Insurance claim pitfalls

[milu]

I can remember reading various threads on here regarding claims management companies and hire cars plus escalating costs etc
But I can’t remember the particular issues
My Viano was damaged to a large degree this afternoon. Probably a write off. So was just looking to refresh my knowledge. It’s been 25 years since I made a claim!

I guess I won’t hear anything till Monday so I’ve a day to decide on my path going forward

[Mr Tidy]

Sorry to hear about your Viano, but those issues only generally arise in the event of a non-fault claim.

I used one of those companies in 2010 when someone hit the rear of my car as I didn't want to claim on my own policy. I didn't want them dictating here it went for repair as it was still in warranty. It worked fine and didn't cost me a penny. Took my car for repair and the hire car was waiting for me in the car park, same service when I went back to collect mine after repair. But the hire car cost more than the repair which doesn't help premiums!

In 2023 the same thing happened. The guy who hit me wanted to settle privately, until I gave him an indication of the cost. But to be fair his insurer made contact with me promptly so I went somewhere they recommended for an estimate. They made the car a Cat N more than a week before telling me what the estimate was. It only needed a rear bumper cover that was less than £650 from BMW in primer, but the estimate was padded out to £2K with blending into the rear wings and possible hidden damage so they decided it was Cat N.

Got an insulting offer, did get them to go up a couple of hundred although that was still unrealistically low. But as I still had the car, it ran brilliantly and their salvage value was low I took the money and kept the car, which I still have.

Anyway good luck.

[numtumfutunch]

In for the follow

I was rear ended a couple of years ago and immediately hassled by a claim handling company who must have had my details sent to them from my own insurer trying to very forcibly get me into a new 5 series touring on a credit hire arrangement. The hard sell on the phone was evasive at best on what would happen if the claim went against me but as I was hit up the jacksie this seemed a moot point in terms of liability

I took the car to my local BMW dealer for a repair quote and explained the credit hire deals Id been offered. The body shop guy confirmed my suspicions that these were probable best ignored just in case of complication and to ask for a modest cash sum for cabs and trains whilst my car was off the road. What I hadnt considered was that even though my car was totally driveable and road worthy it was better if it was laid up in case it was involved in another accident in which case liability woud be again complicated. That and the fact BMW said once the rear crash structures had been deformed I was on my own if something happened before they were repaired

I asked the other guys insurer for a few hundred quid to tide me over. They agreed instantly so I suspect I could have asked for a bit more.

Im very grateful to the BMW body shop guy for this advice. A credit agreement car would have cost ££ more and put up insurance for all of us whilst leaving me open to jeopardy in case of unforeseen circumstances. The cash I got was decent and after I got my car back I was marginally in profit

[Drive Blind]

i was involved in an accident and claim 3 years ago, 100% not my fault, I used a claims management company. Didnt cost me a penny, plus car repaired at the body shop of my choice.

the insurance company for the other party tried every trick in their book to try and catch me out, void the claim, settle for a lesser cash pay out. Simply told straight up lies.

one key point for me was the other parties insurance company wanted to take charge and repair my car at their 'approved repairer' I knew the repair would be done at the absolute rock bottom price.

Maybe speak to your own insurance company? One path I was considering taking was getting my insurance company to deal with the claim, again ensuring the car was repaired at the body shop of my choice. This would have cost me my £200 excess but I felt it was possibly a price worth paying on a £2K+ repair.

[Mr Tidy]

I wouldn't recommend contacting your own insurer as they are more likely to direct you to one of their own favoured repairers, and you may well find conditions in your policy that allow them to dictate where the car goes. Plus you'll have to pay the excess up front then reclaim it from the other insurer.

But as you have no contract with the insurer of the other vehicle you can go to any repairer you choose, and won't need to fund the excess. Which is another reason why I claimed from the insurer of the car that hit mine.

[Gassmi]

milu said:

I can remember reading various threads on here regarding claims management companies and hire cars plus escalating costs etc
But I can t remember the particular issues
My Viano was damaged to a large degree this afternoon. Probably a write off. So was just looking to refresh my knowledge. It s been 25 years since I made a claim!

I guess I won t hear anything till Monday so I ve a day to decide on my path going forward

No claims companies. No credit hire cars unless the paying insurer arranges it direct. First write-off offer will be low find same-spec Viano ads to counter it. Get the van to their approved yard fast or storage fees pile up. Photos and notes now, stick to facts, no middlemen.