Are AXA unusually this bad?
Discussion
Is this normal behaviour for an insurance company? This is my first experience making a claim, and I'm wishing I hadn't!
My 911 was parked outside my flat back in May when a woman in a range rover drove into it. Caught on CCTV, I reported her to the police and AXA. She denied knowing anything about it before she realised it was on camera, but the police charged her in August with hit and run.
AXA however haven't even allocated fault yet!! So even though my car is parked and empty, and there is only one person involved in this, they can't work out which party is at fault.
It's been over 7 months now and I've been waiting for them to give me the go ahead to get it repaired, but the claims department are infuriating - emails never get answered, my renewals (multi car policy) are 3 times the price, and I can't go to another insurer till this is resolved. In the past fortnight I've called them 3 times, the first I waited for 35 minutes to get through and had to give up, the next was 1 hour and 8 minutes before having to give up (these are both mid-morning calls) and then on the third I got through to someone after 25 minutes. They then said they didn't deal with that claim and put me back on hold for 15 minutes. Then, after promising action, there's no follow up - same as in May, July, October and November.
I now have to insure a van for work and this is costing me a fortune.
My 911 was parked outside my flat back in May when a woman in a range rover drove into it. Caught on CCTV, I reported her to the police and AXA. She denied knowing anything about it before she realised it was on camera, but the police charged her in August with hit and run.
AXA however haven't even allocated fault yet!! So even though my car is parked and empty, and there is only one person involved in this, they can't work out which party is at fault.
It's been over 7 months now and I've been waiting for them to give me the go ahead to get it repaired, but the claims department are infuriating - emails never get answered, my renewals (multi car policy) are 3 times the price, and I can't go to another insurer till this is resolved. In the past fortnight I've called them 3 times, the first I waited for 35 minutes to get through and had to give up, the next was 1 hour and 8 minutes before having to give up (these are both mid-morning calls) and then on the third I got through to someone after 25 minutes. They then said they didn't deal with that claim and put me back on hold for 15 minutes. Then, after promising action, there's no follow up - same as in May, July, October and November.
I now have to insure a van for work and this is costing me a fortune.
Submit a complaint, wait the 8 weeks for their final response then take to FOS (Unless they resolve it). Usually kicks them into gear when it goes to FOS as it's another £500 they'll have to fork out just for the complaint.
When this happened to my mum some years ago, she received a substantial refund from all the policies that had been inflated by this but this took approximately 3 years to resolve!
When this happened to my mum some years ago, she received a substantial refund from all the policies that had been inflated by this but this took approximately 3 years to resolve!
RazerSauber said:
Submit a complaint, wait the 8 weeks for their final response then take to FOS (Unless they resolve it). Usually kicks them into gear when it goes to FOS as it's another £500 they'll have to fork out just for the complaint.
When this happened to my mum some years ago, she received a substantial refund from all the policies that had been inflated by this but this took approximately 3 years to resolve!
This all over - ring the normal helpdesk and ask for the complaints department - speak to the advisor you get through to as calmly and sensibly as you can. You don't get anywhere quicker by shouting.When this happened to my mum some years ago, she received a substantial refund from all the policies that had been inflated by this but this took approximately 3 years to resolve!
They will have extra powers to sort it out compared to the standard people you speak to. Once it's been escalated a couple of steps things will move fairly quickly. As noted they have various timespans to respond, and a resolution timescale as well, only once that's completely finished can you try and take it to the FOS.
Chances are they'll get the kick they need, sort the claim out, and then you can try and ask for some partial credit on your policy etc for the hassle.
They are useless. I've just had a massive wait on a claim from a door break in. They dont respond to emails, even to say they have been received and every time you ring them you are on hold for ages. The standard hold message of 'sorry we are unusually busy at this time' particularly grates as they are 'unusually busy' constantly from my experience. I will certainly avoid them in future.
Thanks guys - appreciate all the advice. FOS sounds like the way to go, I'd made a complaint to AXA's complaints line a month or so back, but surprise, surprise.. no response there :-)
I haven't repaired the car yet because I was waiting for fault to be allocated, the original call handler had said that as I wasn't in the car and there was only one party involved, it should be almost automatic.
I haven't repaired the car yet because I was waiting for fault to be allocated, the original call handler had said that as I wasn't in the car and there was only one party involved, it should be almost automatic.
Yes, they actually are this bad.
It took nearly a year to settle a claim I made, I kept getting fobbed off by the team in a call centre, I suspect that call centre was based in an area affected by the boxing day tsunami as after that calls were routed to a centre in England and the claim was wrapped up quickly!
It took nearly a year to settle a claim I made, I kept getting fobbed off by the team in a call centre, I suspect that call centre was based in an area affected by the boxing day tsunami as after that calls were routed to a centre in England and the claim was wrapped up quickly!
If it really is that clear cut. And im sure somebody will find a way to blame you on here.... find out the other other parties insurer which axa should be able to tell you.
Call the other parties insurer and explain the situation about parked car cctv etc. and tell them you'll be getting a credit hire for a similar spec car pending a repair or they can agree to settle and sort your car and they can put you in a nice Vauxhall mokka for a few weeks.
It will be fixed post haste.
Call the other parties insurer and explain the situation about parked car cctv etc. and tell them you'll be getting a credit hire for a similar spec car pending a repair or they can agree to settle and sort your car and they can put you in a nice Vauxhall mokka for a few weeks.
It will be fixed post haste.
Definitely sounds very crap. I had similar happen to me and on the basis of a good quality witness statement (an observant neighbour) and the fact the other party (who left the scene) was insured there was no quibble whatsoever. Police didn’t prosecute however. My insurer in that case was LV.
Not very clear, is AXA your insurer, or the 3rd parties ?
When blame is clear you normally get a much better response going direct to the 3rd party, because they have a vested interest in getting the claim settled quickly as that reduces the size of the claim due to fees and hire car charges.
When blame is clear you normally get a much better response going direct to the 3rd party, because they have a vested interest in getting the claim settled quickly as that reduces the size of the claim due to fees and hire car charges.
AXA have had my van for three months and it's still not made it to a repairer. I highly recommend you do not ever buy AXA insurance if you wish to ever claim. Three months I have been without a vehicle while they mess around. I have complained to the omburdsman.
https://axacarinsurancesucks.com/
https://axacarinsurancesucks.com/
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