Frigging Insurance Comapanies! - Advice Welcome.

[DynamiqueDebz]

About 7-8 weeks ago I posted a thread about my best mates car getting rammed up the rear and written off.

We'll forget about her injuries for now and deal with the situation about the car today.

Her car was a total write off so the other party's insurance company gave her a curtesy car until they agreed on a settlement for her car. Two weeks ago they told her they would give her £850 for her car, she refused to accept this amount due to the fact her car cost her £1300 and she can not replace it with another car of the same type, spec, year and mileage of hers for less than £1400. She sent back the cheque they sent her along with details on the lowest priced 5 cars she could find like hers.

Today she has recieved a phone call telling her that they are coming to collect the curtesy car. She explained to them that she had sent their cheque back along with the details of 5 other cars. They say they don't know where that cheque is and are sending her out another one for £850. She told them again that that was unacceptable to which they replied they are still coming to collect their car.

She got onto her insurance company to ask what to do and they have told her there is nothing she can do.

Surely her insurance company should be acting for her to make sure she gets what her car was worth? She will now be left with no car at all and absolutely now way of getting to work.

IF she accepts the £850 for her car, the cheque (once it gets here) will take 3 days to clear. This leaves me with the daunting task of trying to find her a reasonably decent car in 3 days. In the meantime she could lose her job as she works daft hours and is almost impossible for her to get to work without a car.

Has anyone got any ideas as to how to fight this if her insurance company wont act for her? Am I right in saying she doesnt have to accept the cheque?

Any input on this is more than welcome.

Thanks.

 

[Gumby]

Hire a Solicitor?

 

[Matt_Pleece]

I refused my first offer when i was in a crash, it went from £4300 to £4675. Don't let them get away with it. Good luck. keep all recipts if she has to hire a car in the mean time.

 

[DynamiqueDebz]

A solicitor will be costly and she just hasnt got the money for that. In saying that though, if she hired one, can she claim costs back from the other party?

 

[DynamiqueDebz]

I refused my first offer when i was in a crash, it went from £4300 to £4675. Don't let them get away with it. Good luck. keep all recipts if she has to hire a car in the mean time.

I've told her not to accept it and she is on the phone to them at this minute to tell them AGAIN she won't accept it. Unfortunately for her she hasnt got the money to hire another car and charge it to the other party, otherwise I would have suggested that. They really have stuffed her up a good'un.

 

[172cupwizard]

Is it norwich union by any chance??

 

[dick]

^^ i bet it is.

 

[RichRSi]

I was offered £1600 for my car when it got written off, the offer was made over the phone (I dont know if this is the same fo your friend) and therefor I negotiated, he called me back about 5 minutes later and said £2400 what a difference!

I am going off the pesumtion now that the £1400 she wants is entirly reasonable and that is the true market value of the vehicle, not the £850 offered:

Your friend will need to complain to them and asap (but keep calm) ask why they valued the car at £850 and how they came to this conclusion. Point out that examples of vehicles in the same condition etc were sent back with the cheque and that they lost it. Make it clear that you can send more examples because they are readily available being as £1400 is the price you need to pay for a vehicle of this type.
Make them remember that the car was insured through them for market value, not what their estimation of the vehicles value is and that they are not taking into account the 'superb' overall condition of the car previous to the accident.
Mention that by failing to provide enough compensation for the vehicles true value they have essentially left her without a car, in effect the insurers have failed to provide the service she was paying for.
If she gets no response and still £850 unfortunately i can only suggest she finds a way to get to work untill a solicitor or citizens advice can get onto the case.

 

[DynamiqueDebz]

I was offered £1600 for my car when it got written off, the offer was made over the phone (I dont know if this is the same fo your friend) and therefor I negotiated, he called me back about 5 minutes later and said £2400 what a difference!

I am going off the pesumtion now that the £1400 she wants is entirly reasonable and that is the true market value of the vehicle, not the £850 offered:

Your friend will need to complain to them and asap (but keep calm) ask why they valued the car at £850 and how they came to this conclusion. Point out that examples of vehicles in the same condition etc were sent back with the cheque and that they lost it. Make it clear that you can send more examples because they are readily available being as £1400 is the price you need to pay for a vehicle of this type.
Make them remember that the car was insured through them for market value, not what their estimation of the vehicles value is and that they are not taking into account the 'superb' overall condition of the car previous to the accident.
Mention that by failing to provide enough compensation for the vehicles true value they have essentially left her without a car, in effect the insurers have failed to provide the service she was paying for.
If she gets no response and still £850 unfortunately i can only suggest she finds a way to get to work untill a solicitor or citizens advice can get onto the case.

She only had TPFT insurance. Her insurance company were the ones that told her to send details of other cars to the other partys insurance company, (which she did). Her insurance company are now telling her that because a cheque was issued (even though she declined the offer and sent it back ), the matter is now closed and there is nothing they can do for her. The other partys insurance company (Direct Line) refuse to negotiate and have said although they couldnt find the other cheque they will issue another one for the same amount. (£850).

She has just called Direxct Line and they have agreed to let her keep the curtesy car until midnight on monday. From then on she hasnt got a car.

I have just spoken to CAB and they say that unfortunately even if she doesnt agree with what they want to pay her for her car, if Direct Line wont budge she has no choice but to accept the £850. She can launch a complaint against her insurance company for not fighting her case properly, but the chances of her getting anything from that are slim. CAB also say that there would be little point in trying to prove the car was worth more than they are willing to give her because by law they dont have to pay her more than list price, even if she cant replace it for that. CAB also say that she could buy the car back from DIrect Line and get it repaired herself. This isnt an option though as it will definitely cost more than Direct Line are going to pay her to repair the darn thing!


Looks like the odds are stacked against her and she cant win.

 

[Chili Red]

Sounds to me like they've stitched her up because she wasn't paying for fully comp. I guess she'll have to take the money, find the best car she can (and quick) and change insurance companies!

I'd always be fully comp unless I drove a real shitter worth less than £300.

 

[G_F]

What car, what year.

 

[DynamiqueDebz]

What car, what year.

It was an S reg, mint condition, Fiat Bravo 1.4 SX. (Low mileage too).

 

[DynamiqueDebz]

Sounds to me like they've stitched her up because she wasn't paying for fully comp. I guess she'll have to take the money, find the best car she can (and quick) and change insurance companies!

I'd always be fully comp unless I drove a real s**tter worth less than £300.

Yep, totally agree, well and truely stitched. I always go fully comp no matter how cheap the cars is. Although in saying that, Dunc hasnt put our little 1.2 Fidji on fully comp as shes only worth around £400ish. If it had been my decision I would have fully comp on it. Grrrr! lol

 

[AliasOmega]

Doesnt she pay for legal protection on her policy, house insurance etc.

Surely this would cover you for the soliciator.

 

[DynamiqueDebz]

Doesnt she pay for legal protection on her policy, house insurance etc.

Surely this would cover you for the soliciator.

She only has legal protection is she gets injured by another party. She hasn't got house insurance as she doesn't own her house.

 

[AliasOmega]

my only other option would be too post it up on the www.moneysavingexpert.com forum for advice, probably faster and more professional that some peope on here.

May take a day or two get a real advice, maybe even email martin on this one.

 

[AliasOmega]

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/

 

[xshexisusannex]

I work in a motor claims department.
Ok, TPFT Cover, does she have legal cover on it? If so she pays an extra premium for things like this. Her insurance company should appoint their panel of Solicitors to deal with everything on her behlf.

She does not have to take the cheque, normally with disputes we would ask her to send in docs like they have disputing why they feel the offer is too low.

Call back the TPI tell them you will not accept the cheque so stop sending them, until it is cashed it is not settled. If they do not revise their file threaten them with FOS and FSA.

In regards to hire askk ur insurees to put in contact with a credit hire company such ask helpo hire angel assistan who will rip the balls out of the costs tell the tp insurance u are doin so and they will give in and give u the hire car until the matter is resolved as they will pay through teeth on a credit hire

with credit hire she ownt have to pay anythin atall as they will recover it back from them.

try n get a hold of a glasses guide and see wht it would og for at that spec and mileage, its should be the market value of the vehicle b4 the incident.

any question give a shout happy to help!

 

[xshexisusannex]

tell me the mileage and ill do a glasses guide check on it from here

if its wht they have offered no chance of disputing it

To get a bit more claim for everythin else imaginable loss of earning inconvience could get an extra 200-300 quid include phone calls and everythin!

 

[Hayley]

If the insurance won't budge and she can't afford to pursue it, shes got no option but to accept.

 

[Coxieboy]

Never, ever go to a direct insurer - yes they may be cheap, but you only get what you pay for. Go via a broker who will fight your corner for you when things get rough....!!!!