Car insurance write off

[2ddesign]

Hi advice please

today my insurance contacted me about the accident, when someone pulled out in front and I ran into them.

the Rx450h 2010 model I purchased one year ago for £23000 is now according to them a write off as the repairs would cost £15600! The vehicle They say is only worth £17000? So to them it is not worth repairing !

Iam away on holiday in Cornwall and will return tomorrow to Cardiff and will speak to them on Thursday!  To say I am stunned by this news is an understatement!

As yet I do not have an answer to this any advise please!

2ddesign

[plastic orange]

Sadly, that's insurance for you. Similar thing happened to my son - his car ( 55 plate Vauxhall Signum Elite - low mileage and mint) was hit side on by another driver, so no blame attached to my son. Local repairer wanted £1500 to repair, but insurers said it had to go to their recommended repairer (Nationwide). They estimated £3k, so car was written off and they eventually offered £2300 for it.

After a bit of haggling he accepted and bought a Lexus RX300. Best option is to haggle and provide evidence of what cars with similar mileage age and condition are fetching, but you will be tearing your hair out in the process.

 

Pete

[2ddesign]

Thank you plastic orange for your advice, I am having sleep problems already!

2ddesign

[plastic orange]

An option that you may decide to take is to buy the car back and have it repaired yourself. Downside (notwithstanding the hassle) is that it will have a category (C or D) attached to it, and should you decide to sell, it will attract a lesser price than a non category car.

I view Insurance as a donation as it never does what it says on the tin. I do however have agreed value on my hotrods, but i'd dread getting any sort of damage on my LS400 as it would written off for the slightest reason (value wise).

 

Pete

[graham8370]

Hi jack, firstly, I'm assuming the accident was not your fault, right?

If thats the case, take your car to Lexus. The 3rd party's insurer will probably say that it has to go to their recommended repairers. NO IT DOESN'T.

Get an estimate from Lexus. If the insurers still want to write it off, Lexus will give you an accurate cost of replacement for a car of similar spec, mileage, condition, etc. Let them argue with Lexus as to a value (if the salesman thinks a sale might be in the offing, he'll be on your side). If the accident was the 3rd party's fault, then you should be recompensed to the situation you were in before the accident, shouldn't cost you a penny.

If the accident was your fault, we'll have to have a rethink.

Best of luck, Graham.

[graham8370]

1 hour ago, plastic orange said:

. Local repairer wanted £1500 to repair, but insurers said it had to go to their recommended repairer (Nationwide). They estimated £3k, so car was written off and they eventually offered £2300 for it.

Hi Angus, I must be missing something here.

They could have settled at a final payment of 1500.

Their approved repairers wanted 3000.

They ended up paying out 850 above what they could have done.

Would recommend everyone sells their shares in this insurance company.

If I am missing something could somebody kindly put me right. Many thanks, Graham.

[2ddesign]

Graham many thanks for your advice and I am the innocent party in this mess! If I can get to the stage I was at before the accident with my Lexus, it might be a Miracle!

jack

[plastic orange]

1 hour ago, graham8370 said:

Hi Angus, I must be missing something here.

They could have settled at a final payment of 1500.

Their approved repairers wanted 3000.

They ended up paying out 850 above what they could have done.

Would recommend everyone sells their shares in this insurance company.

If I am missing something could somebody kindly put me right. Many thanks, Graham.

Graham, I thought it was madness too, but that's the world of insurers it seems.

They said if my son took it to his repairer that he would have to pay an extra £250 himself - first time i'd heard that one as I thought like you that he could have taken it anywhere. Of course, there must be some deal going on between insurers and their preferred repairers. He did come out of it ok-ish as he was thinking of moving the car on, but it was hassle he could do without. It does seem that there isn't much you can really do to get you back to the position you were in prior to the accident.

 

Pete

[rayaans]

Sounds about right providing the insurer has got the estimates on th repair right.

Their value seems spot on for a 2010 model providing the new 4RX came out which made the 3RX go down in value and normal depreciation of course.

£15600 seems a lot though so as above get it checked over by Lexus bodyshop. I remember the pic you put up and can safely say you need a new bumper, bonnet, lights and Fenders along with th associated grills etc. But £16k? I don't think so. Lexus replaced front bumper and Fender on the IS for £3k. Id say maybe £12k at most. Depending on the insurer they pay up to 70% of value before writing off so I'd haggle to say the value is higher or somehow find a lower estimate

 

[Assa1974]

The whole industry is a scam. The 'authorised' repairer sees the opportunity to quote high knowing that if it's approved they're quids in and if it isn't they'll make an offer to the insurance company to buy the car themselves, repair it cheaply and sell it on for a huge profit. My Alfa was written off by a relatively minor accident which the repairer hugely over-estimated the repair on (total respray to match the damaged panels which added massive labour charge). As it was deemed to be my fault (which it wasn't, at best it was knock-for-knock as the other party drove into me as I was reversing into a parking space but because they claimed to have stopped I was deemed at fault) I was in no position to argue. Next thing I know I'm getting a letter from the DVLA to ask why I'm trying to export the car abroad! The reparier had bought and repaired the car and was shipping it somewhere but the DVLA hadn't yet been notified of the change of ownership by the insurance company.

Graham's advice seems the soundest. However, if the insurance company values your car at £17k and the repairs are going to cost £15,600 then presumably they will sell it back to you for £1,400 in it's current state and you'll get the £17k as your pay-out. Even if you end up with a Cat C/D registered car I'd say it's worth thinking about getting it repaired yourself. I bet it can be done for around £10k as a private job. My wife bashed the door in on her old 307CC and we were quoted £2700 for an insurance repair and £400 for a private repair. It's amazing what little extras insurance repairers will find to do.

 

[mikeyv]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Well said.

The whole business is one big fiddle, from the ridiculous manufacturers prices for body and trim parts, to the ramping up of any estimate that involves an insurance claim.

Been going on ever since I can remember, and probably always will.

[2ddesign]

Hi

 

Just returned from our Cornwall holiday, went to see my Rx 450h at FIX Auto Cardiff and can it get worse the vehicle was picked up by a scrap company that deals in high end cars on the instructions of Allianz Insurance yesterday. All I have now is a copy of the estimate of repairs from FIX Auto I picked up this morning!

I was hoping to get an independent vehicle valuation of the repairs, that is if it is still in one piece...

 

[mikeyv]

I'd be inclined to wave it goodbye and move on.

Firstly, there is always a doubt about a heavily repaired vehicle, as far as it being as good as it was pre accident.

Secondly, any future buyer may spot that it's had extensive bodywork done, and be put off, or bid low on it.

Obviously, I'd bargain hard to get a decent write off deal, to hopefully soften the blow a little.

[Bluesman]

The other thing to remember is that should you go with repairing the insurance co will have it CAT registered at the DVLA no matter how much you pay for the repairs. Legally the car is still yours and is yours until you tell the insurance co you dont want it so if you do want it make the garage get your car back from the breakers. Mike.

[rayaans]

Yeah I'd just move on as well. Plenty of Lexus RX around to choose from

[2ddesign]

Yes sadly I have Come to the same conclusion as well. Gathering evidence to try and improve my insurance payout of £18000, so I can afford a replacement Rx 450 2010 model with tow bar.

Thank you all for your advice!

jack

[rayaans]

18 hours ago, 2ddesign said:

Yes sadly I have Come to the same conclusion as well. Gathering evidence to try and improve my insurance payout of £18000, so I can afford a replacement Rx 450 2010 model with tow bar.

Thank you all for your advice!

Jack

Don't worry about the tow bar if buying from a dealer. They'll fit it for free if they really want the sale

[bobmc]

you could always ask for the tow bar back off the old car before they move it on for salvage or repair.

 

[2ddesign]

I do not think I would get that tow bar without purchasing it and removing it myself, too much agro thanks Bob! 

Witter tow bar supplier in Bristol, offer for a RX 450h an all in price of tow bar and electric's fitted for £724.26 inc VAT! 

see http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/towbar.php?id=7224&year=37

[2ddesign]

Just had an e mail from the insurance company, the offer is now £18800? This is their best offer but is still short of what I need to have Rx 450 Premier model?

 

[graham8370]

Hi jack, your avatar details say you have a SL. £18800 is a good offer for a 2010 SL. 

[graham8370]

Ask them to negotiate on this for you.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201606084730975?search-target=usedcars&make=lexus&model=rx_450h&year-from=2010&page=9&radius=1501&postcode=kt130ta&searchcontext=default&sort=default&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&logcode=p&adPos=1

[rayaans]

2 hours ago, 2ddesign said:

Just had an e mail from the insurance company, the offer is now £18800? This is their best offer but is still short of what I need to have Rx 450 Premier model?

 

That is definitely a good offer tbh. Id prob only get £20k for my RX F Sport if I PXed it and it's got average mileage and in showroom condition bar normal wear and tear 

[doro708]

Hi jack, 

I suggest you to go an do a valuation on the http://www.glass.co.uk/ . Pay the £3.95 fee for a professional one where you can actually put your correct mileage and all the extras .

This is what i did when i was in a very similar situation like you as i read somewhere that this is what the insurers use for their valuations. So i told them i did the valuation and i have a certificate from the website that says the real value of the car and that will be minimum accepted . They called me back in a few minutes and accepted my quote. 

[2ddesign]

Hi Doro

thank you for the information,at the moment my insurance company are quoting the Glass guide in our comunications. At last I have some hard evidence from Lexus Reading on the value of my car at the time of purchase that proves it is a Premier model as is, not just a Rx 450h SEL model purchased in 2010. So I will try that site out shortly when I return from my holidays!

jack