Insurance co won't cover my replacement vehicle costs...
Discussion
Chucklehead said:
You said that you were sending them copies of the invoice, and their complaint was that it could have been edited... Did you email them a word doc??
Printed/signed/stamped as paid and then posted would obviously look more legitimate.
Or save it as a PDF. It could be as simple as that they have opened it and thought "this is easy to edit" therefore not legit.Printed/signed/stamped as paid and then posted would obviously look more legitimate.
Virtually everywhere is going to have Microsoft Office installed, but not Adobe Acrobat Pro or equivalent (for editing).
Durzel said:
Chucklehead said:
You said that you were sending them copies of the invoice, and their complaint was that it could have been edited... Did you email them a word doc??
Printed/signed/stamped as paid and then posted would obviously look more legitimate.
Or save it as a PDF. It could be as simple as that they have opened it and thought "this is easy to edit" therefore not legit.Printed/signed/stamped as paid and then posted would obviously look more legitimate.
Virtually everywhere is going to have Microsoft Office installed, but not Adobe Acrobat Pro or equivalent (for editing).
PurpleMoonlight said:
None of that proves it was hired to you or that you paid anything for it though.
You claim to have paid £200 pw in cash. Where did that cash come from, is it traceable as being withdrawn from your bank?
Why would I be withdrawing cash from the bank when 90-odd% or so of my business is cash? So no, it's not traceable, but then I shouldn't have to be proving anything of the sort to them.You claim to have paid £200 pw in cash. Where did that cash come from, is it traceable as being withdrawn from your bank?
The condition of the car at the time of hire is irrelevant. The person I hired it from is irrelevant. The fact it has since been scrapped is irrelevant.
They have accepted their driver's liability. They acknowledge my vehicle was a private hire vehicle and therefore I needed a replacement. They have acknowledged the amount I'm claiming is more than reasonable. So whilst I can understand them wanting something in the way of proof, I am also pissed off at their continuing stalling in asking for one bit of proof after another after another. You honestly think asking me to get the other guy's bank statements is reasonable?!
With regard to the day rate, as it exceeds the amount I'm claiming for I don't think they'll go for it although logic would dictate that they should just pay that out as that requires no proof whatsoever.
InitialDave said:
In a world of claims management companies and their eye-watering loading of costs for credit hire etc, you'd think that - proof in the format they're used to or not - they'd take your arm off claiming at less than £30 a day.
I know, right? Ironically I dealt with them directly thinking they'd appreciate the opportunity to keep their costs and hassle to a minimum. So much for trying to do the decent thing, eh...?Truffs said:
Durzel said:
Chucklehead said:
You said that you were sending them copies of the invoice, and their complaint was that it could have been edited... Did you email them a word doc??
Printed/signed/stamped as paid and then posted would obviously look more legitimate.
Or save it as a PDF. It could be as simple as that they have opened it and thought "this is easy to edit" therefore not legit.Printed/signed/stamped as paid and then posted would obviously look more legitimate.
Virtually everywhere is going to have Microsoft Office installed, but not Adobe Acrobat Pro or equivalent (for editing).
Centurion07 said:
Why would I be withdrawing cash from the bank when 90-odd% or so of my business is cash? So no, it's not traceable, but then I shouldn't have to be proving anything of the sort to them.
All your cash transactions - receipts and expenditure - are documented for your accounting, though, right...?No, cash fares are not documented individually, nor do I make regular deposits at the bank and as already mentioned earnings vary wildly week to week so there is no way of showing a £200 cash outgoing each week.
Leaving aside the fact they've spoken to the guy themselves who confirmed everything.
Leaving aside the fact they've spoken to the guy themselves who confirmed everything.
Centurion07 said:
No, cash fares are not documented individually, nor do I make regular deposits at the bank and as already mentioned earnings vary wildly week to week so there is no way of showing a £200 cash outgoing each week.
Leaving aside the fact they've spoken to the guy themselves who confirmed everything.
Is it not part of your local licensing authority private hire requirements to document/record all journeys/fares you make. HMRC would also expect you to keep these records as well.Leaving aside the fact they've spoken to the guy themselves who confirmed everything.
Mine insisted you had to make a record of the date and time of the pre booking, who took the booking, the name of the customer making the booking, the cost of the journey, the date of the journey and the pick up and drop off points.
You presumably have all these records to show the insurance company as proof of your claim.
Presumably you also had to inform your licensing authority that you were using a different licensed vehicle for a period of time to keep their records in order. They should be able to provide you some sort of confirmation to show the insurance company.
Mine also insisted you had to inform them of every little knock/accident, if you didn't and you were found out you would have to go through their disciplinary procedure, again all info supporting your claim.
I would be surprised if your licensing authority was much different.
Monkeylegend said:
Is it not part of your local licensing authority private hire requirements to document/record all journeys/fares you make. HMRC would also expect you to keep these records as well.
Mine insisted you had to make a record of the date and time of the pre booking, who took the booking, the name of the customer making the booking, the cost of the journey, the date of the journey and the pick up and drop off points.
It's a requirement to keep a record those things, yes. What is not required is a record of how much the customer was charged. Required by neither the local authority nor HMRC, as was confirmed to me by the HMRC agent that came out to do a "surprise audit" of my records. They RECOMMEND it, yes, but I am not legally obliged to record the amount of each individual fare.Mine insisted you had to make a record of the date and time of the pre booking, who took the booking, the name of the customer making the booking, the cost of the journey, the date of the journey and the pick up and drop off points.
Monkeylegend said:
You presumably have all these records to show the insurance company as proof of your claim.
In what way would anything you mentioned support the fact I was using that specific vehicle? All that will show is that I was working.Monkeylegend said:
Presumably you also had to inform your licensing authority that you were using a different licensed vehicle for a period of time to keep their records in order. They should be able to provide you some sort of confirmation to show the insurance company.
Maybe I should've, but when you can be using one rental car one day and another the next as your one is in the garage then nobody bothers.Monkeylegend said:
Mine also insisted you had to inform them of every little knock/accident, if you didn't and you were found out you would have to go through their disciplinary procedure, again all info supporting your claim.
I would be surprised if your licensing authority was much different.
Yeah, fallen foul of that before. Had a long conversation with them about their draconian policies actually meaning drivers don't inform them of every tiny issue as they know what a ballache it can be.I would be surprised if your licensing authority was much different.
Centurion07 said:
Stuff.
Linking your work records and the notification to the council of a change of vehicle, which will verify the details of that vehicle, also verified by your insurance notification of the vehicle details for the period in question is pretty good evidence to present to the third party insurance.If you didn't notify your licensing authority of the temp vehicle change, there is a good chance you didn't notify your insurance because the insurance company would want verification that the replacement vehicle is authorised and tested for PH work and vice versa.
The local licensing authority would need to see you insurance documents for the temp vehicle, which would be awkward as you didn't notify the local authority of the change
Edited by Monkeylegend on Sunday 22 July 16:48
Monkeylegend said:
If you didn't notify your licensing authority of the temp vehicle change, there is a good chance you didn't notify your insurance because the insurance company would want verification that the replacement vehicle is authorised and tested for PH work and vice versa.
The local licensing authority would need to see you insurance documents for the temp vehicle, which would be awkward as you didn't notify the local authority of the change.
You missed the bit where I mentioned I have provided them with a copy of the insurance certificate. The third party insurer, that is.The local licensing authority would need to see you insurance documents for the temp vehicle, which would be awkward as you didn't notify the local authority of the change.
The £200PW rent included insurance. I didn't need to do anything with my own insurance apart from notify them.
Centurion07 said:
Monkeylegend said:
If you didn't notify your licensing authority of the temp vehicle change, there is a good chance you didn't notify your insurance because the insurance company would want verification that the replacement vehicle is authorised and tested for PH work and vice versa.
The local licensing authority would need to see you insurance documents for the temp vehicle, which would be awkward as you didn't notify the local authority of the change.
You missed the bit where I mentioned I have provided them with a copy of the insurance certificate. The third party insurer, that is.The local licensing authority would need to see you insurance documents for the temp vehicle, which would be awkward as you didn't notify the local authority of the change.
The £200PW rent included insurance. I didn't need to do anything with my own insurance apart from notify them.
If you could provide them with all the relevant paperwork proving everything you were doing was "legal" you might stand a better chance of getting a payout.
As it stands at the moment you are on dodgy ground if you wish to pursue it further and the ombudsman or the courts start asking awkward questions.
I'm not so sure.
The council know who the vehicle is registered to and it's up to HIM to make sure he knows who's driving the vehicle at any given time. Their insurance policy states "any licenced driver, with the permission of the policyholder, is insured to drive this vehicle". The third party insurer want proof I was added to the policy and won't accept the actual certificate that has that printed on it.
As I said, I can understand their need for proof but they're wriggling at every opportunity and making some outlandish requests given that, as has been mentioned, if I'd got an AMC involved or decided my neck was twinging a bit it would be costing them a hell of a lot more than £1100 quid!
The council know who the vehicle is registered to and it's up to HIM to make sure he knows who's driving the vehicle at any given time. Their insurance policy states "any licenced driver, with the permission of the policyholder, is insured to drive this vehicle". The third party insurer want proof I was added to the policy and won't accept the actual certificate that has that printed on it.
As I said, I can understand their need for proof but they're wriggling at every opportunity and making some outlandish requests given that, as has been mentioned, if I'd got an AMC involved or decided my neck was twinging a bit it would be costing them a hell of a lot more than £1100 quid!
I think your case would be a lot stronger if you had the relevant paper licence from the council relating to the car in question.
My licensing authority would issue me with a paper copy of my Operators licence, Drivers licence and vehicle plate. This in addition to the insurance certificate would be very difficult for the third party insurance to ignore.
Anyway good luck getting it resolved
My licensing authority would issue me with a paper copy of my Operators licence, Drivers licence and vehicle plate. This in addition to the insurance certificate would be very difficult for the third party insurance to ignore.
Anyway good luck getting it resolved
Centurion07 said:
I'm not so sure.
The council know who the vehicle is registered to and it's up to HIM to make sure he knows who's driving the vehicle at any given time. Their insurance policy states "any licenced driver, with the permission of the policyholder, is insured to drive this vehicle". The third party insurer want proof I was added to the policy and won't accept the actual certificate that has that printed on it.
As I said, I can understand their need for proof but they're wriggling at every opportunity and making some outlandish requests given that, as has been mentioned, if I'd got an AMC involved or decided my neck was twinging a bit it would be costing them a hell of a lot more than £1100 quid!
Unfortunately for you; there are many people in this world that engage in pretending and lying. Insurance co. needs to weed these out from the genuine claims. Having a nearly untraceable sequence of events and payments is the root of your problem. You also fall into the unfortunate situation that if one thing looks fishy, rightly or not, everything else will be scrutinized to the Nth degree.The council know who the vehicle is registered to and it's up to HIM to make sure he knows who's driving the vehicle at any given time. Their insurance policy states "any licenced driver, with the permission of the policyholder, is insured to drive this vehicle". The third party insurer want proof I was added to the policy and won't accept the actual certificate that has that printed on it.
As I said, I can understand their need for proof but they're wriggling at every opportunity and making some outlandish requests given that, as has been mentioned, if I'd got an AMC involved or decided my neck was twinging a bit it would be costing them a hell of a lot more than £1100 quid!
It's all a matter of perspective. What is an outlandish request to you is them being more diligent over the 'evidence' because they don't believe your story.
Next time; use an AMC or make sure there is a bulletproof paper trail that they have OK'd in advance.
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