Crashing in?

Last year I bought a new Suzuki Swift and the accompanying literature recommended that if I had an accident I contact Suzuki, rather than my insurance company. Suzuki would then do everything (recover my car, get me home, liaise with my insurer, provide a free courtesy car, get the car repaired at a Suzuki bodyshop with genuine Suzuki parts, provide a legal support service for any personal injury) all at no cost to me. It seems too good to be true, but would my insurer be unhappy with Suzuki's involvement and increase my premium because I went through Suzuki?

Asked on 9 January 2010 by KJ, Cheam

Answered by Honest John

This reads like a car credit hire operator posing as an 'accident management company' and, of course, nothing is for nothing. They are out to make money from either an extended period of ‘courtesy car’ hire or excessive rental premiums or both. You are contractually bound to deal only with your insurer and also to mitigate claims, so your insurer may refuse any excessive claims coming via another party, leaving you liable for them

Tags: insurance accident management legal issues

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