Should I Use an Accident Management Company?
Discussion
I'm after some advice please; an elderly lady reversed into my M3 on Sunday, which has resulted in a new off side front wing being required. I spoke to her last night as I the car was parked outside my house at the time and she left her details with a neighbour. She has admitted liability and already contacted her insurer.
Just before this happened, my car was due to go to the Sytner BMW body shop to remove some rust on the rear arch. I spoke to Sytner today and said I want to postpone this until I get the insurance go ahead for the repairs and they have asked me if I want to use their accident management company SytnerDrive to handle the claim. I just want the car repaired properly with as little inconvenience as possible. Should I use this service? I've not yet contacted my insurer.If I do use Sytnerdrive do I even need to inform my insurance company? I wasn't going to to begin with as I thought she'd driven off without leaving any details so I was going to shell out for the repairs myself.
Just before this happened, my car was due to go to the Sytner BMW body shop to remove some rust on the rear arch. I spoke to Sytner today and said I want to postpone this until I get the insurance go ahead for the repairs and they have asked me if I want to use their accident management company SytnerDrive to handle the claim. I just want the car repaired properly with as little inconvenience as possible. Should I use this service? I've not yet contacted my insurer.If I do use Sytnerdrive do I even need to inform my insurance company? I wasn't going to to begin with as I thought she'd driven off without leaving any details so I was going to shell out for the repairs myself.
Based on my recent experience, No - the accidents management company wanted to charge the other side about £150/day for a Ford Focus, but I'd have to sign a finance agreement saying if they couldn't reclaim I was liable - simply wasn't going to happen.
As other party had admitted liability in my case, they arranged at their own cost the same Focus, and it only cost them£18/day!
As other party had admitted liability in my case, they arranged at their own cost the same Focus, and it only cost them£18/day!
uuf361 said:
Based on my recent experience, No - the accidents management company wanted to charge the other side about £150/day for a Ford Focus, but I'd have to sign a finance agreement saying if they couldn't reclaim I was liable - simply wasn't going to happen.
As other party had admitted liability in my case, they arranged at their own cost the same Focus, and it only cost them£18/day!
Spot on, the risk is if you willingly accept a ridiculously high-cost hire you can get into financial problems due to failure to mitigate your losses. Accident management companies like these only have one person's interests in minds and they sure as hell aren't yours. They will prolong the repairs to keep you in that hire (and rack up their own costs) as long as they can, even by delaying repairs etc etc. As other party had admitted liability in my case, they arranged at their own cost the same Focus, and it only cost them£18/day!
By far the best way to deal with these things is to contact her insurers directly and let them deal with it for you.
Similar thing happened to me, lady reversed into my wife's Golf GTI outside our home, left details.
We used an accident management company, I think it was Europa, it was recommended by a member on here.
They were brilliant, we had a Golf GTD as courtesy car and were paid out a fair price very quick.
I would use them again.
We used an accident management company, I think it was Europa, it was recommended by a member on here.
They were brilliant, we had a Golf GTD as courtesy car and were paid out a fair price very quick.
I would use them again.
Panthro said:
I spoke to my insurer (Sky) and they automatically put me onto an accident management company, Kindertons. I told them I will confirm once I have spoken to the lady's insurer to confirm details.
PLEASE don't use kindertons!!I had a non fault claim with Sky and used them, worst experience ever! They're absolutely useless in every aspect!!
Adz The Rat said:
Similar thing happened to me, lady reversed into my wife's Golf GTI outside our home, left details.
We used an accident management company, I think it was Europa, it was recommended by a member on here.
They were brilliant, we had a Golf GTD as courtesy car and were paid out a fair price very quick.
I would use them again.
poll hereWe used an accident management company, I think it was Europa, it was recommended by a member on here.
They were brilliant, we had a Golf GTD as courtesy car and were paid out a fair price very quick.
I would use them again.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=100...
If you're going to use one choose one that's not tied to your insurer
For a third party claim you have to ask why youd take it through your own insurer anyway.
I was with sky, used kindertons for a non fault claim.
Absolutely fine in terms of getting me a courtesy car and dealing with the situation.
What they neglect to tell you is that they over inflate the hire car costs, the third party insurers refuse to pay the costs. A long legal battle then starts in which you may have to attend a hearing and if they lose the case or are not co-operating you are liable for the costs.
They charged the third party about £5000 for 3 weeks of audi a3 1.6 diesel rental.
Absolutely fine in terms of getting me a courtesy car and dealing with the situation.
What they neglect to tell you is that they over inflate the hire car costs, the third party insurers refuse to pay the costs. A long legal battle then starts in which you may have to attend a hearing and if they lose the case or are not co-operating you are liable for the costs.
They charged the third party about £5000 for 3 weeks of audi a3 1.6 diesel rental.
tom2502 said:
I was with sky, used kindertons for a non fault claim.
Absolutely fine in terms of getting me a courtesy car and dealing with the situation.
What they neglect to tell you is that they over inflate the hire car costs, the third party insurers refuse to pay the costs. A long legal battle then starts in which you may have to attend a hearing and if they lose the case or are not co-operating you are liable for the costs.
They charged the third party about £5000 for 3 weeks of audi a3 1.6 diesel rental.
This is exactly what I'm dealing with now!!Absolutely fine in terms of getting me a courtesy car and dealing with the situation.
What they neglect to tell you is that they over inflate the hire car costs, the third party insurers refuse to pay the costs. A long legal battle then starts in which you may have to attend a hearing and if they lose the case or are not co-operating you are liable for the costs.
They charged the third party about £5000 for 3 weeks of audi a3 1.6 diesel rental.
Panthro said:
I don't think I will. I'm going to contact her insurer to see if I can arrange it myself. I just want the car to go to the BMW Sytner body shop. I don't need a like for like replacement either.
the sequence seems to bea) get a claim form from the third parties insurer
organise 3 quotes -decide which one you want to go with - it doesnt have to be the cheapest
organise reasonable hire car
any personal injury issues
b)let your insurer knwo youre making a claim through the Third party.
They'll stand by in case the third party tries to make a counterclaim
c) if you cant or dont want to handle all that get onto Europa
If you go with your own insurer you'll find all sorts of things can appear in their favour rather than yours eg their preferred cheapo in house repairer, claim your excess back from third party, argument about repairs
saaby93 said:
the sequence seems to be
a) get a claim form from the third parties insurer
organise 3 quotes -decide which one you want to go with - it doesnt have to be the cheapest
organise reasonable hire car
any personal injury issues
b)let your insurer knwo youre making a claim through the Third party.
They'll stand by in case the third party tries to make a counterclaim
c) if you cant or dont want to handle all that get onto Europa
If you go with your own insurer you'll find all sorts of things can appear in their favour rather than yours eg their preferred cheapo in house repairer, claim your excess back from third party, argument about repairs
Thanks. I will definitely be using Sytner Sunningdale for the work. I have spoken to the 3rd party insurer - 3rd party has admitted liability so my claim is being processed now with the car going to BMW and they're providing me with a similar sized vehicle from Enterprise. Pretty happy with that. a) get a claim form from the third parties insurer
organise 3 quotes -decide which one you want to go with - it doesnt have to be the cheapest
organise reasonable hire car
any personal injury issues
b)let your insurer knwo youre making a claim through the Third party.
They'll stand by in case the third party tries to make a counterclaim
c) if you cant or dont want to handle all that get onto Europa
If you go with your own insurer you'll find all sorts of things can appear in their favour rather than yours eg their preferred cheapo in house repairer, claim your excess back from third party, argument about repairs
Panthro said:
Thanks. I will definitely be using Sytner Sunningdale for the work. I have spoken to the 3rd party insurer - 3rd party has admitted liability so my claim is being processed now with the car going to BMW and they're providing me with a similar sized vehicle from Enterprise. Pretty happy with that.
Remember this way you're in control - allegedlyThey'll want the job turned around off their books quickly but give yourself some leeway to check the car when you get it back and if you're not reasonably happy, mistakes can happen, everyone should try to help.
Also, be careful that any Accident Management company you might have to use (quite a few brokers sell policies where handling companies are the designated people to take care of claims as they get a kickback from the management company) don't insist that you transfer YOUR insurance onto their car. i.e. They don't provide insurance with it themselves, unlike a hire car which comes with insurance included as part of the hire cost. They will try to insist that your take their car and terms but you don't have to.
If you have any sort of incident in it, however minor, they will likely make a claim for the absolute max that they can possibly get against your policy (typically, the claims company will also have kickback deals with preferred paint shops/repairers), invalidating your no-claims bonus.
They really are the scum of the earth - existing primarily to screw the insurance system for every penny that they can extract out of it, thus pushing up premiums for everyone.
If you have any sort of incident in it, however minor, they will likely make a claim for the absolute max that they can possibly get against your policy (typically, the claims company will also have kickback deals with preferred paint shops/repairers), invalidating your no-claims bonus.
They really are the scum of the earth - existing primarily to screw the insurance system for every penny that they can extract out of it, thus pushing up premiums for everyone.
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