Insurance Claim - Advice Please

[MattCupra]

Anyone know anything about how insurance claims work?

Had an accident in August where the guy who drove into me admitted liability on the scene, plus I have a witness who confirms this who my insurance company has already been in contact with.

Repair has been carried out and claim is being processed, but the guy hasn’t returned his incident form or replied to letters from his insurance company, so my claim can’t be settled as a result.

My insurance needs renewing in a couple of weeks and as I have an outstanding claim quotes are £300 + more than last year. So I’m already £250 out of pocket for my excess and will be an extra £300 + if this isn’t sorted in the next two weeks.

My insurance company claim they can’t do anything except keep chasing. This has already taken 3 months – surely there must be some kind of process they follow in situations such as these to escalate it and get it sorted?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[riffy]

Nearly the same problem has happened to my girlfriend, except the work has not yet been carried out. This was back in June and we are still awaiting a resolution as the 3rd party now denies liability

She is on the phone to company nearly every day be seems to be getting nowhere

I too would like to know if there is anything that can be done to get somewhere.

 

[warren_cox]

Same happened to my Mrs a coupe of years ago. Rover 200 drove into the back of her Arosa a week before her insurance was due for renewal. The bloke said she wasn't indicating to turn right and was contesting that she had not clearly stated her intent on the road.

Went on for 4 or so months, and becuase there were no witnesses it was his word vs. hers. In my mind if you hit someone from behind who is stationary its your fault - game over.

In the end we were on the phone chasing every single day. We ended up renewing with them and didn't get a good quote as the no claims had been 'suspended' until case was closed. Insurance companies tend to shaft you in these situations. Thing is if you're absolutely in the right, I was under the belief it is their DUTY to pay you the money as thats why you insure yourself. They know that eventually they will recover the money from the 3rd party (even if in court), but its not your responsibility to carry the burden of the downtime. If it was a 50/50 accident then they have rights to progress with caution, but in clear cut cases they feck about like imbeciles until they are satisfied without doubt that its safe to pay out.

Hope it sorts itself out, but it may be worth seeking advice from CAB, getting on some websites for M.I.B (Motoring Insurers Board), and finding out your entitlements etc, and letting your insurer know in writing that you are unsatified with their progress to date considering the facts. They take the p1ss because in general they can. All the best!

 

[WatchHill]

In my mind if you hit someone from behind who is stationary its your fault - game over.

That was my understanding too. In fact I thought that except where someone pulls out in front of you it was always down to the driver to maintain adequate stopping distance. i.e. hit someone up the chuff then it's your fault.

 

[neeleyveeley]

Insurance companies are pretty crap from what I've seen - after 4 weeks mine still claims not to have a figure from the finace company so will not pay out on my car!!! I had a figure from my finace company dated 1/11!! Not happy as you can imagine.

 

[Dyna-Mikee]

I've had a similar experience, but the other way round.

I.... ahem.... rear-ended someone in my Golf. Smashed my headlight but wrote his Peugeot off (!). No doubt about it, it was my fault (I even broke the cardinal rule and admitted it as soon as I got out the car).

I had protected no-claims but my renewal quotes were still high because the other guy hadn't returned a form to say whether he was going to try and get compensation for whiplash.

I don't deserve any sympathy though

 

[Kam]

You would think that if someone went into the back of you, then it is their fault end of story .... the other party still needs to admit it for the claim to process. When there are no witnesses, it is your word against theirs ...

I am having the same problem with some b1tch, who went into the back of me and then drove off! Reported her to the police as I had her reg plate but they just came back saying that they cannot take it further as there are no independant witnesses!

Insurance are trying to get in contact but I can see this eventually resulting in me forking out to get my car fixed.

 

[Russc]

Yep, it`s a real pain if the third party won`t return the claim form. Happens loads more than you`d realise

I know it`s not much help but if it all gets sorted your insurer will reinstate your no claims bonus and refund the extra premium that they charged.

Eventually ( ask your present insurers how long they take ) they will start to threaten to issue proceedings directly against the third party.

What then happens is they take them to court, usually they can`t pay (usually don`t even turn up !!) and then your insurer issues a judgement against them.

Then and only then is the Third Party Insurance Company obliged to pay the claim.

It can take a while i`m afraid

 

[bluehaze]

I had the same problem and it took over a year to sort out, all you can do is tell the new insurance company of your situation, once it is sorted out a good company will reinstate the missing no claims and refund a percentage of your premium as if you had had it all along but at this stage you will have to pay up.

if you had legal cover on your current policy get in touch with RAC legal or similar and ask them to chase the situation and recover your excess from the third party.

Good luck

The guy that hit me had no licence or insurance, was convicted of dangerous driving as well

he got 6 points on his invisible licence and fined £180 which was less than my excess because he didnt have a job

 

[Fl@pper]

The guy that hit me had no licence or insurance, was convicted of dangerous driving as well

he got 6 points on his invisible licence and fined £180 which was less than my excess because he didnt have a job

another case of the straight and honest getting screwed

you consider a small claims compensation in court ?

 

[Lynz]

Ask your insurers to instruct solicitors. Provided you have legal expenses insurance they should do this without a problem. If you dont have expeses insurance, instruct solicitors youself. Dont go to one of these no win no fee places, they rip you off. Go to a reputable firm who wont charge you a penny, the third party insurers pay all fees, if you win.

Once the court papers are served on the third party insurers, they will settle your claim immediately, its cheaper to do that than it is to defend a court action.

This process, when done urgently, can be done within days. Your insurers will tell you otherwise but keep on at them, it can be done in as little as a week.

Good luck!

 

[Ginner]

.....I.... ahem.... rear-ended someone in my Golf....No doubt about it, it was my fault.........

I had protected no-claims but my renewal quotes were still high because the other guy hadn't returned a form to say whether he was going to try and get compensation for whiplash.......

Both me and my gf have rear ended someone this year

We both have protected no-claims.

My gf's insurance renewal quote came through 8 months after the accident (all claims had been sorted) and it was a 70% increase
I rang the ins co. to kick off and had it explained to me that protecting your no-claims does not mean that your premium will not go up. It just means that you are still entitled to the full discount on whatever they now want to quote you. So I figure if my gf didn't have PNCB then the increase would have been 130% (ie the 70% increase + the 60% NCB discount)

We went through dozens of other quotes with other companies and they all ended up in the same ball park. Only a few of the asked for the cost of the claim. Apparently insurance co.s aren't too bothered about the total cost - just the fact that you've had a bump.

Am now sat waiting for April and my insurance renewal quote....

 

[MattCupra]

thanks all for the advice - i've written to the insurance company outlining the situation and demanding they go legal (i have legal protection).

Concerned about your experience Ginner with protected no-claims - i assumed i was paying extra on my premium to ensure i'd be covered for situations like this so my premium would stay the same grrrr....

 

[LeoNine]

The guy that hit me had no licence or insurance, was convicted of dangerous driving as well

he got 6 points on his invisible licence and fined £180 which was less than my excess because he didnt have a job

Our local paper issued a free reprint of a 1936 edition today.
My eye was drawn to the report of a young scallywag who admitted six serious driving offences - he got six months hard labour, a twenty shilling fine, and lost his licence for five years !!

Ah, the good old days.........

 

[WatchHill]

he got six months hard labour

See now THAT'S punishment.
In one of the red tops today there's a story about how the lags at Broadmoor (or similar) are to get a multi-gazillion pound cinema thingy. What's all that about?

 

[consetthgt]

All insurance companies are the same... ****! Once the claim is settled they should give you a refund of the difference between having an outstanding claim and having a settled claim!