Any insurance assesors care to offer an opinion,
Discussion
I've had my first prang in 26 yrs of driving , I hit a parked car at 10 - 15 mph due to having absolutely zero grip /brakes /steering on black ice. It is going through as an insurance claim . My car is a Dec 2003 legacy Estate , worth realistically £4000 tops , I have a £500 total excess
The damage to my car at a glance isn't too bad , it's still drivable , lost no fluids. The visual damage is a dented bonnet cracked bumper and grille. Internally the A/C has become very noisy, sounds as if a fan / motor is rubbing against it's housing. The strengthener behind the bumper will have taken a batering too. Other than that it seems fine.
I am insured with Swiftcover ( if that has any bearing ) do you think they will write it off or go for a repair. I'm not really bothered either way but they are not collecting it until 5th Jan and if it's likely to be written off I'd like to start looking for it's replacement ASAP.
Terrible pic attached , might just show the damage
The damage to my car at a glance isn't too bad , it's still drivable , lost no fluids. The visual damage is a dented bonnet cracked bumper and grille. Internally the A/C has become very noisy, sounds as if a fan / motor is rubbing against it's housing. The strengthener behind the bumper will have taken a batering too. Other than that it seems fine.
I am insured with Swiftcover ( if that has any bearing ) do you think they will write it off or go for a repair. I'm not really bothered either way but they are not collecting it until 5th Jan and if it's likely to be written off I'd like to start looking for it's replacement ASAP.
Terrible pic attached , might just show the damage
Had a similar thing on my Frontera a couple of years ago and the prices/values were around the same.
£2500 to fix it and they did. (I'd actually hoped they'd write it off and I'd be able to buy it back then jump up and down on the bonnet till it was sort'a straight and use it like that, but no such luck.)
£2500 to fix it and they did. (I'd actually hoped they'd write it off and I'd be able to buy it back then jump up and down on the bonnet till it was sort'a straight and use it like that, but no such luck.)
Their approved repairer ( Lookers - Speke ) have told me that in their experience Swiftcover tend to write a car off if the repairs are >= 50% of the car's value . I think it makes it a borderline case so, without wishing to appear rude , I'd really appreciate the opinion of someone qualified to comment rather than speculation.
Edited by R60EST on Monday 20th December 20:19
R60EST said:
Their approved repairer ( Lookers - Speke ) have told me that in their experience Swiftcover tend to write a car off if the repairs are >= 50% of the car's value . I think it makes it a borderline case so, without wishing to appear rude , I'd really appreciate the opinion of someone qualified to comment rather than speculation.
If you want to have it repaired and not written off, make sure they spend as little as possible on other none repair costs, as I'm sure your already aware, things like "like for like" hire cars will zoom through £2k in charges in a matter of weeks.Other option is, if written off, to buy it back and fix it yourself using second hand bits
No courtesy car included in the cover. We have 3 other vehicles in the household so didn't opt for that in the policy.
I'm not a fan of the throw away society. I would like to be covered like for like , as in , it's a 7 yr old car with a few blemishes , I don't expect it to be 100% as it left the showroom when it returns. As long as the repairs are to a good standard , the AC is quiet again and there are no obvious blemishes in the new paint I'd be happy.
Swiftcover have a policy of not covering cat D vehicles , so if I opted to ' buy it back' I'd have to go elsewhere for insurance.
Just to add , I didn't plough head on into the parked car without reason ,it was 06.30 am , on a bend , adverse camber , black ice ( dec 6th 50+ cars did the same thing on the A580 that morning) and I was doing a slalom manoeuvre between 2 parked cars . I went around the first one on the left with ease but as I turned in to pass the one on the right my car didn't and just glided off to the right and...... bang
I'm not a fan of the throw away society. I would like to be covered like for like , as in , it's a 7 yr old car with a few blemishes , I don't expect it to be 100% as it left the showroom when it returns. As long as the repairs are to a good standard , the AC is quiet again and there are no obvious blemishes in the new paint I'd be happy.
Swiftcover have a policy of not covering cat D vehicles , so if I opted to ' buy it back' I'd have to go elsewhere for insurance.
Just to add , I didn't plough head on into the parked car without reason ,it was 06.30 am , on a bend , adverse camber , black ice ( dec 6th 50+ cars did the same thing on the A580 that morning) and I was doing a slalom manoeuvre between 2 parked cars . I went around the first one on the left with ease but as I turned in to pass the one on the right my car didn't and just glided off to the right and...... bang
AndrewW-G said:
ahh the Thursday before last, plenty of other people did almost exactly the same thing that morning, including a young lady in a Ka who took out the rear quater of the car I was driving.
I can't tell you how pissed off I am . I've had a few near misses over the years , some of my own doing , some not , but that's what they've been MISSES as I've had the quick reflexes and common sense to avoid them . I can't believe I've thrown all that away to hit a parked car 200 yds from homeEdited by R60EST on Monday 20th December 20:47
R60EST said:
AndrewW-G said:
ahh the Thursday before last, plenty of other people did almost exactly the same thing that morning, including a young lady in a Ka who took out the rear quater of the car I was driving.
I can't tell you how pissed off I am . I've had a few near misses over the years , some of my own doing , some not , but that's what they've been MISSES as I've had the quick reflexes and common sense to avoid them . I can't believe I've thrown all that away to hit a parked car 200 yds from homeYou're looking at about £2.5k repair there so I'd guess borderline total loss, you can always retain salvage and get it done somewhere cheaper. Some of the garages we use quote say 3k for a repair, looks like a total loss, and the clients come back with a cheaper garage at like £1250 I kid you not half the price
for the same job, big difference in labour rates.
for the same job, big difference in labour rates.
Somnophore said:
You're looking at about £2.5k repair there so I'd guess borderline total loss, you can always retain salvage and get it done somewhere cheaper. Some of the garages we use quote say 3k for a repair, looks like a total loss, and the clients come back with a cheaper garage at like £1250 I kid you not half the price
for the same job, big difference in labour rates.
If the prices stack up I'd like to buy it back. Cheapish repair using panels from a breakers yard and hope the AC can be fixed without spending £££ . I'd keep it as the winter / daily driver / Dog transporter and get rid of the Mundane-o for something sportier. for the same job, big difference in labour rates.
R60EST said:
If the prices stack up I'd like to buy it back. Cheapish repair using panels from a breakers yard and hope the AC can be fixed without spending £££ . I'd keep it as the winter / daily driver / Dog transporter and get rid of the Mundane-o for something sportier.
If youre going to do that why even put it through insurance?Add up NCD loss extra premiums etc
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