Alfa 4C written off (leased car help needed)
Discussion
Hi all,
My lease car (Alfa 4C) has been written off. Not my fault and the other party has admitted liability.
Car was picked up in September 2017 from Thames Alfa.
GAP waiver included.
What are my next steps from here and how do I go about not ending up out of pocket?
This was my first lease car so I'm completely at a loss of who deals with who insurance wise etc...
Thank you for your time in advance.
My lease car (Alfa 4C) has been written off. Not my fault and the other party has admitted liability.
Car was picked up in September 2017 from Thames Alfa.
GAP waiver included.
What are my next steps from here and how do I go about not ending up out of pocket?
This was my first lease car so I'm completely at a loss of who deals with who insurance wise etc...
Thank you for your time in advance.
Had to call my insurers to recover the vehicle as it was not in a driveable state and didn't have the TP insurance details to hand.
Will now get in touch with TP insurers and let them know the location of the vehicle and proceed in that manner as that seems to be the consensus on this thread from I'm guessing more experienced people than I.
Thanks for the replies so far, will keep this thread updated so I don't trip myself up at any point.
Will now get in touch with TP insurers and let them know the location of the vehicle and proceed in that manner as that seems to be the consensus on this thread from I'm guessing more experienced people than I.
Thanks for the replies so far, will keep this thread updated so I don't trip myself up at any point.
Okay so update:
Car has now NOT been officially written off.
Repair cost has been quoted between 19 - 22k and insurance are sending out a third party to re-assess the vehicle.
In the mean time they are asking me to find out what the settlement figure is from my leasing company.
Am i falling into a trap here or should i let them have the settlement figure?
If the car is written off i guess:
- Set to lose my initial rental + all payments made so far + insurance premium already paid (circa £7000)
If the car is repaired:
- Get to carry on using the car, carry on paying for it and hand it back at the end of the lease without any charges (hopefully)
I believe it is in my best interest to get the car repaired? Obviously making it very clear that i would need in writing that any charges incurred at return time of the vehicle due to improper repair will be passed on.
I really feel hard done by, none of this was my fault and i'm losing money. If anyone can help with this side of things that would be great, i can only think of getting in touch with the Financial Ombudsman, Office of fair trading. Why should i as a non fault party have to lose the insurance premium that i have paid and stomach any increases in premium due to this?
I understand the financing of the car is my own choice and that is a largely lost cause.
Again thanks in advance for any constructive comments.
Car has now NOT been officially written off.
Repair cost has been quoted between 19 - 22k and insurance are sending out a third party to re-assess the vehicle.
In the mean time they are asking me to find out what the settlement figure is from my leasing company.
Am i falling into a trap here or should i let them have the settlement figure?
If the car is written off i guess:
- Set to lose my initial rental + all payments made so far + insurance premium already paid (circa £7000)
If the car is repaired:
- Get to carry on using the car, carry on paying for it and hand it back at the end of the lease without any charges (hopefully)
I believe it is in my best interest to get the car repaired? Obviously making it very clear that i would need in writing that any charges incurred at return time of the vehicle due to improper repair will be passed on.
I really feel hard done by, none of this was my fault and i'm losing money. If anyone can help with this side of things that would be great, i can only think of getting in touch with the Financial Ombudsman, Office of fair trading. Why should i as a non fault party have to lose the insurance premium that i have paid and stomach any increases in premium due to this?
I understand the financing of the car is my own choice and that is a largely lost cause.
Again thanks in advance for any constructive comments.
saaby93 said:
your insurer or third party's insurer are sending out assessor?
Have you had a loan car mean time?
what happened to the GAP insurer?
My insurers are sending out an assessorHave you had a loan car mean time?
what happened to the GAP insurer?
Getting a loan car today through my insurance
GAP was included in my lease deal as a GAP Waiver (Leasys is the lease company)
saaby93 said:
k so it's all being handled through your insurer
They'll be looking for a settlement figure now but a settlement figure to include what
Maybe if you let the lease co know you'd like to continue where you left off with a replacement car,
what sum in settement do they need from the insurer to make that happen
Insurer should compare that with the £19k+ to repair the car plus possible rework plus ongoing loan car costs to decide which way to go
The repairs are to be carried out an alfa repairer?
Yet to be decided where the repair will take place as the current repairers don't seem so keen to carry out the repair work. So that is a little unclear.They'll be looking for a settlement figure now but a settlement figure to include what
Maybe if you let the lease co know you'd like to continue where you left off with a replacement car,
what sum in settement do they need from the insurer to make that happen
Insurer should compare that with the £19k+ to repair the car plus possible rework plus ongoing loan car costs to decide which way to go
The repairs are to be carried out an alfa repairer?
Edited by saaby93 on Friday 5th January 16:16
Will get on the phone to my leasing company now and see what i can do regarding carrying on...
Maybe i have made a mistake here by not purchasing GAP from a 3rd party but i thought that the GAP WAIVER part of my agreement with LEASYS was exactly that. Have since read this:
^Covers the early termination cost (40% of outstanding rentals) in the event of an insurance write-off. Any Insurance shortfall must be covered by you.
Can't seem to get in touch with Leasys at the moment but i believe my next steps are:
- Get a settlement figure
- Pass it on to my insurance
- They will do some math and work out what is more cost effective to them and do that.
I do not really understand the replacement vehicle side of things and if the GAP Waiver and GAP insurance are two different things then that is my mistake and will be a hard lesson learnt.
I must say this whole experience has put me off owning a nice car and deflated is an understatement.
^Covers the early termination cost (40% of outstanding rentals) in the event of an insurance write-off. Any Insurance shortfall must be covered by you.
Can't seem to get in touch with Leasys at the moment but i believe my next steps are:
- Get a settlement figure
- Pass it on to my insurance
- They will do some math and work out what is more cost effective to them and do that.
I do not really understand the replacement vehicle side of things and if the GAP Waiver and GAP insurance are two different things then that is my mistake and will be a hard lesson learnt.
I must say this whole experience has put me off owning a nice car and deflated is an understatement.
MattyB_ said:
Any pics of the car (without wanting to sound morbid) ? Everyone sounds like they're OK, so either the car is expensive to repair so easily written off, or it holds up well in big accidents and you've walked away OK!
ash73 said:
Would be interested to know what £19-22K of damage looks like on one of these, maybe once the claim has been processed.
Let me get things in order then i will post images.Maybe even post a sticky or something for those leasing a car involved in an incident such as mine.
evoivboy said:
Most insurers include an old for new if under 1 year old, have you checked this?
My insurance company do not.Sheepshanks said:
You're not losing money yet, but you might if it's written off.
Is your insurance company supplying a like-for-like (or similar) hire car? That'll bump the cost up significantly if looking at the overall cost as it sounds like the repair will take some time.
Insurance companies can be odd though - the TP insurer insisted on repairing our friends Mitsubishi Colt, worth £3K max, after their policyholder heavily T-boned it recently. The bodyshop repairing it was gobsmacked. It was as if the insurance company was being awkward on purpose, as our friend wanted it written off.
In all honesty i am 98% sure it will be written off, from the tone etc of whomever i am speaking to. Is your insurance company supplying a like-for-like (or similar) hire car? That'll bump the cost up significantly if looking at the overall cost as it sounds like the repair will take some time.
Insurance companies can be odd though - the TP insurer insisted on repairing our friends Mitsubishi Colt, worth £3K max, after their policyholder heavily T-boned it recently. The bodyshop repairing it was gobsmacked. It was as if the insurance company was being awkward on purpose, as our friend wanted it written off.
Insurance company are not offering a like for like and i will be in a Vauxhall Mokka for the time being.
It's a combination of a whole lot of things and also the fact that not many places have the experience to put a car like this back together again.
To be fair to Admiral they had the car assessed on 3 separate occasions and pushed hard (as did i) for a repair.
I believe the passenger side of the tub has been compromised as has pretty much the whole of the back end of the vehicle. Long wait times for parts was also a factor, along with the large body panels of the 4C.
Really upset knowing i'll not get to drive it again, best car i have ever driven by a country mile.
To be fair to Admiral they had the car assessed on 3 separate occasions and pushed hard (as did i) for a repair.
I believe the passenger side of the tub has been compromised as has pretty much the whole of the back end of the vehicle. Long wait times for parts was also a factor, along with the large body panels of the 4C.
Really upset knowing i'll not get to drive it again, best car i have ever driven by a country mile.
kambites said:
Or just buy another one, if you liked it that much. There's plenty in the classifieds. 
The whole reason i leased it for a couple of years was as that sense of use and then returning it suited me while i saved up for a house, marriage and life.Anyway.... Thanks for the help so far, if anyone is aware of what else i can chase down to make this as financially painless as possible that'd be great.
Squadrone Rosso said:
Admiral do New for old in year 1.
You should be back in a 4C with no loss to yourself.
Insurance sucks in general.
4. New car replacementYou should be back in a 4C with no loss to yourself.
Insurance sucks in general.
If your car is 12 months old or less and you are the first registered keeper and the car is:
y stolen and unrecovered; or
y suffered damage which is covered by the policy and the cost of repairing is more than
59% of the current UK list price (including VAT)
TooMany2cvs said:
Absolutely.
The OP was driving a car worth £x.
The car no longer exists, so the insurer provides £x to replace it.
Same financial position.
It's not the insurer's fault or problem that crystallises the OP's debt to the finance company. They were in -ve equity before the collision, they're in -ve equity after it.
Let's see what happens, will be trying to chase at least a part of the payments made down. Whether the pursuit if fruitful is yet to be seen.The OP was driving a car worth £x.
The car no longer exists, so the insurer provides £x to replace it.
Same financial position.
It's not the insurer's fault or problem that crystallises the OP's debt to the finance company. They were in -ve equity before the collision, they're in -ve equity after it.
ash73 said:
The car is a sad sight, feel sorry for the OP 
The drawback of a carbon tub I guess.
At least we can all learn from the discussion.
Exactly, after all is over i think i'll make a little FAQ regarding Leasing.The drawback of a carbon tub I guess.
At least we can all learn from the discussion.
saaby93 said:
It may not quite work like that
What is the cost of a replacement 4C a few months old, with no previous owners?
Assuming you claim through your own insurer, maybe try to find out if the cost of replacement ( what is the the cost of a new 4C to you from a dealer) would be enough to allow your lease co to get you back in a new car
Or from the other end - what settlement figure do the finance co need to get you back in another car
If your own insurer wont play ball and merely want to come to arrangement with the lease co to minimise their outgoings, try the same with the TP insurers.
Someone may be helpful
Did try this but Leasys were not interested in the slightest.What is the cost of a replacement 4C a few months old, with no previous owners?
Assuming you claim through your own insurer, maybe try to find out if the cost of replacement ( what is the the cost of a new 4C to you from a dealer) would be enough to allow your lease co to get you back in a new car
Or from the other end - what settlement figure do the finance co need to get you back in another car
If your own insurer wont play ball and merely want to come to arrangement with the lease co to minimise their outgoings, try the same with the TP insurers.
Someone may be helpful
Insurance have settled up with the leasing company and now just liability and other legal costs are left to tie up.
saaby93 said:
In an earlier thread PHers dicussed whether the lease co could claim all the future payments as per contract, but it was said the Finance Act would take a dim view of claiming for something which you are no longer able to use.
The only other scope is to claim uninsured losses from the third party. One way or another you'll be claiming your excess from them. Your insurer will be claiming the lease settlement (any idea what it was) and fees from the TP too.
Are you bring refunded outstanding insurance premium?
Do you have any legal cover you can use to support your corner?
Insurance premium will be refundedThe only other scope is to claim uninsured losses from the third party. One way or another you'll be claiming your excess from them. Your insurer will be claiming the lease settlement (any idea what it was) and fees from the TP too.
Are you bring refunded outstanding insurance premium?
Do you have any legal cover you can use to support your corner?
Excess will be claimed back
Yes i have legal cover, currently seeing what i can claim back (if anything) from payments already made, initial rental etc..
Rick101 said:
Why the feck would you think you should be entitled to payments already made for the lease back?
Its a per month cost. You paid a set amount for the month and you had use of the car for that month.
You've already said anything they will refund anything after the incident back to you.
I don't understand the downer on lease companies. It seems to me they have done exactly what they should have done. OP is relieved of his previous financial obligations and now needs to go either lease another car or buy via another method.
If you are going to lease, id suggest reading the sticky. Lots of useful information available but to condense it. No more than 3x, and insure that initial with GAP.
Its a per month cost. You paid a set amount for the month and you had use of the car for that month.
You've already said anything they will refund anything after the incident back to you.
I don't understand the downer on lease companies. It seems to me they have done exactly what they should have done. OP is relieved of his previous financial obligations and now needs to go either lease another car or buy via another method.
If you are going to lease, id suggest reading the sticky. Lots of useful information available but to condense it. No more than 3x, and insure that initial with GAP.
Herbs said:
Yes but it is a grey area - technically insurance is there to restore you to the same position that you were in before the non-fault accident.
If he has lost his deposit so soon after paying it then he is going to be unable to restore himself to the same position he was in before which is a) unfair and b) not correct.
I imagine there will be a change in law for this soon as otherwise what would happen if you took out a 9+x contract and someone wrote it off/stole it 2 months later - it becomes very expensive and as soon as more than a handful of people get caught out, it will cause uproar.
The contact at Leasys also said this and has had some clients successfully reclaim some of their payments. Worth a try.If he has lost his deposit so soon after paying it then he is going to be unable to restore himself to the same position he was in before which is a) unfair and b) not correct.
I imagine there will be a change in law for this soon as otherwise what would happen if you took out a 9+x contract and someone wrote it off/stole it 2 months later - it becomes very expensive and as soon as more than a handful of people get caught out, it will cause uproar.
Edited by Herbs on Friday 12th January 09:18
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