Non-fault collision: expected timeline?

[bobsavage789]

Hi all,

Got driven into yesterday evening; nothing serious, but my M4 needs some major cosmetic attention (maybe more, but can’t see anything beyond aesthetic damage). I submitted my claim online about an hour after it happened (heaven forfend insurers actually have a phone line…), but I haven’t heard anything since.

Other party admitted liability and I have dashcam footage.

To help plan my life over the next few days/weeks, is anyone able to give me a rough timeline of what happens and when? It’s been a while since I’ve been involved in such an incident…

[BertBert]

who did you submit your claim to? Your own insurer (or their own AMS) or direct to the third party insurer?

[bobsavage789]

BertBert said:

who did you submit your claim to? Your own insurer (or their own AMS) or direct to the third party insurer?

My own insurer (I’m not going to risk naming them, but they used to be named after a cathedral city in East Anglia…)

[BertBert]

In which case, I'd expect progress to start within a small number of days.

[dundarach]

Mrs Dundarach has something similar happen, she was parked and not even in the car. All on CCTV, full admission, police there.

Insurance (not yours) was wonderful and sorted everything out, nothing contested.

Took around 6 weeks all in still, and that was for a new axle on a 2017 Nissan Qashqui so nothing special.

Given Christmas and everything, I'd be thinking end of January subject to what needs doing, however I'm guessing the car is drivable and you're continuing to do so??

[ScoobyChris]

If liability is not contested, they will usually have an accident management company they will pass you to who will get you in an (equivalent!) hire car pretty quickly and arrange collection of the vehicle and start of repairs.

[Goatwidcoat]

My sister in law recently got rear ended in her Corsa and it's taken about 5 weeks total but they did write her car off. Only a small dent to the rear bumper and the exhaust but a 2015 Corsa clearly isn't worth saving according to them. The car was a tip (pre crash) and I couldn't see them ever selling it for more than £2k but Admiral offered £4.5k for it somehow so she snapped their hand off. From them saying they were writing it off to getting paid out it was another three weeks still in a courtesy car. Really surprised it took them so long as that hire car bill must have been a fair bit but the insurance industry all seems like one big con with seemingly unregulated cost.

[alscar]

Goatwidcoat said:

My sister in law recently got rear ended in her Corsa and it's taken about 5 weeks total but they did write her car off. Only a small dent to the rear bumper and the exhaust but a 2015 Corsa clearly isn't worth saving according to them. The car was a tip (pre crash) and I couldn't see them ever selling it for more than £2k but Admiral offered £4.5k for it somehow so she snapped their hand off. From them saying they were writing it off to getting paid out it was another three weeks still in a courtesy car. Really surprised it took them so long as that hire car bill must have been a fair bit but the insurance industry all seems like one big con with seemingly unregulated cost.

Not sure why you think that with the treatment of your SIL ?
The cost of each claim is down to each Insurer to ultimately agree.

[Goatwidcoat]

alscar said:

Not sure why you think that with the treatment of your SIL ?
The cost of each claim is down to each Insurer to ultimately agree.

It's more to do with her still being able to drive a car once everything is agreed for a further 3 weeks adding unnecessary cost to all our insurance. She wanted the money so she could get a new car and had to chase them to be able to give the car back. Just seems mad

[alscar]

Goatwidcoat said:

It's more to do with her still being able to drive a car once everything is agreed for a further 3 weeks adding unnecessary cost to all our insurance. She wanted the money so she could get a new car and had to chase them to be able to give the car back. Just seems mad

Don’t disagree with the time taken comment which certainly could have been reduced by about two thirds.
Trouble is these days “ everything “ seems to take so much longer than it needs to !

[KungFuPanda]

Try approaching the third party insurer direct. I’ve been involved in a couple of no fault accidents and went to the third party insurer and it was hassle free.

You can take your car to wherever you wish to repair. They will inside with the repairing garage and will get billed directly. They will also have contracts in place with hire companies and will offer you a hire car whilst yours is off the road. The benefit to them is that it won’t be a credit hire organisation so they will be able to keep on top of the costs.

[bobsavage789]

Thanks for the replies all.

I gave my insurers a call today, and confirmed a few of the details, and have sent it my camera footage. They’re now waiting for the third party insurers to respond to the claim.

I’ve been given a choice of credit hire “similar” car and boggo hatch from the repairers. I’m very selfishly thinking of going for the “similar” vehicle, though was put off a bit when Enterprise described my car as a mere 4 series!

I have tried speaking to the TP insurance directly, but the third party wasn’t sure who their insurer was, and when i tried calling customer services for TP’s “guessed” insurance, they refused to speak to me as they don’t discuss anything with third parties over the ‘phone…

Either way, things are starting to happen now.

[ScoobyChris]

bobsavage789 said:

I ve been given a choice of credit hire similar car and boggo hatch from the repairers. I m very selfishly thinking of going for the similar vehicle, though was put off a bit when Enterprise described my car as a mere 4 series!

My 3.0l 1-series got us offered a 3.0l A6 as that was the closest match in their eyes . We turned it down and ended up with a Merc CLA (I think). TBH would have been happy with a Fiesta just to stay mobile!