Rear door damaged.

[Britprius]

My car was backed into today on a supermarket car park while I was in the car. The driver of the other car has admitted full responsibility in writing, and we exchanged details.
The rear half of the passengers door is caved in along with some damage to the front of the rear wheel arch. The door opens, and closes ok. I will post some pictures when it gets light tomorrow, and add them to this post.
Although the damage is not extensive or structural I am concerned the insurers will write off the car the usual tale of a 12 year old car with 140k + on the clock. I know the insurers will take little or no notice of the fact that the car has new shocks all round, new rear disks and pads, new tyres, and wheel refurb in the last few months.
I guess the only sensible thing to do if it is written off is to buy it back as I doubt it would cost £500 for me to put it back as it was.

I will keep you all informed as things progress, but I do not wish to be without my car over Christmas. I know I will get a loan car but this will be a KA or something like that will not take my mobility scooter.

John.

[royoftherovers]

Sad news indeed John.So sorry to learn of the incident.

[Shahpor]

Sorry to hear this John.

It is annoying that the new bits that are fitted aren't taken into account.

Considering your situation, I would certainly be buying it back since they will probably offer it for a good price and at least you can make use of the new parts you have fitted.

[Farqui]

Gutted for you John, I hope you get it sorted with minimal fuss and agro from the insurers.

[The-Acre]

I would insist that a courtesy car meets your needs, I did once and got an estate which I needed.  I also had a car written off which I bought back, had it repaired perfectly and ended up with an extra £1,000 in my pocket so if you are written off hopefully you can win in one way.

[Linas.P]

4 hours ago, Britprius said:

Although the damage is not extensive or structural I am concerned the insurers will write off the car the usual tale of a 12 year old car with 140k + on the clock

This is not concern - it is guaranteed, mine was written-off for much less damage:

This is damage before and after some polish:

 

The only other thing was that I kerbed one wheel when trying to avoid the incident:

So if you have damaged doors I cannot imagine how they would agree to repair it and not scrap it. On the positive side, they definitely do not want to be dealing with old Lexus car so won't bother if you want to keep it.

My advise - use fraudsters against fraudsters, that is do not go to your insurance, instead got for FCA registered claims management companies. Much less hassle and they will sort everything very quickly as long as it is non-fault accident (I can share some contact in PM if interested). If you go for insurance company you will be in deep puddle for at least half a year, paying deposits, driving nissan micras and getting substandard services.

[KayCee]

Wow John really feel for you if its only the door wouldnt a indi do it for you (body specialist)

 

[Malc]

car park dings often are 50/50 whatever you may think and the other side admits

Its the insurers paying the bill, not him

if you can still safely drive the car, and you would wish to, then don't bother with a courtesy car, someone's got to pay for it and if it's 50/50, in the end that it WILL impact upon you

don't let them take your car away, even for assessment .........  they might keep it, then you're stuffed

My door crunch claim was £1500 for insurance but 2hrs work to get it looking good and my cost to purchase was a strange 27% of the write-off value

and I got cash too with a car that's now " N " recorded

Malc

 

[jumbojake]

it may be worth going through a claims adjuster, they often work to your instruction, rather than the insurance group working to their default procedure.

[Malc]

maybe but the 3rd party if he's any sense will just send it all over to his insurers to deal with and totally ignore you

Malc

[Odysseus]

How infuriating that this happened and thankfully the other party was an honest sort.

Let us know how you get on - it really doesn't take much to write cars off like ours off these days.

[OldTrout]

John,

So sorry to read about this but thankful you were not injured.

I hope all can be resolved very quickly.

John

[Britprius]

A few pictures as promised. Forgive the mud on the car, but I live in the countryside with at the moment very wet fields with muddy water running across the roads.

The amount the door is pushed in does not show well in the pictures. i am now awaiting on my insurers "Saga", but to my surprise the have already told me due to the fact it will be a no fault claim I will get an equivalent car to my own as a loan car, an automatic, and large enough to accommodate my mobility scooter. 

If push comes to shove I have already located a complete door in the correct color at £100, and will go the buy back route.
 The damage to the wheel arch I could pull, and repair easily leaving only a very small area to paint.

[KayCee]

phew john not as bad as it looks i had a Omega that got clouted in a multi story  headlight and front wing insurance gave me 3 k and option to buy back for a grand i got it done by a local body shop and was in pocket for 1200

 

[JamesIS220]

Looks very fixable.

As you say a used door and repair and it will look as good as new.

James.

[Britprius]

I have now received a letter from the third parties insurance "Covea" admitting liability for the claim, and offering there services as an open claim doesn't affect my policy, and or my renewal quote.
The letter goes on to say they will provide an equivalent car, and they will repair the car "subject to it not being a write off" with OEM parts, and give the work a life time guarantee, and comply with the manufactures warranty.
Has anyone come across this scenario before as it's a new one for me. 
I am about to contact my insurer to see what they say. I have already told my insurance that if the claim is going to affect me for the next 5 years I wish to claim any extra price rise on future premiums even if I change provider.

John. 

[KayCee]

John

I would forward the letter onto your insurance to confirm they have said it

you never know they can be slippery but im sure it is above board though

[Britprius]

7 hours ago, KayCee said:

John

I would forward the letter onto your insurance to confirm they have said it

you never know they can be slippery but im sure it is above board though

Thanks Robert. I have spoken to my insurer regarding the letter, and they were happy to explain. It seems if I had contacted the third party insurers, and discussed the claim they could say I entered a contract with them limiting the maximum rates for charges that they will pay for labor (£28 per hour), and for car rental (£54.42 per day) as listed in the letter limiting the charges my insurance company could charge them.
Since I did not contact them I did not enter into a contract, and my insurer can charge them the full price of any car rented. They have also asked if I mind forwarding the letter to them.     My insurers have asked me if a Mercedes C class would be suitable for my needs, and agreed to change this for another vehicle if it does not suit in any way "such as not being able to accommodate my mobility scooter or the boot access being to high for lifting in or out".
My insurer seems to be pulling out all the stops to make the claim painless, and cost free. They have told me I will not have to pay my excess, and there will be no excess to pay on the loan car should this become damaged in any way. My car will go to a body shop local to me "a shop I know well that does great work", they will collect and deliver the car from home, and fully valet the car. The hire car will also be delivered, and collected,  will be available to me for up to 3 months if required, and in the event of my car being written off I will keep the hire car for five working days after the settlement check arrives at my address.

The only stumbling point I still have is with the 5 year deceleration of claim "even though it's a no fault claim" that could raise premiums charged by both my existing insurer or  any future insurer. My insurers have acknowledged that this is normal throughout the industry, and I cannot claim because I do not know how much this sum would be. I am pushing this hard however on the principle that I should not be out of pocket for something beyond my control. I have pointed out that it is them that put me on this claims register allowing themselves, and other companies to gain without any reasonable justification. I know there is little chance of anything happening, but I have informed them I will take this to my MP if required. 

John.

[KayCee]

well done john i think you have covered the bases im sure this will be trouble free  i feel sure that the door will be pulled out and made good plus the rear wheel arch.

You are right to feel sceptical i would in your shoes but i firmly believe it will be trouble free  but good idea to make sure your insurance knows what the other party as said.

just as aside my wife now needs reluctantly on her part mind, needs   a mobility chair what model do you have that would fit in our boots albeit mine is mk 4 and slightly larger .

I did borrow one from my Sister in law  when i had the mk 3 but would n ot go anywhere into the boot so i aborted it but she said " i am not going in it anyway" but she will have to now

 

TAI

 

Robert

 

[Britprius]

Robert.
What mobility scooter you buy rely depends on the price your prepared to pay. I have 2 scooters. One "the larger one 24" wide 48" long" I keep at home, and use for going to the local shop, and the pub. Perhaps surprisingly I also use it as a lightweight tractor in my very large garden with a trailer on the back to carry fire logs to the house, grass, and hedge cuttings ect to a bonfire at the bottom of the garden. This has pneumatic tyres.
The other is a smaller scooter only 18" wide, and 40" long goes in the boot nicely with the scooter seat removed, and has solid tyres. This can be dismantled without tools into 4 pieces to make it easier to lift in and out. It is called a "Shop rider" and you can buy them new for circa £500, but they are readily available in good condition second hand for about £150. 
If you wish to fly off somewhere, and take a scooter with you there are folding lightweight scooters with lithium batteries made by "Luggi" that all airlines will carry, but cost from £1700 upwards, and are still around £1000 second hand with dubious Battery condition if you can find one.
If you go the SH route keep an eye on your local papers or news agents window cards as the standard scooters often appear there. Otherwise take a look at eBay.

My two scooter cost less than £300 in total. Having fitted a small crane in the boot of the car can lift the smaller one at 47kg in, and out of the boot complete with no effort. Dismantling it produces 4 lighter parts:- The rear axle, and motor. The front floor steering, and axle. The seat. The Battery box with batteries. All scooters come with an automatic charger about the size of a laptop power supply. This can be used on the scooter complete or just on the removed Battery box.
The small scooter has a range of 10 to 12 miles my larger scooter has a range of 38 miles both dependent on Battery condition. 

John.

[KayCee]

Thanks ever so much for the detailed info John but its a chair i am after as wife would not be able to work a scooter due to other problems as i said i borrowed one of my son that was his mother in laws one but wouldnt fit  and wife cant walk 10 mts without having a rest just one of reasons i dont get out as much.

But I am infinately obliged for your info

Thanks

Robert

 

[Britprius]

5 hours ago, KayCee said:

Thanks ever so much for the detailed info John but its a chair i am after as wife would not be able to work a scooter due to other problems as i said i borrowed one of my son that was his mother in laws one but wouldnt fit  and wife cant walk 10 mts without having a rest just one of reasons i dont get out as much.

But I am infinately obliged for your info

Thanks

Robert

 

Robert i am sorry to hear your your wife's problems require a chair. My sister needed a wheel chair for over half of here life suffering with MS. The problem she found was Electric chairs were too heavy and bulky to fit in most cars. Here electric joy stick operated chair was used in the house, and a folding wheel chair was used for the car, but this did not allow the independence of the electric version because she did not have the strength to propel it.

John. 

[Britprius]

The insurance assessor called today to examine my car. I am now waiting to see if it will be written off. I think for me this would be the best scenario, and buying the car back. Buying another GS450H to replace mine would be a backwards step as I would then be in a position where all the work I have done on the car could have to be done again on it's replacement.

Repairing the car would be straight forward, and although with an "N" category write off title with pictures of the damage, and repair  on what would be an old car would make little difference to it's value in the unlikely event I wish to sell it.

The assessor did comment that the door replacement in his words "for one of these an arm and a leg" so keeping my fingers crossed. If they do decide to repair the car I have lost nothing.

I will keep you all updated.

John.

[KayCee]

Fingers crossed for you mate hope all goes to plan

Robert

 

[Odysseus]

What’s the latest with this? A good outcome I hope.


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