Poor Insurer Approved Bodywork
Discussion
Hi Chaps
Need some thoughts on a situation which has been going on for far too long.
Last November, someone crashed into the rear of our family car fairly significantly. We went through the usual channels, our insurer organised one of their approved bodyshops, and the car was back with us after a few weeks. However, it wasn't right - the tailgate was binding with the rear bumper, and the paintwork wasn't quite right - despite me visiting the repairer before they started the work to try to intimate to them that I worked in the industry, and knew a little more than a typical customer of what I was looking at, and wouldn't accept any old sloppy repair. They took the car back to resolve, but still there were issues. Fast forward to this summer, and the car has been back with them 4 times, the boot still needs to be slammed closed, there are runs and bubbles under the paint, and I finally had enough.
I spoke to the insurer and explained I was not satisfied with the repair. They sent an independent assessor to look at it, and the bodyshop sent a representative too. We concurred that the boot latching wasn't correct, and that the paint issues weren't acceptable - and there is a report to substantiate this. The bodyshop wanted to take the car back again but I told my insurer that I had lost confidence in them and it needed to go elsewhere.
They searched, but said that none of their other approved repairers have capacity currently (reading between the lines, nobody wants the job). The insurer then asked me to get some quotes of my own, and surprise surprise, the big garages don't want to touch it, or will charge a diagosis charge to remove bumper and inspect, but to guarantee the work, they would essentially have to start all over again. A local place with good reviews gave me good advice and also said they wouldn't be interested unless there is a clear agreement on payment for the diagnosis, and subsequent repairs (they don't usually work with insurers).
So now I feel I have no option but to let it go back to the same place for them to have another go at it, which out of principle I don't want to do.
Thoughts please....
Need some thoughts on a situation which has been going on for far too long.
Last November, someone crashed into the rear of our family car fairly significantly. We went through the usual channels, our insurer organised one of their approved bodyshops, and the car was back with us after a few weeks. However, it wasn't right - the tailgate was binding with the rear bumper, and the paintwork wasn't quite right - despite me visiting the repairer before they started the work to try to intimate to them that I worked in the industry, and knew a little more than a typical customer of what I was looking at, and wouldn't accept any old sloppy repair. They took the car back to resolve, but still there were issues. Fast forward to this summer, and the car has been back with them 4 times, the boot still needs to be slammed closed, there are runs and bubbles under the paint, and I finally had enough.
I spoke to the insurer and explained I was not satisfied with the repair. They sent an independent assessor to look at it, and the bodyshop sent a representative too. We concurred that the boot latching wasn't correct, and that the paint issues weren't acceptable - and there is a report to substantiate this. The bodyshop wanted to take the car back again but I told my insurer that I had lost confidence in them and it needed to go elsewhere.
They searched, but said that none of their other approved repairers have capacity currently (reading between the lines, nobody wants the job). The insurer then asked me to get some quotes of my own, and surprise surprise, the big garages don't want to touch it, or will charge a diagosis charge to remove bumper and inspect, but to guarantee the work, they would essentially have to start all over again. A local place with good reviews gave me good advice and also said they wouldn't be interested unless there is a clear agreement on payment for the diagnosis, and subsequent repairs (they don't usually work with insurers).
So now I feel I have no option but to let it go back to the same place for them to have another go at it, which out of principle I don't want to do.
Thoughts please....
Is there a main dealer/manufacturer approved bodyshop within a reasonable distance you could insist the insurance company use instead? They may not be any better, but it gets another line of accountability by having the manufactuere approval.
I suspect the insurance will be pushing for the place which bodged the repair before to do the work though as it won't cost the insurance company any more money that way. If they contract anyone else to do the work, they will be paying on top of what they've already paid the first repair workshop.
Given you've already got through the difficult stage of having the insurance acknowledge the repair isn't good enough, is there any harm in the same place trying to fix their errors? Chances are they will put their most experienced staff on it second time around and will try to do a decent job this time as they will be at risk of losing future work from the insurance company.
They won't be getting paid any more money to put right the job they did wrong the first time round, so surely that is better "in princple" than keeping the money for doing a bad job and not having to fix their errors.
I suspect the insurance will be pushing for the place which bodged the repair before to do the work though as it won't cost the insurance company any more money that way. If they contract anyone else to do the work, they will be paying on top of what they've already paid the first repair workshop.
Given you've already got through the difficult stage of having the insurance acknowledge the repair isn't good enough, is there any harm in the same place trying to fix their errors? Chances are they will put their most experienced staff on it second time around and will try to do a decent job this time as they will be at risk of losing future work from the insurance company.
They won't be getting paid any more money to put right the job they did wrong the first time round, so surely that is better "in princple" than keeping the money for doing a bad job and not having to fix their errors.
Normally most insurance policies state lifetime warranty on repairs (for as long as you own the car).
The original bodyshop will effectively be doing the multiple repairs for free.
Whilst you work out what to do, I'd invoke your Insurers complaints procedure and make it very much THEIR problem to find a decent bodyshop.
The original bodyshop will effectively be doing the multiple repairs for free.
Whilst you work out what to do, I'd invoke your Insurers complaints procedure and make it very much THEIR problem to find a decent bodyshop.
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