Most probably written off, how much should I be asking?

Shepherd · February 11, 2023

Hi all

Car was reversed into by the neighbour car. Insurance took it away, the guy who took it said will most probably be written off. Not heard anything back yet still chasing the insurance, while enjoying a CH-R hire they provided
I got the RX it for £4K about 6 years ago and have driven it to 150K miles.
Now looking at auto trader the high milers are selling for £3.5K to £4K still (Crazy)

I am dreading the call from insurance as I hate negotiating. But what would be the book value of the car they'll offer? Should I accept that or try and negotiate to 3.5 to 4 K?

It does seem unfair that out of no where my pride and joy is no more and then to not even get enough money to be able to replace it?
Auto trader wont give me valuation, says more then 15 yar old so it's unable to do so.

Thanks

JamesIS220 · February 11, 2023

Insurance is to put you back into your original monetary value/position. Accept no less. If 4k would buy a similar vehicle, then fine.

I would insist on buying it back from the insurance! Used bumper. Used light if damaged and pull dent out and filler and paint.

If it was my car, that's what I would do. A used one could need other unknown repairs.

James.

Frank the Hornet · February 11, 2023

Certainly if I were in your position, let the insurance talk about their first opening offer and then ask how much to purchase from them ( if thats what you want to do ) the figure they offer should be well down on the asking prices in the market and take into account the repairs that you wish to make.

Pointing out if you wish to purchase from them will save cost of disposing of the vehicle should help drive the purchase price down further.

If you wish to look to taking an offer from them have ready as many examples online of the vehicles you've seen to demonstrate what it will cost you to replace and quickly supply these. Also give a good account of what good example your RX is ( if it is of course !!! )

From my experience they will expect a challenge to their initial offers.

Frank

katabrontes · February 12, 2023

Why not just keep the car and get it fixed?

Why would you have to buy it back from the insurers? I wouldn't have let them take it. I assume it's still drivable so you should be able to collect it and take it home.

Try to cancel the claim and find a cheap panel beater to patch it up. Probably better to convert to third party F&T as if they will write it off for this amount of damage its hardly worth the extra cost of comprehensive insurance.

Flashback32 · February 12, 2023

I am sorry this has happened to you. How things go, really depends on who you were insured with. You need to read the small print. What happens when a car is a writen off, do they cancel your insurance?. Let say you have a 12 month policy, and have 1 month left, before renewal, it is n't an issue. However, if you just renewed, you loose 12 months worth of policy cover. It depends on insurers. Idealy, they should continue the cover to the new car (or continue if you buy it back). It is a pain when they cancel the insurance, so you can't drive your car to see other cars and you can't borrow other people's cars. You become carless!

Sadly, something similar happened to me.

In my case, it was n't worth claiming, so I got it repaired myself, but I was asked to a new MOT.

Edited February 12, 2023 by Flashback32

LenT · February 12, 2023

14 hours ago, katabrontes said:

Why not just keep the car and get it fixed?

Why would you have to buy it back from the insurers? I wouldn't have let them take it. I assume it's still drivable so you should be able to collect it and take it home.

Try to cancel the claim and find a cheap panel beater to patch it up. Probably better to convert to third party F&T as if they will write it off for this amount of damage its hardly worth the extra cost of comprehensive insurance.

I think Michael makes some very good points here.

Presuming there’s no structural damage behind the impact area, then it doesn’t appear to be anything a competent panel beater couldn’t tackle. And neither does it look like it would justify writing off.

If it was your ‘pride and joy’ before the impact, I would be inclined to insist that it was repaired - if necessary sourcing your own local company and getting estimates.

Incidentally, this will be your neighbour’s Insurers I take it. After all, it’s his/her Insurers against whom you are claiming, is it not? Reversing into a parked car makes this their problem - not yours!

If this is indeed the case - and the incident is as you describe- then it is surely better for them to arrange a repair themselves then claim against their insurance.

Or have I completely misunderstood who was responsible for the damage to your car?

Shepherd · February 12, 2023

@LenT You've understood it right however in my naivety, I contacted my insurance and it seemed like they would take of everything. Now it seems that both mine and the neighbours car insurance is the same company but they are acting like two different companies (i,e possible conflict of interest).
For last three days I have been calling to chat with someone who can give me an update on the car but it seems really difficult. Will be trying again on Monday to check what's going on.

LenT · February 12, 2023

19 minutes ago, Shepherd said:

@LenT You've understood it right however in my naivety, I contacted my insurance and it seemed like they would take of everything. Now it seems that both mine and the neighbours car insurance is the same company but they are acting like two different companies (i,e possible conflict of interest).
For last three days I have been calling to chat with someone who can give me an update on the car but it seems really difficult. Will be trying again on Monday to check what's going on.

Well that does put a different spin on it!

You were right to inform your Insurers about the damage, but clearly there’s no possibility of a ‘knock for knock’ situation as your neighbour is totally responsible for the damage.

The fact that you are both with the same Insurer should make a resolution easier. It’s not an uncommon situation.

If you call about the damage on Monday, I would suggest that you make it very clear that this is a claim against your neighbour’s policy!

Looking at the damage - and reflecting on how a claim might affect my own Insurance - were I your neighbour I would have considered getting an estimate for you and settling it privately.

katabrontes · February 13, 2023

One further point that hasn't been mentioned is future insurance.

As I understand it one a potential claim has been notified to insurers whether or not it is pursued they treat it as a claim and this will affect NCB and future premiums over the next several years.

Last year while in France someone reversed into my parked car and damaged one of the doors. It wasn't too bad and as the car is now 17 years old and I am not concerned about it appearance I was going to leave it. In the end I decide to get it pulled out and re sprayed which cost about £500. I didn't mention it to my insurers and will not record it as an accident or claim in future renewals.

I hope you can unwind the mess that has arisen here.

You will certainly be better to recover the car and repair it ( better the devil you know etc). The insurers will try to roast you over the value and it will certainly cost you more to replace it with anything similar or newer which will come with unknown problems.

Mike

Bluemarlin · February 13, 2023

If you want a book valuation then put the details into WBAC and that will give you an idea of the bottom end valuation for comparison.

If they opt to write off the car then push for a repair as they might be willing to negotiate. They'll be more willing to do a deal if you don't need the hire car, as that costs them a lot..

GSLV6 · February 14, 2023

The unfortunate thing about insurance is many in the small print will only insure for "market value" which is less than the actual value of the car. It was explained to me after I wrote a mercedes off many years go which I had paid 7.5K for and they offered 4.5K back which I refused. I was told that "market value" was circa 20% under actual sale ticket price for me with some mealy mouth worded explanation of why. I took out a legal challenge and won getting the full amount back but they then refused to renew my premium (surprise surprise). You can elect not to have the insurance repair it and do it yourself. I reversed my RX into a friend's car accidentally catching the corner of his front bumper which did similar damage to mine, denting the rear quarter under the rear lamp cluster. I took it and his to a local bodywork specialist and he did a fantastic (as in invisible) repair job for £400 all in. That's what I'd be doing in your shoes. Ask for the car back and say you'll repair it yourself.

LenT · February 14, 2023

1 hour ago, GSLV6 said:

I took it and his to a local bodywork specialist and he did a fantastic (as in invisible) repair job for £400 all in. That's what I'd be doing in your shoes. Ask for the car back and say you'll repair it yourself.

Exactly right, Paul. There’s no need for either party to fall out, but the damage is entirely his neighbour’s responsibility. They can either deal with the repair under their own policy, or do as you did and source a local and acceptable Repairer to do the work privately.

m4rkw · February 14, 2023

Insurance these days seems very much like legalised theft. You pay for insurance, have an accident that wasn't even your fault, and then somehow paying for the repairs yourself seems like a better deal than claiming.

How the hell have they managed to get away with creating a situation where this is the case.

I think we've all become slowly aclimatised to this so it seems normal but this area of the economy feels like it's run by a mafia.

Las Palmas · February 14, 2023

42 minutes ago, m4rkw said:

Insurance these days seems very much like legalised theft. You pay for insurance, have an accident that wasn't even your fault, and then somehow paying for the repairs yourself seems like a better deal than claiming.

How the hell have they managed to get away with creating a situation where this is the case.

I think we've all become slowly aclimatised to this so it seems normal but this area of the economy feels like it's run by a mafia.

Have you ever heard about lobbyism? An almost legal way to bribe politicians (at least if kept secret). Just look at the elected politicians that got caught accepting money from outside of EU and "maybe" helped these.

GSLV6 · February 18, 2023

I'm afraid that any claim, even a no fault claim, often results in your premium increasing so it is an unfortunate fact of life that coughing up for minor repairs yourself is usually the cheapest longer term proposition these days. I see insurance as a legal obligation but not something I'd ever claim off for anything other than a major prang or theft. Even NCD won't guarantee no rise in premium following a claim unless it is protected. You always ending up paying one way or the other.

Sundance · February 18, 2023

Even NCD protection these days means practically nothing, it certainly doesn't prevent an increase in premium each year let alone after a claim. It's nothing short of scandalous.

And this will make you laugh. When negotiating my renewal earlier this month I found that if I increased my voluntary excess my premium increased too! Work that one out! 🤔

GSLV6 · February 19, 2023

They did the same to mine. I also moved 2 miles within the same geographical area and they tried upping my premium by £200 annually but refused to justify why so I cancelled my renewal and went elsewhere where I got fully comp with legal protection, breakdown cover and protected NCB for just under £300.

Russell Wheeler · February 21, 2023

Your car, you own it - not the insurance company. You didn't say if you have a courtesy car - if you have then it is in their interest to get it resolved. If you don't request YOUR car back. As people have said, see what the insurance offers you. Then get it to a body shop, second hand bumper, bit of paint and back on the road.

wharfhouse · February 21, 2023

On 2/18/2023 at 7:51 PM, Sundance said:

And this will make you laugh. When negotiating my renewal earlier this month I found that if I increased my voluntary excess my premium increased too! Work that one out!

Yes I've found that too. There is a sweet spot for the voluntary excess to get lowest premium - seems if you set it too high they think you must be a high risk driver...!