Non fault accident - 'outsourced' repair company shenanigans
Discussion
Hi All
Short story : A truck from a well known postage handling company nudged into the back of me at some lights and caused some relatively minor bumper damage. After battling with their solicitors initially to get them to admit liability that has now happened and i've been now moved over to yet another company that will manage the repair process.
The 3 repairers they gave me to choose from are all a distance away and the google reviews aren't the best. I suspect they are high volume and fast turnaround and my alarm bells are ringing and i would be fully expecting to have problems with signing off the repair, along the lines of colour matching and not blending in the bumper. I think its fair to assume that the car would be repaired to a very tight budget, and I want to avoid this completely. Been there and done that before and it never ends well.
I've opted to use another bodyshop have confidence in which is of similar distance away. I am happy that the job will be done to the highest standard and i will get the car back in the excellent condition it was previously. I believe i am well within my rights to pick a shop of my choosing?
The complication is now that i am hearing that the company responsible in handling my repair is pulling all kinds of stunts with the bodyshop with regards demanding they work at an unreasonably low hourly rate (lower than they normally work at) and are being unnecessaily aggressive in dictating terms. This stinks to high heaven and quite rightly upsetting the bodyshop i want to use. They are just saying no to their games. They are a decent outfit don't deserve the aggro, the owner is a really decent chap so i agree with their stance completely.
Can i press the issue and insist the repair mgt company come to a agreement (pay an acceptable rate) so i get the car repaired by my chosen shop? Seems unfair that their games are potentially going to stop my car being repaired at a decent bodyshop which is what i deserve being the not at fault party? Why should i have to accept that they are looking to force me to use a shop where they are all working to the lowest possible cost.
As far as i know the estimate has not been rejected yet they are just messing about with the labour rate at the moment. Bodyshop has little inclination to put up with their BS.
Cheers All
Steve
Short story : A truck from a well known postage handling company nudged into the back of me at some lights and caused some relatively minor bumper damage. After battling with their solicitors initially to get them to admit liability that has now happened and i've been now moved over to yet another company that will manage the repair process.
The 3 repairers they gave me to choose from are all a distance away and the google reviews aren't the best. I suspect they are high volume and fast turnaround and my alarm bells are ringing and i would be fully expecting to have problems with signing off the repair, along the lines of colour matching and not blending in the bumper. I think its fair to assume that the car would be repaired to a very tight budget, and I want to avoid this completely. Been there and done that before and it never ends well.
I've opted to use another bodyshop have confidence in which is of similar distance away. I am happy that the job will be done to the highest standard and i will get the car back in the excellent condition it was previously. I believe i am well within my rights to pick a shop of my choosing?
The complication is now that i am hearing that the company responsible in handling my repair is pulling all kinds of stunts with the bodyshop with regards demanding they work at an unreasonably low hourly rate (lower than they normally work at) and are being unnecessaily aggressive in dictating terms. This stinks to high heaven and quite rightly upsetting the bodyshop i want to use. They are just saying no to their games. They are a decent outfit don't deserve the aggro, the owner is a really decent chap so i agree with their stance completely.
Can i press the issue and insist the repair mgt company come to a agreement (pay an acceptable rate) so i get the car repaired by my chosen shop? Seems unfair that their games are potentially going to stop my car being repaired at a decent bodyshop which is what i deserve being the not at fault party? Why should i have to accept that they are looking to force me to use a shop where they are all working to the lowest possible cost.
As far as i know the estimate has not been rejected yet they are just messing about with the labour rate at the moment. Bodyshop has little inclination to put up with their BS.
Cheers All
Steve
A simple email/letter along the lines of:
Please confirm that you agree to my car [make, model], registration [reg] being repaired at garage [garage name] as per my wishes by [date]. If no confirmation is received by [date] this responsibility for resolving this claim will be passed to accident management firm [name] to manage the repair process on my behalf, reclaiming all costs and fees associated with doing so.
Regards,
[xxxxx]
Please confirm that you agree to my car [make, model], registration [reg] being repaired at garage [garage name] as per my wishes by [date]. If no confirmation is received by [date] this responsibility for resolving this claim will be passed to accident management firm [name] to manage the repair process on my behalf, reclaiming all costs and fees associated with doing so.
Regards,
[xxxxx]
Alucidnation said:
I don't understand why people f
k about like this.
Just let your insurance company sort it out.
It's part of what they are being paid for.
Morning k about like this.Just let your insurance company sort it out.
It's part of what they are being paid for.
The reason i am dealing with the other parties management company is an attempt to limit the long term fallout on my own insurance premiums (they will be notified however before anyone kicks off).
Perhaps this is futile but before i make this into a bigger thing and end up out of pocket for the next few years i'd like to do whatever i can to mitigate. Obviously if i cant get anywhere with them and they are forcing me to one of their ropey network bodyshops then i might as well involve mine and then i have some recourse.
Sounds like i'll have to insist that they make it happen as per my wishes (formatted something like the email above - thanks!) and just advise them that my own insurance will be in touch otherwise. I am assuming they will want to avoid that as it will create additional admin.
Edited by J-Tuner on Tuesday 8th January 08:32
havoc said:
Alucidnation said:
I don't understand why people fk about like this.
Just let your insurance company sort it out.
It's part of what they are being paid for.
This.k about like this.Just let your insurance company sort it out.
It's part of what they are being paid for.
Your insurer has a duty of care to YOU.
3P insurer doesn't. So any problems will become yours not theirs very quickly.
If the OP uses his own insurer, they’ll repair his car and reclaim their outlay from the third party insurer but he still won’t be free to choose his own bodyshop. The OP’s insurer will in all likelihood be tied in with the same companies that the Third Party claims handler are trying to push him towards which isn’t what the OP wants.
If they TP aren’t playing ball, speak to the bodyshop where you want your car repairing. They will probably have an accident management firm that they work with or have an existing relationship with. Use them to handle your claim. They’ll probably get the repairs done at your chosen bodyshop on a credit basis and recover from the TP. It’ll cost the TP more though.
If they TP aren’t playing ball, speak to the bodyshop where you want your car repairing. They will probably have an accident management firm that they work with or have an existing relationship with. Use them to handle your claim. They’ll probably get the repairs done at your chosen bodyshop on a credit basis and recover from the TP. It’ll cost the TP more though.
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