Insurance claim

[Captrik787]

Not sure where to post this but my girlfriend just ran something over in the road. This caused all the engine lights to come on and like a typical numnut she carried on driving while all the oil pissed out of the engine until the engine seized.

So how do I approach this with the insurance? Will it be covered? The cost of repair to her 2015 mini is likely to be close to the £6-£7k value.

The report clearly states damage to underside causing oil loss and engine damage.

She admitted she’s already spoken to them but as she was in a bit of a state can’t remember what she actually said. 🙄

Don’t want to say the wrong thing to them and they come back with “breakdowns aren’t covered”.

[Ninja59]

Honestly, they might come up with the mechanical bit.

But as she ran over something in the road it is likely covered. Problem is I almost guarantee you will be in write odd territory with the value of the car and most insurers work on 50 to 60% market value prior to write off.

[Trax]

Just be careful how you word the claim.

Something engine wise was damage by the accident, but driving whilst the warning light on may have caused the damage to be worse than what was caused by the accident. Meaning, most of the damage to the engine was caused by continuing to drive, when she shouldn't have.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Trax said:

Just be careful how you word the claim.

Something engine wise was damage by the accident, but driving whilst the warning light on may have caused the damage to be worse than what was caused by the accident. Meaning, most of the damage to the engine was caused by continuing to drive, when she shouldn't have.

It shouldn't matter. Policies don't exclude stupidity or bad judgement. If they did, most fault accidents wouldn't be covered. The proximate cause of the claim was her hitting something in the road that allowed the oil to escape. She might not have reacted to that in the best way, but lots of people react wrongly to accident situations in a way that goes on to make the damage worse, but they are still covered. They might hit a cat, completely freak out, and drive into a tree.

Motor insurance excludes mechanical failure in isolation, but this is mechanical failure as a result of accidental accident damage. Comp insurance should cover it, but obviously the excess will apply and bonus will be affected.