Car Accident Repair - Do I really have this little say?
Discussion
I had the misfortune of being t-boned on a roundabout Thursday 23rd June.
My insurance company collected the car and allocated a repairer that day. The car was reallocated to a different repairer on the 24th because the first one doesn't cover my postcode. It was reallocated on the 25th because the first didn't cover my postcode. On the 27th I spoke to my insurance and they told me the third repairer also doesn't cover my postcode and it was going to be reallocated again, back to the first one who I am assured did cover my post code, but they were full last week.
Sure enough, Wednesday comes and it has been allocated to another repairer because the first one, for the second time, did not cover my post code!
My insurance have now had the car for 9 days, have allocated it to repairers 5 times, for all of them to being unsuitable. They assure me it has been escalted and they are working on it.
I simply fail to believe they can have my car for 9 days, seemingly do nothing with it, and there is nothing I can do about that?
Surely that is not right?
My insurance company collected the car and allocated a repairer that day. The car was reallocated to a different repairer on the 24th because the first one doesn't cover my postcode. It was reallocated on the 25th because the first didn't cover my postcode. On the 27th I spoke to my insurance and they told me the third repairer also doesn't cover my postcode and it was going to be reallocated again, back to the first one who I am assured did cover my post code, but they were full last week.
Sure enough, Wednesday comes and it has been allocated to another repairer because the first one, for the second time, did not cover my post code!
My insurance have now had the car for 9 days, have allocated it to repairers 5 times, for all of them to being unsuitable. They assure me it has been escalted and they are working on it.
I simply fail to believe they can have my car for 9 days, seemingly do nothing with it, and there is nothing I can do about that?
Surely that is not right?
robdcfc said:
You can have it repaired at any reputable bodyshop of your choice, quote "right to repair" to your insurer.
How do I know?? I own a bodyshop
I have asked if it can go to the main dealer and they said it can, but they will charge additional excess and won’t stand by the quality. Is that right?How do I know?? I own a bodyshop
Megaflow said:
I have asked if it can go to the main dealer and they said it can, but they will charge additional excess and won’t stand by the quality. Is that right?
Say they can do this. You can choose any repair professional you like but they'll set a limit on £ph or various other bs issues. With that in mind if you have local person you trust I'd STILL do tgst A friend recently had his car damaged by a mini bus.
Their insurance co was handling the repair, but like yourself was going very slowly.
Speaking to one of the local bodyshops it went to, turned out that after quoting for the job the insurance co wanted a 20% discount knocked off the quote.
Maybe that's happening with yours?
Their insurance co was handling the repair, but like yourself was going very slowly.
Speaking to one of the local bodyshops it went to, turned out that after quoting for the job the insurance co wanted a 20% discount knocked off the quote.
Maybe that's happening with yours?
Megaflow said:
I had the misfortune of being t-boned on a roundabout Thursday 23rd June.
My insurance company collected the car and allocated a repairer that day. The car was reallocated to a different repairer on the 24th because the first one doesn't cover my postcode. It was reallocated on the 25th because the first didn't cover my postcode. On the 27th I spoke to my insurance and they told me the third repairer also doesn't cover my postcode and it was going to be reallocated again, back to the first one who I am assured did cover my post code, but they were full last week.
Sure enough, Wednesday comes and it has been allocated to another repairer because the first one, for the second time, did not cover my post code!
My insurance have now had the car for 9 days, have allocated it to repairers 5 times, for all of them to being unsuitable. They assure me it has been escalted and they are working on it.
I simply fail to believe they can have my car for 9 days, seemingly do nothing with it, and there is nothing I can do about that?
Surely that is not right?
Complain.My insurance company collected the car and allocated a repairer that day. The car was reallocated to a different repairer on the 24th because the first one doesn't cover my postcode. It was reallocated on the 25th because the first didn't cover my postcode. On the 27th I spoke to my insurance and they told me the third repairer also doesn't cover my postcode and it was going to be reallocated again, back to the first one who I am assured did cover my post code, but they were full last week.
Sure enough, Wednesday comes and it has been allocated to another repairer because the first one, for the second time, did not cover my post code!
My insurance have now had the car for 9 days, have allocated it to repairers 5 times, for all of them to being unsuitable. They assure me it has been escalted and they are working on it.
I simply fail to believe they can have my car for 9 days, seemingly do nothing with it, and there is nothing I can do about that?
Surely that is not right?
At the moment all your dealings will likely be with a claims management company, but if you complain you will probably be escalated to someone with a bit more autonomy who can don't have to rigidly follow the script.
zedx19 said:
9 days is nothing, you're looking at weeks to months depending on any number of factors, including whether any components that need replacing are in short supply. I assume you have a courtesy car? Mate of mines repair took 4 months ish, for a relatively minor bump.
Supply chain issues would be the next problem. From what I understand of the original post, no repairer has actually accepted the car for that process to even begin.DodgyGeezer said:
Say they can do this. You can choose any repair professional you like but they'll set a limit on £ph or various other bs issues. With that in mind if you have local person you trust I'd STILL do tgst
Thank you. I thought that’s what you’d say. Fortunately I have never had a need for a body shop before so I don’t know one from another. My default would be the main dealer, but that doesn’t mean a great job.zedx19 said:
9 days is nothing, you're looking at weeks to months depending on any number of factors, including whether any components that need replacing are in short supply. I assume you have a courtesy car? Mate of mines repair took 4 months ish, for a relatively minor bump.
4 months?!?! I have only had it two months! I do have a hire car, a Range Rover Evoke. It’s s
te. I am using my other car instead.egomeister said:
Complain.
At the moment all your dealings will likely be with a claims management company, but if you complain you will probably be escalated to someone with a bit more autonomy who can don't have to rigidly follow the script.
Complaint has already been raised!At the moment all your dealings will likely be with a claims management company, but if you complain you will probably be escalated to someone with a bit more autonomy who can don't have to rigidly follow the script.
SmoothCriminal said:
Has the 3rd party admitted liability?
If so maybe worth going to them and see if they can do any better.
Yes, they admitted it the same day. That has crossed my mind, but I feared a situation of both insurance companies thinking the other is dealing with it.If so maybe worth going to them and see if they can do any better.
egomeister said:
zedx19 said:
9 days is nothing, you're looking at weeks to months depending on any number of factors, including whether any components that need replacing are in short supply. I assume you have a courtesy car? Mate of mines repair took 4 months ish, for a relatively minor bump.
Supply chain issues would be the next problem. From what I understand of the original post, no repairer has actually accepted the car for that process to even begin.For a no fault accident where the third party has admitted liability it would be better to deal directly with the TP insurers. This is what I did a few years ago, when I had a no fault accident and where the TP admitted liability. The TP insurer started off by saying that they had 'approved body shops' that could collect my car, but I said that I would be taking it to my preferred body shop and they agreed to this. As the claim was dealt with directly by the TP insurer, there was no issue regarding excess.
Olgit said:
For a no fault accident where the third party has admitted liability it would be better to deal directly with the TP insurers. This is what I did a few years ago, when I had a no fault accident and where the TP admitted liability. The TP insurer started off by saying that they had 'approved body shops' that could collect my car, but I said that I would be taking it to my preferred body shop and they agreed to this. As the claim was dealt with directly by the TP insurer, there was no issue regarding excess.
Banking that. Good tip. I have always tried to deal with the third parties insurer in the past.
Update.
It was finally allocated to a body shop that would accept the work on the 4th July, guess which one? Yep, the very first one it was allocated to. They got the car transported to them and then decided on the 7th they couldn’t repair it and it needed to go to their main repair shop an hour away.
Having not heard anything since last Thursday I just rang them. Guess what has happened since?
Yes, correct, fk all. The main repair shop is not approved by the insurance company so we are back to stale mate until they allocate it to somebody else.
Fuming doesn’t begin to describe it!
3 weeks tomorrow and the repair has gone literally nowhere.
It was finally allocated to a body shop that would accept the work on the 4th July, guess which one? Yep, the very first one it was allocated to. They got the car transported to them and then decided on the 7th they couldn’t repair it and it needed to go to their main repair shop an hour away.
Having not heard anything since last Thursday I just rang them. Guess what has happened since?
Yes, correct, f
k all. The main repair shop is not approved by the insurance company so we are back to stale mate until they allocate it to somebody else.Fuming doesn’t begin to describe it!
3 weeks tomorrow and the repair has gone literally nowhere.
Lookup the insurance company on ceoemail.com
Compose a short, polite factual email (and your customer number, etc) with the resolution that you want.
The CEO won't read it but his exec assistants will pick it up and it will go to customer service from the office of the CEO, and be picked up by a more senior customer service leader.
Compose a short, polite factual email (and your customer number, etc) with the resolution that you want.
The CEO won't read it but his exec assistants will pick it up and it will go to customer service from the office of the CEO, and be picked up by a more senior customer service leader.
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