Crash this Morning... Help Please!

[SteveS Cup]

Hi guys,

Well I hope you've all had a better morning than me!

Driving to work this morning a car about 2 cars ahead of me stopped to turn right, we all stopped behind him, waiting for a while as it's a busy road and then I see a Vectra approaching quickly from behind and then nose diving as the brakes were slammed on... I couldn't go forward, couldn't go left and couldn't go right so just braced!

Luckily he stuck his old vectra up on to the bank and managed to slow considerably so the only damage to mine is the bumper, n/s light and a scratch on the n/s rear quarter.

Sounds worse than it is tbh.

So I get to work and call my insurance company... I'm with Swinton and I called the accident line.

I'm then talking to someone form Driver Assist!? They've sorted it all out then claim back from his insurers???? They're sending me a courtesy car and arranging for mine to be picked up... they're apparently part of the Swinton group???

Anybody heard of this sort of thing?

They're telling me that the courtesy car is done on credit and is my responsibility to pay the bill but they should / will recover costs from his company... sounds all a bit dodgy to me!

Any help would be appreciated!

[750turbo]

SteveS Cup said:

Hi guys,

Stuff, and.....

They're telling me that the courtesy car is done on credit and is my responsibility to pay the bill but they should / will recover costs from his company... sounds all a bit dodgy to me!

Any help would be appreciated!

I do not know a lot about Insurance, but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE would I agree to this.

Good luck.

[5lab]

cancel the car. They are essentially going to charge through the teeth for your rental (Probably in excess of £100/day) and claim it off the other parties insurers. if this goes fine, no problems for you (although everyone's excess goes up cos you have £1000 rental bill) - however if the insurers debate the cost, claiming you could have got it cheaper elsewhere, and the courts agree, you're stuck with the £1000 bill (or whatever the figure is).

do not sign for the car

[greggers]

I've had this tried on before, when I realised all the terms I declined and delt directly with the other drivers insurers and they settled to my satisfaction.

I take it you are only insured third party?

[rovermorris999]

Tell them to keep it. This is pretty much a scam. Honest John has been banging on about this for some time. A check on his website should provide some advice.

[saaby93]

yup beware
If you want to use an accident management co look here
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[crankedup]

You MUST get your insurers direct permissions/ instructions BEFORE you take any actions relating to the accident.

[Monty Python]

It depends - when I was rear-ended, I was given a courtesy car from Enterprise at £25 a day, so not all insurers behave the same. Check with them where the courtesy car is from and how much it's costing before you turn it down.

Oh - when you do accept it, check the accidental "damage" excess - Enterprise charge a flat £500 for even minor damage.

[Biker's Nemesis]

My Mrs was bumped in her car 6 weeks ago. I rang her Insurance company who said roughly the same as yours has, she was also told that she'd have to pay her excess which could be claimed back from the other partys Insurance Company.

Half an hour after speaking to her Insurance company the OP Insurance company rang us and asked if we would be willing to go thjrough them as their driver had admitted Liability. They aranged to have a hire car dropped off for the Mrs at no cost to us.

By going through the OP's Insurance we didn't have to pay the excess or hire car costs and claim back.

Maybe give your OP's Insurance a call?

[VXED]

If you do get a courtesy car through Drive Assist, be very careful! A few years back i had a mondeo courtesy car from them for a week, and several months after it had gone back they tried to claim against me for all sorts of damages to it that were non existent. I ignored them and eventually they gave up, and then saw them on Watchdog a few months after that - apparently they'd been trying on the same thing with thousands of others!

[SteveS Cup]

Right,

Update...

Just after I posted this Liverpool Victoria called me (OP's Insurers) to say that he's spoken to them, admitted full liability and they could get me a hire car and sort out the repairs... I'm only TPFT as the car is only worth a few £K's and FC was going to more than I paid for the car!

I've phoned Driver Assist to cancel and the guy was pretty shirty saying that LV aren't acting on my behalf and that I won't have a leg to stand on if anything goes worng.

I may no be charged as well as they've organised a hire car (not being delivered until Friday!) and instructed a garage (not to my knowledge though and I've had no call re collection etc).

I don't like the sound of this Drive Assist and would prefer to go direct with his insurers... just need to find out if I'm going to be charged a cancellation fee now! Only got back from holiday on the weekend... great start back to civilsation!

Thanks for all your help.

[skinley]

I had a courtesy car from driver assist after being involved in an accident last year, I was stopped in traffic when a Ford Galaxy hit me from behind at around 50mph, (I think the driver was texting), I was catapulted forward into the car in front.

Driver Assist provided me with a brand new Focus TDCi which I had for just over a month, when my insurance money came through I phoned Drive Assist and they came and collected the Focus.

No problems whatsoever.

Edited by skinley on Wednesday 1st June 12:40

[boobles]

Do not agree to this. I was with Swinton & they tried offering me the same thing but what they didn't tell me was that they were sending out a lorry to pick up my Z3M for scrap! It was only a scuff on the rear panel & they wanted to scrap it.

Do not agree, & step away quickly!

[SteveS Cup]

I don't know what to do... the light on my clio is all smasshed... I'm not keen to drive it tbh, loads of police around the a217 when i drive home and could do without that worry for 2 days!

It's logical to me to just go through LV... no middle men trying to make £££'s out of my claim.

[SteveS Cup]

boobles said:

Do not agree to this. I was with Swinton & they tried offering me the same thing but what they didn't tell me was that they were sending out a lorry to pick up my Z3M for scrap! It was only a scuff on the rear panel & they wanted to scrap it.

Do not agree, & step away quickly!

The women said it sounded like a write off... how the f**k can you say that after me telling you it's rear bumper, light and a scuff to the rear 1/4!?

I'm going to cancel it now... sounds dodgy as feck... bit worried now as my insurance is with swinton and this is how they treat customers.....

[Biker's Nemesis]

I would ring your Insurance company back and ask them!

[A.J.M]

Go through the OP insurer's. Call them and ask what they will do to get your car back on the road.
Dont agree to any of what drive assist have asked for, decline and dont bother.
Bumper, back light and paint sounds an easy fix so shouldnt be a long stay in the bodyshop.

[Ilikebeaver]

Same thing happened to my mum 2 weeks ago. She almost ended up with 3 courtesy cars at one point!

Thank god she realised which ones were trying it on and told them where to go

[boobles]

SteveS Cup said:

boobles said:

Do not agree to this. I was with Swinton & they tried offering me the same thing but what they didn't tell me was that they were sending out a lorry to pick up my Z3M for scrap! It was only a scuff on the rear panel & they wanted to scrap it.

Do not agree, & step away quickly!

The women said it sounded like a write off... how the f**k can you say that after me telling you it's rear bumper, light and a scuff to the rear 1/4!?

I'm going to cancel it now... sounds dodgy as feck... bit worried now as my insurance is with swinton and this is how they treat customers.....

I cancelled mine very quickly after that.........

[SteveS Cup]

A.J.M said:

Go through the OP insurer's. Call them and ask what they will do to get your car back on the road.
Dont agree to any of what drive assist have asked for, decline and dont bother.
Bumper, back light and paint sounds an easy fix so shouldnt be a long stay in the bodyshop.

I have a feeling they could write it off!! From Renault a bumper n light is going to be around £300 - £400... Labour around £1000... £1400, 50% of cars value!