DHP goes to the Yard in the Sky

[ChrisM]

Long and short of it all is that travelling back to work in the Newcastle area I hit a pack hound running loose on the A19. Insurance have now decided that it is uneconomical to repair as quote to fix was £2,600.00. So my pride and joy for over 10 years that I was soon to spend money on suspension and steering  refresh has been written off.

Not only that the company has cancelled my insurance so it can't be driven. Damage has not made it dangerous to drive , just a dented offside bumper, creased offside wing, broken headlight fitting but not glass or bulb, but lost the offside indicator. So thanks to someone else, dog owner, I am 330 miles away from home without a vehicle with a wife who is only partially mobile needing a mobility scooter to get her around long distances, shopping et

So I have been forced to hire a vehicle so I can get to work to earn or pay a taxi fare of £15.00 each way to work.

Luckily they have said I can pay to transfer my registration plates.

So I am now on the lookout for an RX 400H as it is probably time I gave up being a boy racer in my LS400. An RX will be more practical than an LS as  as I get older I could fit a hoist for my wife's scooter to lift it into the back. The LS was great for getting it in the boot as it comes apart for travelling.

I am awaiting a call back from the Claims dept with an offer for my car, but heard nothing after a phone call last Thursday night at 20:45 - then he said he couldn't give me  quote because he couldn't check my driving license with DVLA because they were closed for the night !! Said he would phone back following day but never did. Some customer service.

I won't mention insurance company yet until everything is settled.

Anyone know of  an RX 400H available please let e know.

 

Cheers Chris.

  

 

   

[Bluesman]

There is nothing to stop you buying the car from the insurance company and getting it repaired yourself with either new or used parts. Mike.

[runsgrateasanut]

Thats really rotten luck - its what I fear, after ploughing a fair amount of filthy lucre, not to mention sleepless nights into getting the Car to A1 (to me) condition.

As I suppose you will likely only get less than a thou in value from the insurers I can imagine that they will ask for it back if you want the Car.  Are you compelled to accept their offer and have no choice on getting it back?  Interesting what Mike says?

Do you get a refund on th cancellation period of the insurance?

[Cotswold Pete]

You've got my sympathy given your situation.

If they say £2.6K to fix, I would think using a decent independent would be less than £1k to sort out, and Mk4 is such a nice machine (IMHO).

Whatever you do, I am sure there is someone out there willing to take on the LS if you go for an RX.

Best of luck with the insurance company

 

[Tinonline]

Every old car classic nightmare this.

its a shame there isn't a way of repairing via second hand parts through the insurance company. 

I would go as far to say whilst every accident and circumstance is different. Where one can initiate a repair to keep the car it is worth doing so under an unexpected maintenance cost. Avoiding the insurance company where possible: legal, moral, whilst advising them you have had to make a repair would avoid the ridiculous write off. 

Something to start a lobby on I think.

[Bluesman]

Don't forget 1st you dont have to accept the 1st offer they give you and secondly the car is still yours and doesn't belong to the insurance co or anyone else at this stage. Ask your insurance co how much they would want for your car so you can get her repaired.

I was in the same position as you around 14 months ago. I accepted £2500 for the car and bought the wreck back for £193. Repairs cost me £150 which included a used wing in the right colour.

[Haylands]

4 hours ago, Bluesman said:

There is nothing to stop you buying the car from the insurance company and getting it repaired yourself with either new or used parts. Mike.

Actually there very well maybe, most insurance companies now have exclusive deals with car dismantlers and you will not get an option to buy the salvage, these companies pay less than 10% of the payout to you for the salvage, if you then want to buy the salvage from them they will ask at least 50%... someone's making a killing...

51 minutes ago, Tinonline said:

 

its a shame there isn't a way of repairing via second hand parts through the insurance company. 

 

There are insurance companies who will allow this if you shop around...

9 minutes ago, Bluesman said:

Don't forget 1st you dont have to accept the 1st offer they give you and secondly the car is still yours and doesn't belong to the insurance co or anyone else at this stage. Ask your insurance co how much they would want for your car so you can get her repaired.

I was in the same position as you around 14 months ago. I accepted £2500 for the car and bought the wreck back for £193. Repairs cost me £150 which included a used wing in the right colour.

You were lucky, what Insurance company was it..??

[Tinonline]

It is still your property...until the matter is settled.

One is steered through their process. You do have to fight.

[The-Acre]

I had a Vauxhall estate that was written off 5 years ago, I bought it back and had it repaired and ended up with a £1,000 in my pocket. Maybe worth trying.

[plastic orange]

Sorry to hear about your plight, but I doubt they will offer any more than the £600 the AA said my dhp was worth when I queried the valuation at renewal last year. I told the person that if she could get an LS for £600, could I have 10 please. Needless to say I went elsewhere, but insurance is a con these days. It's sometimes best not to even claim, but take the hit and repair yourself.

I've not tried the classic insurers so far, but may do this year before splashing out on suspension work and some other items. I've got agreed value on 2 hotrods, so hopefully the Lexus is old enough to do the same with.

RX isn't a bad option, my wife has a RX300 SE and she thinks it's great and whilst not as well built as the LS, is still pretty nice. It's very gutsy on fuel though - my LS is my economy car. I opted for the 300 as I'm not sure about the hybrid side of things and CVT transmission, but they do seem reliable enough. Air suspension is a different matter though. Check the underside very carefully though as they do rust.

 

Pete

[Bluesman]

5 hours ago, Haylands said:

Actually there very well maybe, most insurance companies now have exclusive deals with car dismantlers and you will not get an option to buy the salvage, these companies pay less than 10% of the payout to you for the salvage, if you then want to buy the salvage from them they will ask at least 50%... someone's making a killing...

There are insurance companies who will allow this if you shop around...

You were lucky, what Insurance company was it..??

The car belongs to you and no one can take it away from you until you give them the authority to.  Esure Ins.

 

[Haylands]

Totally agree but if you want the Insurance company to pay out then you have to abide by their rules... 

[Malc]

I don't quite understand why you aren't in a position to claim from the owner of the dog, the Hunt, or whtever and avoid your car insurers totally

Malc

[plastic orange]

Very difficult to get money out of anyone for incidents like this. I hit a dog which had got off it's lead and ended up under my car as I was overtaking a lorry on a local dual carriageway - no way to avoid. Damage to car made it undriveable, but the abuse I got from the dog owner and bystanders was disgraceful, as was the reaction from the vet when I called to enquire about the dog. New front panel, radiator, viscous fan, undertray etc and car was fixed (Vauxhall Magnum estate), but cost me dear (at the time).

If you really want to keep the car, do so and repair it yourself, but I'd suggest to just get the best deal you can and move on as you'll be chasing your tail and get very frustrated with the process.

 

Pete

[steve2006]

This instant cancellation of cover after an accident is not new and it is slowly creeping in to policy "Terms and Conditions" across the board and of course another legal scam so read the small print before taking out any new policy.

In this particular case you will end up with around £600-800 minus your policy excess, minus the increased cost of a new yearly insurance policy.

Personally I would obtain the salvage ( btw what category write off is it?) which should be 10% of the write off value and then get it repaired with secondhand parts using a decent local body shop. I got my salvage returned for free having dealt directly with the 3rd party insurers.

 

 

 

[ambermarine]

There is no doubt at all in my mind that insurers are ***** Turpins behind a desk.

When I moved back to Lancashire after spending 15 years in the highlands of Scotland ,Churchill who I had been with for twelve years and never made a claim slammed a 50% rise on what was left of my annual premium ,stating postcode.

I went ballastic as I saw it for what it was, a opportunity to rip me off,I promised the cretin on the other end of the phone who kept repeating he was so sorry but was laughing up his sleeve that I would never use these shytes again.

When I came to renew in November I approached direct line who actually quoted less for a year at my new address than the previous years premium in Scotland.

I then had another cretin rang me asking why I was'nt renewing with Churchill and pointed out the reason the cretin remarked that different companies interpret  the postcodes differently.

There was silence when I pointed out that directline and churchill operate from the same address and I think belong to the same group of companies.

So I applaud anybody who argues with and fights these people at every bend in the road because they really are a bunch ***** Turpins.

[ChrisM]

20 hours ago, Bluesman said:

There is nothing to stop you buying the car from the insurance company and getting it repaired yourself with either new or used parts. Mike.

Insurance has stated they won't do that. Any way I am 330 miles away from my home so the logistics are difficult.

[Tinonline]

The aim is to avoid the write off tag and suspension of cover.

You are free to take private action to recover the damages. It's not ideal. In your case it all sounds too late for this.

If it's a minor accident then this is very easy and whilst, again you would notify your insurance company, you do not have to claim against your policy. But a caveat, of course this depends upon so many factors and your own legal protection too. We are talking about legitimate action and one's rights.

It does make you wonder who the customer is...we are part of a compulsory sausage machine of mandatory insurance so a free market of real competition is relative. In fact it is an oligopoly rather like the energy industry.

If your insurance company have inspected the vehicle (which they have) it will be more complicated a process and you will have a Cat c or d which will be a pain to insure and sell the vehicle in the future. I'm with Steve though but if you keep the car for a number of years I would accept this as a buyer for example but the insurance needs a good look into.

With any light incident - have a think first. 

[Tinonline]

feel free to name the company.

[ChrisM]

4 hours ago, Malc said:

I don't quite understand why you aren't in a position to claim from the owner of the dog, the Hunt, or whtever and avoid your car insurers tota

4 hours ago, Malc said:

I don't quite understand why you aren't in a position to claim from the owner of the dog, the Hunt, or whtever and avoid your car insurers totally

Malc

lly

Malc

When I spoke to the Hunt Master and told him a new bumper wing and lights he said Insurance job. Again working away from home makes life more difficult in the situations as don't have my V5 to hand  and have a plate I want to transfer.

[Tinonline]

Were the police involved? Hunt Master is liable here. It's not his call. You could take him to small claims for example.

 

[Malc]

Yes, BUT the Hunt's insurers NOT yours are fully liable for your loss in all respects

Malc

[ambermarine]

Chris 

I take it that the Master as acknowledged the accident occurred because of a dog in the Hunt's charge,this being the case your claim should be against the hunts insurance and under no blame criteria their insurance company must put your car as it was before the accident and cannot write it off. 

[Bluesman]

The hunt will have insurance against this sort of thing. As far as the law stands the owner of the dog is liable for any damage the dog or dogs do. As a keeper of dogs for over 40 years the law states that your dog should always on a lead on public land or the highways and if your dog causes an accident then you are (the hunt) are liable.

As is always the case you have got a battle on your hands and its down to you to decide if you want it or not.

[ChrisM]

On ‎15‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 8:09 PM, Haylands said:

Actually there very well maybe, most insurance companies now have exclusive deals with car dismantlers and you will not get an option to buy the salvage, these companies pay less than 10% of the payout to you for the salvage, if you then want to buy the salvage from them they will ask at least 50%... someone's making a killing...

There are insurance companies who will allow this if you shop around...

You were lucky, what Insurance company was it..??

 

Had a nautical name - not Captain