Honda Accord insurance write off valuation issue
Discussion
On Tuesday morning in the snow, going to work I crashed my accord - slid into a ditch and destroyed the whole drivers side of the car and tore the front bumper off.
Car was recovered by local farmers and was able to drive home.
No other vehicles involved, no property damaged so rang the insurance company and let them know the car was damaged.
They've subbed the claim out to a management company sounding similar to mothercare who without seeing the car have declared it a total loss. Its a 07 reg with 140k miles.
They've arranged a salvage agent to come and collect the car and value it. Its at this point, once the salvage agent has inspected the car and submitted their report that I'll receive the valuation from the insurance company.
I know they'll low ball me as there are several Accords on sale for a lower price than I'd be willing to accept for my car- reason being - the gen 7 accord diesels need a dmf and clutch between 120 and 140k miles, all the 06/07/08 Accord tourers on sale on autotrader have between 116k and 135k - just before they need a 1k outlay on Dmf and clutch.
My car has had its new clutch & DMF at 134k is there any way I can use this as leverage to increase their valuation?
In my eyes if they lowball me they'll not be returning me to a position I was in pre damage as I'll have increased the value of my car replacing the clutch and dmf!
Car was recovered by local farmers and was able to drive home.
No other vehicles involved, no property damaged so rang the insurance company and let them know the car was damaged.
They've subbed the claim out to a management company sounding similar to mothercare who without seeing the car have declared it a total loss. Its a 07 reg with 140k miles.
They've arranged a salvage agent to come and collect the car and value it. Its at this point, once the salvage agent has inspected the car and submitted their report that I'll receive the valuation from the insurance company.
I know they'll low ball me as there are several Accords on sale for a lower price than I'd be willing to accept for my car- reason being - the gen 7 accord diesels need a dmf and clutch between 120 and 140k miles, all the 06/07/08 Accord tourers on sale on autotrader have between 116k and 135k - just before they need a 1k outlay on Dmf and clutch.
My car has had its new clutch & DMF at 134k is there any way I can use this as leverage to increase their valuation?
In my eyes if they lowball me they'll not be returning me to a position I was in pre damage as I'll have increased the value of my car replacing the clutch and dmf!
When my car got written off I tried to claim extra for the nearly new tyres and brake work recently done to the car. I was told by the claim handler that the recent work even with all the receipts could not be claimed. Their reasoning being that it's maintenance that I would have had to be done regardless.
Think I was also pretty annoyed that I had about 90% of diesel left in the tank!
Think I was also pretty annoyed that I had about 90% of diesel left in the tank!
You will have to prove that cars with the work you mention having just been done, are worth more than those that have not.
Otherwise, there is no difference in value.
In short whether preventatively "repaired" (as with your car) or repaired post-breakdown, or just simply fully functional i.e. no work needed yet nor done, the value remains identical unless you can demonstrate otherwise.
Otherwise, there is no difference in value.
In short whether preventatively "repaired" (as with your car) or repaired post-breakdown, or just simply fully functional i.e. no work needed yet nor done, the value remains identical unless you can demonstrate otherwise.
Most of the cars on autotrader are in the £1850 to £2500 mark.
07 model below would be most similar but no mention of FSH clutch change which my car has.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
07 model below would be most similar but no mention of FSH clutch change which my car has.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
How bad is the damage?
I'd be tempted not to bother claiming if the valuations are under £2k as there is a good chance you'll pay the majority of that back with increased premiums over the next few years plus your excess.
It sounds like you have spent a bit on it recently so i'd be tempted to ring round some scrapyards and pick up some cheap replacement parts and continue to run it.
https://www.gumtree.com/car-replacement-parts/uk/h...
I'd be tempted not to bother claiming if the valuations are under £2k as there is a good chance you'll pay the majority of that back with increased premiums over the next few years plus your excess.
It sounds like you have spent a bit on it recently so i'd be tempted to ring round some scrapyards and pick up some cheap replacement parts and continue to run it.
https://www.gumtree.com/car-replacement-parts/uk/h...
Local dismantler has all the bits I need for £650.
My A pillar is crumpled through above the drivers door and rear passenger door - its only deformed the exterior shape - it would need repairing though as its preventing the rubbers from sealing correctly. Probably 20 hours of a bodyshops time
I'm also concerned there may be electrical issues which will manifest themselves as a result of the accident which will plague me if I fix it.
I've over 11 years no claims and its protected so hopefully they won't load my future policies that much... however I have to say my insurance company and the claim firm have been next to useless... because I live in rural NI, 70miles away from Belfast - they won't send an assessor to value the car - they've written it off without seeing it.
They won't do cash in leiu unless their approved workshop inspect the vehicle which means its collected and brought to their bodyshop in Belfast where they will say its a total loss - then the salvage company takes it - at this point I get my valuation and if I want to do cash in lieu, the cost of transporting the car back to me comes out of my settlement figure.
I'm arguing that the car doesn't leave my premises until I know what I'm getting offered for it - if it leaves I've lost all control of the valuation process.
I'm kinda wondering what I pay insurance for at the moment - they've been next to no help!
My A pillar is crumpled through above the drivers door and rear passenger door - its only deformed the exterior shape - it would need repairing though as its preventing the rubbers from sealing correctly. Probably 20 hours of a bodyshops time
I'm also concerned there may be electrical issues which will manifest themselves as a result of the accident which will plague me if I fix it.
I've over 11 years no claims and its protected so hopefully they won't load my future policies that much... however I have to say my insurance company and the claim firm have been next to useless... because I live in rural NI, 70miles away from Belfast - they won't send an assessor to value the car - they've written it off without seeing it.
They won't do cash in leiu unless their approved workshop inspect the vehicle which means its collected and brought to their bodyshop in Belfast where they will say its a total loss - then the salvage company takes it - at this point I get my valuation and if I want to do cash in lieu, the cost of transporting the car back to me comes out of my settlement figure.
I'm arguing that the car doesn't leave my premises until I know what I'm getting offered for it - if it leaves I've lost all control of the valuation process.
I'm kinda wondering what I pay insurance for at the moment - they've been next to no help!
Edited by Francy555 on Friday 19th January 13:04
matjk said:
oh they for sure will load you insurance, they don't care about NCB, and on a 2k car you will never get back 2k, you have compulsory excess and voluntary to be deducted yet, so even if they offer £2k expect to get a £1500 in the bank, if you're lucky
You have no idea whether they will load his insurance or not. Stop pretending you know stuff you don't. The OP, if he has an excess, will have agreed to it, so it will be no surprise to have it deducted from the value.
They will offer you the trade value as found in whichever valuation guide your insurer use .
Do some research and find similar spec age and condition cars for sale and base your expectations on them less your excess .
Your expenditure on keeping your car roadworthy will probably have no bearing on the valuation .
You can only argue to return to the position you were in pre accident less the excess .
Whichever way you go it will cost you money in either loses or increased costs in the future. Good luck .
Do some research and find similar spec age and condition cars for sale and base your expectations on them less your excess .
Your expenditure on keeping your car roadworthy will probably have no bearing on the valuation .
You can only argue to return to the position you were in pre accident less the excess .
Whichever way you go it will cost you money in either loses or increased costs in the future. Good luck .
You can show them receipts for work done and try and up the payout wont make much difference overall, best thing is if you are buying another one the same is buy the salvage off them probably £200 and get someone to help you strip all the good bits off, store them safely for when needed.
This is my first time involving an insurance company after an accident and I really wish this process was simpler.
I've been mulling over various options, repairing the car myself avoiding using the insurance, cash in lieu of the full settlement and repair the car, and just letting the car go and can't make up my mind as to what is the best option.
Basically it boils down to not knowing what the insurance company are going to value the car at. If i had a figure from the insurance company upfront, be it £1500 or £2000, whatever, just number to work off then id have something to work out what my best option is.
I'm not prepared to let the car leave my premises until i know what i'm getting for it and i really can't understand why someone can't ring me saying they are offering X amount without having to have possession of my car first.
Surely they have some software that can cross reference age, mileage and damage and generate a figure?
I feel like i'm being penalised for my location and being made to do the donkey work for the insurance company when I shouldn't have to - (yes i agree the process would be simple if i'd let them take the car- but i'm not prepared to be further out of pocket by paying to have my car back if i elect to repair it)
Then as a few people have mentioned above - is it worth the increased premiums for a 2k max claim? Again this is an unknown as I've no idea how much my policy would be loaded in the forthcoming year(s) - could be better just fixing out of my own pocket and telling insurance company to foxtrot oscar come renewal time!
I'm going to ring Endsleigh in the morning and try and get a figure out of them.
I've been mulling over various options, repairing the car myself avoiding using the insurance, cash in lieu of the full settlement and repair the car, and just letting the car go and can't make up my mind as to what is the best option.
Basically it boils down to not knowing what the insurance company are going to value the car at. If i had a figure from the insurance company upfront, be it £1500 or £2000, whatever, just number to work off then id have something to work out what my best option is.
I'm not prepared to let the car leave my premises until i know what i'm getting for it and i really can't understand why someone can't ring me saying they are offering X amount without having to have possession of my car first.
Surely they have some software that can cross reference age, mileage and damage and generate a figure?
I feel like i'm being penalised for my location and being made to do the donkey work for the insurance company when I shouldn't have to - (yes i agree the process would be simple if i'd let them take the car- but i'm not prepared to be further out of pocket by paying to have my car back if i elect to repair it)
Then as a few people have mentioned above - is it worth the increased premiums for a 2k max claim? Again this is an unknown as I've no idea how much my policy would be loaded in the forthcoming year(s) - could be better just fixing out of my own pocket and telling insurance company to foxtrot oscar come renewal time!
I'm going to ring Endsleigh in the morning and try and get a figure out of them.
Finally got a bit of sense out of the insurance/claims company.
They're sending an independent assessor out to value the car, with the view to doing a cash in lieu settlement and repair the car using secondhand parts.
I explained the clutch replacement and was told this would have no bearing on the car value.
Just have to wait for that to happen now and prepare to fix the car.
They're sending an independent assessor out to value the car, with the view to doing a cash in lieu settlement and repair the car using secondhand parts.
I explained the clutch replacement and was told this would have no bearing on the car value.
Just have to wait for that to happen now and prepare to fix the car.
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