say too much in case someone is reading this?! WTF? How do you expect to get help, when you pop the tinfoil hat on? What do you think will happen? All that says to me is that you're trying it on.

[photosnob]

LoonR1 said:

You won't say too much in case someone is reading this?! WTF? How do you expect to get help, when you pop the tinfoil hat on? What do you think will happen? All that says to me is that you're trying it on.

Okay - you make a good point. I banged my head into the sunvisor and managed to break it off. So all the clips were broken and the wiring was ripped off.

I'm not really sure how that affects whether it should be fixed or not.

All I get on the phone is insurance babble about supplementaries etc..

(and before people jump in asking how the hell you break a sunvisor - it's the type that you can pull around to the drivers side window. I can't even remember why it was out. It was dark - but the sun had been doing town earlier, I don't know).

Edited by photosnob on Friday 23 January 16:58

[LoonR1]

photosnob said:

Okay - you make a good point. I banged my head into the sunvisor and managed to break it off. So all the clips were broken and the wiring was ripped off.

I'm not really sure how that affects whether it should be fixed or not.

All I get on the phone is insurance babble about supplementaries etc..

(and before people jump in asking how the hell you break a sunvisor - it's the type that you can pull around to the drivers side window. I can't even remember why it was out. It was dark - but the sun had been doing town earlier, I don't know).

Edited by photosnob on Friday 23 January 16:58

So what are they saying? If you don't understand "insurance babble" then ask them to explain it more clearly. I reckon they're doubting whether you could've broken it in the accident amd that it was pre-existing damage. I'm not passing any view on this though.

[photosnob]

LoonR1 said:

So what are they saying? If you don't understand "insurance babble" then ask them to explain it more clearly. I reckon they're doubting whether you could've broken it in the accident amd that it was pre-existing damage. I'm not passing any view on this though.

That's fine - but so far I've heard nothing of these doubts. I've been told that it was declined (then the insurance company said they never heard about it), then I was told that I needed to send photos, which I did. Then I waited. Called garage who said still waiting to hear back. Then claims company for insurance have said that it's definitely been approves.

Now - this isn't my field. But I'd imagine that isn't the normal carry on when you are doubting someone. In fact I'd rather they just out and out said they didn't believe me so we could discuss that point.

But as things stand - my car isn't fixed.

If I took my car to another garage to get fixed, would the insurance company foot the bill? Assuming that I'm not committing fraud for a measly couple of hundred quid... If not - what recourse have I got to actually get my car fixed?

[LoonR1]

You just need to keep pestering them. It does seem strange. Speak to your insurer explain that you're fed up of being given the runaround and that you want them to fix it, or explain why they've declined it.

You can go and get it done yourself, but your insurer won't pay for it.

[photosnob]

Okay - I'll keep calling them. In fact I might just write another letter to the CEO. That worked last time in sorting things.