Insurance Claim Choosing a repairer. OPC?

[Yidwann]

This a replication of what I have posted on one of the other boards, only added with some Porsche specific bits at the end.

So at the weekend, my neighbour drove straight into the front of my Cayman trying to get out of a parking space! Brilliant! Luckily, someone saw him do it and informed me, and subsequently he has admitted liability and informed his insurer. So thats all positive, could have been stuck otherwise!

So now its going through his insurance I would expect to be called to arrange for the repairs. I assume they will opt to go for the cheapest possible option being an insurer, but I guess I have get to dictate where it goes to for repair? Anyone have any experience of that conversation and how you go about informing them where you want to the repairs to be done?

Also as its his insurance not mine, I would also assume they have to provide me with a hire car of a similar standard when they do come and take it away for repair?

Its with Axa, and considering he was perfectly fine to admit he did and wasn't going to contest it, they still want the witness statement from my neighbour who saw it, gives me the impression its going to be a heel dragging experience already... Great times!

So when it comes to Porsche repairs? Can anyone recommend in Hampshire/Berkshire where I should aim to have it done? Should I demand the it go straight to the OPC for it all to be done. Any advice or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Tom

[Twinfan]

Not a Porsche, but this a recent experience I had (repairs currently ongoing):

• accident caused by third party
• third party admits liability
• their insurance (Direct Line) calls me and arranges suitable similar hire car (in my case a large four door saloon)
• I believe with prestige cars you should get something similar e.g. a Porsche 911 as a hire car if they use Enterprise, for example
• I chose to use my trusted local-ish garage for the bodywork repairs, no problem at all
• the process takes a little longer this way as there are estimates to be produced and assessors who need to inspect the car vs the estimate

Basically, if they're 100% at fault (as they are in your case) you can call the shots.

[Yidwann]

Thanks for that Twinfan, great help! Just really hope there is no heel dragging. The fact they still want the witness statement baffles me!

[Cabsi]

There is so much car insurance fraud nowadays, that I think they will want the witness statement to ensure you two are not in cahoots. I'm afraid it's just a sign of the times.

I would get your own estimate for the repairs (don't OPC's sub-contract this stuff out?) and submit that. You should then be absolutely satisfied with the results.

Good luck.

[Yidwann]

I guess so, I have put some feelers out already. If it went to the OPC I guess at least even if they do sub it out, the onus is on them to make sure the job is first rate! Thats all I am concerned about.

[Twinfan]

You could always ask the OPC who they use and then pass their name to the insurers

[Yidwann]

Thats also not a bad shout, thanks for the replies.

Tom

[tree7777]

Wife just crashed my macan we used http://www.bodytechnics.co.uk/index.htm in Slough very impressed take a look at the website loads of top cars being fixed and Porsche approved

[red997]

if it was me, I'd be going through an OPC.
reason:
you're not paying, and the warranty that comes from using OPC / approved bodyshop is worth having. Along with the documentation that comes with it.
just my 2p.

[gred]

Definitely get your OPC involved. I recently had a similar experience with an elderly gentleman doing a hit and run outside a store! My Cayenne bumper was bashed, and the exhaust trim bent. Fortunately the store CCTV came up trumps and the police tracked him down and he admitted liability.

His insurers were surprised that the bill was £3.5k!! I wasn't - if you want your P&J back to pre-accident, then new parts are required and a top spray job required.

[curley]

Twinfan said:

Not a Porsche, but this a recent experience I had (repairs currently ongoing):

• accident caused by third party
• third party admits liability
• their insurance (xxxxxxx) calls me and arranges suitable similar hire car (in my case a large four door saloon)
• I believe with prestige cars you should get something similar e.g. a Porsche 911 as a hire car if they use Enterprise, for example
• I chose to use my xxxxxxxxxx for the bodywork repairs, no problem at all
• the process takes a little longer this way as there are estimates to be produced and assessors who need to inspect the car vs the estimate

Basically, if they're 100% at fault (as they are in your case) you can call the shots.

This is exactly what happened to my wife in December .

It wasn't direct line but the replacement car came through enterprise and we just left the car with the local BMW dealer to repair .
No quibble , new door and paintwork that was so good you couldnt tell it had been repaired apart from the fact the new rubber seal required the door to be " slammed " a bit harder for the next 2 weeks .
Total cost £3000 plus Vat , effect on insurance renewal this month , £nil

[Magic919]

tree7777 said:

Wife just crashed my macan we used http://www.bodytechnics.co.uk/index.htm in Slough very impressed take a look at the website loads of top cars being fixed and Porsche approved

They are NOT Porsche Approved, despite the claims on their website.

[pmr01]

I am in a similar position. It is going thru my insurance with my insurance claiming back from them. May post a separate thread but the repairer the insurance wants to use is not OPC but is BMW approved...not really sure where i stand on insisting on OPC or Porsche approved...'fraid i have never had a claim so a bit clueless on this. thoughts? immaculate 2003 996 turbo (or was)

[Yidwann]

Yeah I consulted the OPC and its off to Premier Panel Skills in Farnham, who have been pretty swift fair to say in dealing with the insurer etc. And yeah as above, its a new bumper and spray, big cost! But not to me thankfully.

[craigjm]

Premier Panel Skills in Farnham. They are approved Porsche and do lots of work for OPC Guildford. I had a huge crash in my Cayman in 2014 and they did over 25k of repair work to it and it was to an excellent standard. It's where Porsche assist took the car after they recovered it and they dealt with the insurance company on my behalf. Brilliant

[Adam B]

My experience of OPC has been pretty shoddy due to where they sub-contract, years ago my Boxster was fixed by Solus, official Porsche approver and utterly hopeless at delivering on time and communicating.

More recently someone hit the front bumper of my 997 when it was parked outside and didn't stop, the only silver lining being it needed a respray due to stone chips which would have cost same as insurance excess. New bumper and repsrayed by M&A Coachworks, officially approved P tts. Came back and paint peeled off front lip as they hadn't primed it FFS! Picked up again, lip sorted, comes back with small dent on brand new front spoiler, small but Stevie Wonder would have spotted it the indentation front and centre of bumper. Finally sorted but each pick up and drop off I have to take time off work - absolute shower of incompetent fkwits.

Latest - car into 9E for new clutch and inspection, they offer to drop off car at locally P approved body shop as I want rear bumper resprayed to get a scratch sorted and peeling paint around number plate from shoddy fix all sorted, whole bumper to be removed stripped and resprayed. Ken had to send it back first time as finish not good enough.

My view of officially approved Porsche body shops is on a par with estate agents