The most boring/basic insurance claim questions
Discussion
Ill keep it simple, in 12 years of driving I've never had to claim, so no idea of the process.
Someone pulled out on me yesterday, it's a cut and dry case, they owned up and gave insurance details.
I dont want to invoice my insurance company, for obvious reasons, nor do I want to use one of these dodgy claims management companies that add on admin fees and silly hire car money to the claim.
So how can I claim, get my car fixed, and a courtesy car while we are without it, without screwing anyone over and being fair?
If I phone their insurance company, doubt they will give a courtesy car?
Cant remember his name but isnt there a PH'er that does fair and above board claim management?
Thanks
Someone pulled out on me yesterday, it's a cut and dry case, they owned up and gave insurance details.
I dont want to invoice my insurance company, for obvious reasons, nor do I want to use one of these dodgy claims management companies that add on admin fees and silly hire car money to the claim.
So how can I claim, get my car fixed, and a courtesy car while we are without it, without screwing anyone over and being fair?
If I phone their insurance company, doubt they will give a courtesy car?
Cant remember his name but isnt there a PH'er that does fair and above board claim management?
Thanks
When someone bumped the back of my car about 3 years back - I actually spoke with my insurance company who told me that I could call the other party's insurance direct. But they did confirm that I had been given the correct insurance company etc from the other party.
I did that, they arranged for the repair and also provided a courtesy car which came from one of the mainstream hire companies (It was a 2.0l Insignia so was okay to get around in.)
It was actually quite easy - but the other party had reported the bump before I even rang their insurance company.
I did that, they arranged for the repair and also provided a courtesy car which came from one of the mainstream hire companies (It was a 2.0l Insignia so was okay to get around in.)
It was actually quite easy - but the other party had reported the bump before I even rang their insurance company.
Just the same as above really.
I went straight to the third party's insurance who offered me a car but as I didn't really need it I turned them down.
I was lucky in that it was as clear cut as you could get and they couldn't really change their story later on.
Just be aware of the fact that what they say at the side of the road sometimes has no bearing on what they tell their insurance company.
sidekickdmr said:
Ill keep it simple, in 12 years of driving I've never had to claim, so no idea of the process.
Someone pulled out on me yesterday, it's a cut and dry case, they owned up and gave insurance details.
I dont want to invoice my insurance company, for obvious reasons, nor do I want to use one of these dodgy claims management companies that add on admin fees and silly hire car money to the claim.
So how can I claim, get my car fixed, and a courtesy car while we are without it, without screwing anyone over and being fair?
If I phone their insurance company, doubt they will give a courtesy car?
Cant remember his name but isnt there a PH'er that does fair and above board claim management?
Thanks
Assuming your car is roadworthy... Someone pulled out on me yesterday, it's a cut and dry case, they owned up and gave insurance details.
I dont want to invoice my insurance company, for obvious reasons, nor do I want to use one of these dodgy claims management companies that add on admin fees and silly hire car money to the claim.
So how can I claim, get my car fixed, and a courtesy car while we are without it, without screwing anyone over and being fair?
If I phone their insurance company, doubt they will give a courtesy car?
Cant remember his name but isnt there a PH'er that does fair and above board claim management?
Thanks
If liability is not an issue as you say and the other sides insurers have accepted liability. Choose a bodyshop that will provide you with one of their own free courtesy cars (usually Ford Fiesta or suchlike). Book the car in when the courtesy car is available. Pay to have the car repaired. Send the bill to the other party or their insurers and get reimbursed. Job done.
If you do not wish to pay up front and be out of pocket until reimbursed then contact the third party insurers and ask them if they would be prepared to authorise repairs to your chosen repairer. They may try to persuade you to choose one of their approved repairers but it is your prerogative if you wish to insist upon your chosen one.
Just call your own insurance company and let them deal with it. That's what you pay them for.
It makes no difference whether you deal with your insurance company or the other party's insurance company, you still have to declare the accident for the next 5 years, irrespective of fault.
It makes no difference whether you deal with your insurance company or the other party's insurance company, you still have to declare the accident for the next 5 years, irrespective of fault.
cuprabob said:
Just call your own insurance company and let them deal with it. That's what you pay them for.
It makes no difference whether you deal with your insurance company or the other party's insurance company, you still have to declare the accident for the next 5 years, irrespective of fault.
Own insurers may just pass the OP off to an accident management company for a referral fee which is something that the OP wants to avoid. If the OP insists that his own insurers authorise repairs the OP may find his insurers demanding he uses their approved repairer or he pays double his excess. Some insurers may authorise repairs and waive his requirement to pay his excess at all on the basis it's not the OP's fault. It makes no difference whether you deal with your insurance company or the other party's insurance company, you still have to declare the accident for the next 5 years, irrespective of fault.
One of my sales guys cars was hit while parked a couple months ago. Other driver/her insurance, admitted liability. We informed our Company insurance, but they suggested go direct if other insurance amenable (Was Admiral). They picked up our reps car, gave him a decent courtesy for the duration (about 10 days) and everything was a walk in the park. Admiral were excellent, did what they said, no middle men/claims handlers involved. Job jobbied.
Other driver's insurance company will probably have a 3rd party claims line - it'll normally be listed on their website under "hit by one of our policyholders?" or a similar heading - ring them up and explain what happened. If their policyholder has already contacted them, you'll probably get a letter inviting you to ring that number anyway, or they'll try to contact you from it.
I got rear-ended last year and the 3rd party's insurers were very keen to sort things out, they were quite open that letting them deal with it kept their costs down and they were extremely helpful. Car was booked into one of the larger accident repair chain's bodyshops fairly quickly and I was supplied with a car from Hertz (allegedly like-for-like, but I didn't push the issue) rather than the tiny, liveried, Aygo sized things the bodyshops hand out.
I got rear-ended last year and the 3rd party's insurers were very keen to sort things out, they were quite open that letting them deal with it kept their costs down and they were extremely helpful. Car was booked into one of the larger accident repair chain's bodyshops fairly quickly and I was supplied with a car from Hertz (allegedly like-for-like, but I didn't push the issue) rather than the tiny, liveried, Aygo sized things the bodyshops hand out.
NGee said:
Phone your insurance company and ask them.
That is the last thing I would do - they will have a record of an outstanding accident/claim and if it isn't settled in your favour before your next renewal good luck with getting a decent premium from anyone! 
In early 2009 I managed to get 14 miles towards work through snow in an RWD BMW, then within sight of the office I stopped at a mini-roundabout and the car behind didn't!
But luckily the car that hit me was driven by a "colleague" who had taken the company car option so it was on the company fleet policy!
My 123d was drivable so when I got to work I spoke to the stupid bint who was supposed to deal with fleet car matters who told me I couldn't claim against the company policy - I would have to claim on my policy.
Seeing as my employer was an insurance company and I had spent over 30 years in that industry handling claims I walked away knowing I could claim against my insurer (but why would I)? or the responsible party.
Anyway I went to my local main agent (my car was only 18 months old at the time) to get an estimate, and seeing the nature of the damage they offered a service from a Claims Management Company, so I agreed to that!
A few days later I got a call from my employer's motor insurers offering me a courtesy car, but I told them it was too late.
Got my car booked in at the main agent's body-shop and turned up to find a newer 320d courtesy car waiting for me, used that for 4/5 days and dropped it off when I picked up my repaired 123d.
Costs were stupid, and how can changing a rear bumper justify more than 2 days hire? Still I wasn't paying for it!
But it meant the claim was settled before the end of April when my renewal was due so I only had to declare 1 non-fault settled claim.
ashleyman said:
Can anyone answer this one?
Car stolen and has not been recovered.
Insurers offer new for old replacement or cash settlement.
If you take the cash settlement the insurer will pay you out value of car less excess less road license fund.
Does that sound right?
Not really - you need to read your policy! (and maybe give some more detail). Car stolen and has not been recovered.
Insurers offer new for old replacement or cash settlement.
If you take the cash settlement the insurer will pay you out value of car less excess less road license fund.
Does that sound right?
Insurers used to offer a new car if the one they insured was less than 1 year old (from date of first registration) and sustained damage that would cost more than 50 (or maybe 60) per cent of it's replacement cost to repair. The excess still applied though.
But then they got a bit more clued up and only offered this to the first registered keeper (maybe too many trashed 10 month old cars bought at 8 months old by "opportunists")!
But if you get a cash settlement why shouldn't the insurer deduct the excess, and the RFL - it isn't like the RFL will transfer to the insurer!
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