What happens (insurance value) after an accident?

What happens (insurance value) after an accident?

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sunbeam alpine

Original Poster:

6,956 posts

189 months

Friday 20th May 2016
quotequote all
A friend's car has unfortunately just been hit by a learner driver. He was 100% not at fault - his car was stationary - waiting to turn at a junction. When I saw the car (I recovered it for him), I feared that the car would be written off.

Police attended, the learner driver admitted fault (noted by the police), the car has been recovered to a marque specialist, who has pretty much confirmed that the car is beyond economic repair.

What happens now? The state of the classic car market is such that his car was worth more than 3 times what he paid for it less than a year ago, and what he wants is to get into the same/similar model, but we don't know how insurance companies work in this situation.

There are currently fewer than 10 examples for sale across Europe, and the cheapest model (at more than double what he paid for his car) needs quite a bit of work.

Grateful to hear anyones comments/experiences.

ETA: He had a valuation done on the car just 14 days ago (!) and would be happy if he got close to that value from insurance.

Edited by sunbeam alpine on Friday 20th May 16:30

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

127 months

Friday 20th May 2016
quotequote all
sunbeam alpine said:
A friend's car has unfortunately just been hit by a learner driver. He was 100% not at fault - his car was stationary - waiting to turn at a junction. When I saw the car (I recovered it for him), I feared that the car would be written off.

Police attended, the learner driver admitted fault (noted by the police), the car has been recovered to a marque specialist, who has pretty much confirmed that the car is beyond economic repair.

What happens now? The state of the classic car market is such that his car was worth more than 3 times what he paid for it less than a year ago, and what he wants is to get into the same/similar model, but we don't know how insurance companies work in this situation.

There are currently fewer than 10 examples for sale across Europe, and the cheapest model (at more than double what he paid for his car) needs quite a bit of work.

Grateful to hear anyones comments/experiences.

ETA: He had a valuation done on the car just 14 days ago (!) and would be happy if he got close to that value from insurance.
Is he on an agreed value policy?
What did he declare the value to his insurers as?

sunbeam alpine

Original Poster:

6,956 posts

189 months

Friday 20th May 2016
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
Is he on an agreed value policy?
What did he declare the value to his insurers as?
He's currently dealing directly with the insurers of the guy who hit him.

LuS1fer

41,155 posts

246 months

Friday 20th May 2016
quotequote all

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

127 months

Friday 20th May 2016
quotequote all
sunbeam alpine said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Is he on an agreed value policy?
What did he declare the value to his insurers as?
He's currently dealing directly with the insurers of the guy who hit him.
What they will pay is down to what he can agree with them.

But if he's on an agreed value with his own insurers, covering the current value, then he can go straight to them and get that agreed value straight off.

Kinkell

537 posts

188 months

Friday 20th May 2016
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Please divulge the manufacturer and model of this car that has tripled in value over the last twelve months, sounds amazing.

sunbeam alpine

Original Poster:

6,956 posts

189 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
quotequote all
Kinkell said:
Please divulge the manufacturer and model of this car that has tripled in value over the last twelve months, sounds amazing.
It's an early 70's Alfa Romeo. On re-reading my OP I may have given slightly the wrong impression. Models like his have certainly doubled in price over the last year, however he bought VERY well - a good bit under where the market was at the time.

To get into the same quality/condition as he had, he/the insurance will need to spend a fair bit more money. Will they do this?

This was really the point of my question - insurance valuation of a modern car seems quite easy - trade guides, adjustments for milage/condition etc. A classic car may be more difficult. Since I made my OP I've been googling for online price guides, and eveything I find confirms the high prices.

BTW, Kinkell, do you have anything helpful to add? smile

skeeterm5

3,384 posts

189 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
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The key point is whether or not he had an agreed valuations and one which is linked to current market value? If not he is in the lap of the gods.......

S

RichardM5

1,742 posts

137 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
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If it's a no fault accident then the terms of his insurance are not relevant. Simply find an equivalent vehicle that's for sale, if there is one, and tell them to either provide funds to buy it or repair his. You are entitled to be restored to the position you were in before the accident.

skeeterm5

3,384 posts

189 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
quotequote all
RichardM5 said:
If it's a no fault accident then the terms of his insurance are not relevant. Simply find an equivalent vehicle that's for sale, if there is one, and tell them to either provide funds to buy it or repair his. You are entitled to be restored to the position you were in before the accident.
Given the OP facts of rough cars being worth 3 times what he paid for it then I wish you good luck with your strategy......



Edited by skeeterm5 on Saturday 21st May 09:47

sunbeam alpine

Original Poster:

6,956 posts

189 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
quotequote all
RichardM5 said:
If it's a no fault accident then the terms of his insurance are not relevant. Simply find an equivalent vehicle that's for sale, if there is one, and tell them to either provide funds to buy it or repair his. You are entitled to be restored to the position you were in before the accident.
Thanks. This is what we are hoping will happen! smile

skeeterm5

3,384 posts

189 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
quotequote all
sunbeam alpine said:
Thanks. This is what we are hoping will happen! smile
So do all of us. Can you let us know how it turns out.


sunbeam alpine

Original Poster:

6,956 posts

189 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
quotequote all
skeeterm5 said:
sunbeam alpine said:
Thanks. This is what we are hoping will happen! smile
So do all of us. Can you let us know how it turns out.
The (other party's) insurance company specialist is coming on Monday afternoon to view the car. I guess we will have a bit more of an idea then.

My friend is hoping that the insurance will work out along the lines that RichardM5 suggests. He has already printed off every for-sale advert he can find - from Denmark to Spain (and all countries in-between) and the cheapest is just under 2.5 times what he paid last year!

This is what is worrying me - if the insurance company quantify his loss as what he paid, he can't replace his car. frown

I don't think this will be easy !


Edited by sunbeam alpine on Saturday 21st May 10:07

Old Merc

3,502 posts

168 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
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[quote=sunbeam alpine][quote=skeeterm5][quote=sunbeam alpine]

This is what is worrying me - if the insurance company quantify his loss as what he paid, he can't replace his car. frown

I don't think this will be easy !


I don't think that will happen,what you paid for the car is irrelevent.Everyone knows (even insurance co`s) that classic cars go up in value.My classic was insured for three times what I paid for it.
You should argue and provide evidence of its value at the time of the accident.Photo`s,invoices etc of any restoration work would be helpfull.
If they won't agree to a total loss pay out demand that its restored (by a specialist of your choice)back to the condition before the accident.
Best of luck.

anonymous-user

55 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
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If there is any issue whatsoever with the the third party your friend should just deal with his own insurer (presuming he has comprehensive cover)

They can then recover their outlay from the Third Party.

sng45

497 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
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I had a bad accident in my 911 2.7 RS Carrera in 2007, I hit a lorry at ( according to the police who measured the skidmarks) 53.7 MPH, ( a council lorry parked on the wrong side of the road, on a bend, with no warning signs whatsoever) aside from breaking my sternum, severe whiplash and a number of other injuries, my car was a write off

http://www.autofarm.co.uk/media/crash_1_orig.jpg

After I'd left the hospital I spoke with the Insurance company, I had an agreed value policy and had insured the car for £75,000 ( and had in fact sold it to a dealer in London for £95,000, they were due to collect it on the Wednesday as I had my accident on the Sunday )- but I hadn't updated my policy !

Would probably be worth about £650,000 today, I should have kept it, along with the other four !

My Insurance company paid out the £75,000 agreed value and when I said " I understand I get the option to buy the salvage" their reply was "no you don't - it's over twenty years old so our policy is you can have it " !!!!!

I subsequently sold the salvage for £32,500 - so actually came out of it quite well financially ( if not medically ) - to say I found them to be very fair is an understatement - however I wouldn't be keen to repeat the experience even though I finished almost ten grand up !

Good luck with your claim

sunbeam alpine

Original Poster:

6,956 posts

189 months

Tuesday 6th September 2016
quotequote all
Just to close this thread, my friend got very close to what he wanted for his car (nearly double what he paid), reflecting the way the market has moved. His insurance were very helpful all the way through, although their first offer was quite low.

Thanks to all who replied. smile

sim16v

2,177 posts

202 months

Tuesday 6th September 2016
quotequote all
Good news!

But he should have still tried to retain the salvage, as someone could repair it properly a lot cheaper than a bodyshop insurance quote for repair.

Even if he didn't want to repair it, someone would.

sunbeam alpine

Original Poster:

6,956 posts

189 months

Tuesday 6th September 2016
quotequote all
sim16v said:
Good news!

But he should have still tried to retain the salvage, as someone could repair it properly a lot cheaper than a bodyshop insurance quote for repair.

Even if he didn't want to repair it, someone would.
He did retain the salvage - cost him €1000. It genuinely wasn't repairable, so we've stripped it for parts.

He's already up on the deal. smile

sim16v

2,177 posts

202 months

Tuesday 6th September 2016
quotequote all
smile

At least it was saved to help other cars, rather than just being crushed!