Non-fault claim
Discussion
Not sure if this is the right section. Mrs Goingonholiday was stationary at a junction and a car has run into the back of her car. Damage isn't too bad but a quick check at a local body shop suggest a decent sized bill. The driver of the other car, afer initially saying they would pay privately is now saying its an insurance claim.
Mrs G had notified her insurance anyway as it was notifiable. She rang back today with the update and to give some more details (few things missing when they exchanged details at roadside) and her insurance have said, we'll deal with it. Half an hour later, call from enterprise asking details and arranging an equivalent hire car. They just need to know when her car goes in for repair and they supply hire car.
In the meantime the other drivers insurer has been in touch offering £200 if she deals with them and also offering £500 if she doesn't need a hire car.
Having never claimed before what is the norm here? Any advantage or disadvantage to dealing with the other drivers insurer or her own? It is very confusing!
Mrs G had notified her insurance anyway as it was notifiable. She rang back today with the update and to give some more details (few things missing when they exchanged details at roadside) and her insurance have said, we'll deal with it. Half an hour later, call from enterprise asking details and arranging an equivalent hire car. They just need to know when her car goes in for repair and they supply hire car.
In the meantime the other drivers insurer has been in touch offering £200 if she deals with them and also offering £500 if she doesn't need a hire car.
Having never claimed before what is the norm here? Any advantage or disadvantage to dealing with the other drivers insurer or her own? It is very confusing!
The third party insurer are trying to keep her away from using an Accident Management Company who will supply her with a car at inflated rates which they will ultimately reclaim from the third party.
I’m not sure if Enterprise are acting as just a hirer at normal spot rates or as a credit hire company. You need to seek clarification on that point.
There’s no problem with going with the third party insurer for them to deal with the claim. They will bend over backwards to make it as smooth as possible. They’ll also provide a hire at no cost to your other half if she needs one. Also, she’ll avoid having to use a credit hire company. With this, she’ll avoid any risk of having to go to a court to help them recover their hire invoice if the third party insurer play hardball.
I’m not sure if Enterprise are acting as just a hirer at normal spot rates or as a credit hire company. You need to seek clarification on that point.
There’s no problem with going with the third party insurer for them to deal with the claim. They will bend over backwards to make it as smooth as possible. They’ll also provide a hire at no cost to your other half if she needs one. Also, she’ll avoid having to use a credit hire company. With this, she’ll avoid any risk of having to go to a court to help them recover their hire invoice if the third party insurer play hardball.
What do you feel most comfortable with.
Is the car your insurer's appointed repairer providing a courtesy car, or have they farmed it out to an accident management company & it's credit hire?
Be careful with credit hire, you have a responsibility to keep costs reasonable or you may be on the hook.
Do you need a hire car?
It's getting quite usual for 3rd parties insurers trying to deal direct with you in order to avoid them paying AMCs inflated figures.
Are they willing to let you have a say over repairer rather than stipulating their own?
Will they provide a courtesy car (if you need one) that is not credit hire?
Is the car your insurer's appointed repairer providing a courtesy car, or have they farmed it out to an accident management company & it's credit hire?
Be careful with credit hire, you have a responsibility to keep costs reasonable or you may be on the hook.
Do you need a hire car?
It's getting quite usual for 3rd parties insurers trying to deal direct with you in order to avoid them paying AMCs inflated figures.
Are they willing to let you have a say over repairer rather than stipulating their own?
Will they provide a courtesy car (if you need one) that is not credit hire?
Enterprise wanted to know all of the details about the incident so we assume they are acting as a credit hire rather than a simple hire.
They rang within 30 mins of her informing her insurer!
Sounds like there are no disadvantages to dealing direct with the other drivers insurer if they are also offering a cash incentive?
It all feels a bit disingenuous and a simple, relatively low cost claim will spiral really quickly!
They rang within 30 mins of her informing her insurer!
Sounds like there are no disadvantages to dealing direct with the other drivers insurer if they are also offering a cash incentive?
It all feels a bit disingenuous and a simple, relatively low cost claim will spiral really quickly!
They’re offering you a cash incentive simply because it will get expensive for them if you go to an AMC.
I’ve been involved in two non fault claims and on both occasions, went with the third party insurer. They provided a loan car at no cost to myself. On one occasion I even picked my own repairer and they authorised the repairs directly with the garage.
Personally, I’d go with the third party insurer to take care of everything.
I’ve been involved in two non fault claims and on both occasions, went with the third party insurer. They provided a loan car at no cost to myself. On one occasion I even picked my own repairer and they authorised the repairs directly with the garage.
Personally, I’d go with the third party insurer to take care of everything.
Another vote for going with the third party insurer. As others have said, they have accepted liability and are wanting to keep their costs to a minimum (whiich it won't be if an accident management company become involved). I had a similar situation a few years ago and had arranged the repair through my insurance. The third party's insurer was happy with the choice of repairer as they were on their list of approved repairers and everything just went very smoothly. If I'd gone through my own insurer I'd have had to pay my excess and it would have been claimed back from the third party insurer - which wouldn't have been a problem as there was no dispute about liability - but it was very convenient to just turn up at the repairer and get my car back without anything else being involved.
Having just gone through EXACTLY the same apart from my car was parked, as above they want to limit their liability so you don't go through others who want to inflate costs.
Your ins co need to be told that the claim is non fault & undisputed so that it wont affect your policy/excess etc.
Unfortunately due to the time of year it will likely be a few weeks before your car is fixed, but stick with their ins co for simplicity, but try to get a direct dial number for the person dealing with it, as I didn't I spent many hours on fruitless emails & on-hold phone calls.
Your ins co need to be told that the claim is non fault & undisputed so that it wont affect your policy/excess etc.
Unfortunately due to the time of year it will likely be a few weeks before your car is fixed, but stick with their ins co for simplicity, but try to get a direct dial number for the person dealing with it, as I didn't I spent many hours on fruitless emails & on-hold phone calls.
QJumper said:
I would be happy to go through the third party, but wouldn't take a cash offer until I'd had an estimate done. I'd just ask them to cover the cost of repairs at my chosen garage plus a loan car in the interim. Otherwise I'd let my own insurer deal with it.
The £200 is to let them deal with it rather than an accident management co.The £500 (enhancement/incentive) is either in addition to the repair, or to cover the cost of a courtesy/hire car when in for repair. (lets face it most insurance approved repairers have their own fleet & charge nothing anyway)
Let your own insurer deal with it & you COULD lose your excess and POSSIBLY be penalised at renewal time.
One question / note of caution - who is paying for the repairs? Your insurer, or the 3P insurer directly? (and is it an approved repairer for your insurer?)
I ask as if the 3P is paying directly then there is a gap to be aware of - they do not have any duty of care to you, only to their insured. So if the repairs turn out to be sub-standard, you will need to have the argument directly with the bodyshop, as the 3P insurer will just pay the bill and wash their hands...
If the 3P insurer is just offering you a settlement to avoid them paying car-hire costs, then I'd ask two questions of the relevant parties:-
- am I going to get a guaranteed courtesy car from the bodyshop (& if it's a little Kia-something, is that OK)?
- if not, how long are the repairs likely to take, and can I manage that long without a car?
I ask as if the 3P is paying directly then there is a gap to be aware of - they do not have any duty of care to you, only to their insured. So if the repairs turn out to be sub-standard, you will need to have the argument directly with the bodyshop, as the 3P insurer will just pay the bill and wash their hands...
If the 3P insurer is just offering you a settlement to avoid them paying car-hire costs, then I'd ask two questions of the relevant parties:-
- am I going to get a guaranteed courtesy car from the bodyshop (& if it's a little Kia-something, is that OK)?
- if not, how long are the repairs likely to take, and can I manage that long without a car?
Years ago I went direct to their insurers.
The upshot is they promised swift turnaround (in their interest) and they did.
If I had gone through mine it'd been a slow slow process as they'd engage their hire car, no rush and no rush for them to get back driving asap as I'm one of thousands no doubt.
I would not deal with accident management no matter if I was offered it by my insurers. I see that as a cop out of their responsibilities to me, the customer.
The upshot is they promised swift turnaround (in their interest) and they did.
If I had gone through mine it'd been a slow slow process as they'd engage their hire car, no rush and no rush for them to get back driving asap as I'm one of thousands no doubt.
I would not deal with accident management no matter if I was offered it by my insurers. I see that as a cop out of their responsibilities to me, the customer.
Thanks for all of the advice. Mrs G is now dealing direct with the other drivers insurers. They are fine with us using our own preferred repairer and we don't need a courtesy car so seems ideal to take the cash offer in leu of a replacement car. We're happy with what has been agreed!
It seems pretty crazy that our own insurer wanted to act as an AMC and effectively inflate the cost for the other insurance company but I guess that is how it works these days!
It seems pretty crazy that our own insurer wanted to act as an AMC and effectively inflate the cost for the other insurance company but I guess that is how it works these days!
goingonholiday said:
Thanks for all of the advice. Mrs G is now dealing direct with the other drivers insurers. They are fine with us using our own preferred repairer and we don't need a courtesy car so seems ideal to take the cash offer in leu of a replacement car. We're happy with what has been agreed!
It seems pretty crazy that our own insurer wanted to act as an AMC and effectively inflate the cost for the other insurance company but I guess that is how it works these days!
Please see my post above - if your chosen repairer doesn't do a good job, you will find yourself totally reliant on the repairer's goodwill, as the 3P insurer will just pay their bill and both can then legally walk away.It seems pretty crazy that our own insurer wanted to act as an AMC and effectively inflate the cost for the other insurance company but I guess that is how it works these days!
havoc said:
Please see my post above - if your chosen repairer doesn't do a good job, you will find yourself totally reliant on the repairer's goodwill, as the 3P insurer will just pay their bill and both can then legally walk away.
And what happens in the same circumstance with your own insurer?Hugo Stiglitz said:
Is this your own experience?
Yes. ~15 years ago, first claim, so no prior knowledge, knew I didn't want to go to an approved repairer though, didn't know not to go direct to 3P insurer. That combination proved problematic when the bodyshop put clear coat over a load of what appeared to be white polish residue in one area. 3P insurer (with links to a great British leader) basically told me to f-off, they'd done their job, and I'd chosen the bodyshop.An argument with the bodyshop principal finally prevailed as he realised that if I did take him to small claims court he'd be stuffed as it was bloody obvious. If it hadn't been so obvious I think I'd have been in a bit of difficulty.
BertBert said:
havoc said:
Please see my post above - if your chosen repairer doesn't do a good job, you will find yourself totally reliant on the repairer's goodwill, as the 3P insurer will just pay their bill and both can then legally walk away.
And what happens in the same circumstance with your own insurer?The point of going through a private settlement (outside of insurers) is to avoid any subsequent increase in costs from notification of the insurance companies.
Generally costs of insurance go up even with a non-fault claim.
At this point as the insurance company has already been notified , I see no reason to not go through insurance....
Generally costs of insurance go up even with a non-fault claim.
At this point as the insurance company has already been notified , I see no reason to not go through insurance....
CarCrazyDad said:
The point of going through a private settlement (outside of insurers) is to avoid any subsequent increase in costs from notification of the insurance companies.
Generally costs of insurance go up even with a non-fault claim.
At this point as the insurance company has already been notified , I see no reason to not go through insurance....
Going through third party insurers doesn't stop the claim being entered on the system or you having to inform your insurers (subsequent insurers) of the accident at renewal.Generally costs of insurance go up even with a non-fault claim.
At this point as the insurance company has already been notified , I see no reason to not go through insurance....
The main reason to go to third party (if you wish to) is that you don't have to pay & claim back your excess, it tends to get dealt with quicker, it removes the potential head ache of credit hire & inflated costs of AMCs etc.
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