I was interested to read your letter headed ‘Decline and Fall’ in the DT dated Saturday 13 August. I had an almost identical situation arise as MM of Hawick which involved the same insurance company. Last October my vehicle was hit at slow speed by a milk float reversing onto the road. The driver admitted liability. I got a quote for repair from a local body repairer that had been highly recommended for £475. The vehicle would have been repaired over a few days and I would not have needed a courtesy car. This information was forwarded to the insurance company.

The insurer, through Claimfast, arranged to have the car collected and taken to a Vauxhall dealer some 20 miles away. I was supplied with a rental car for the duration which was delivered to me. The repair was expected to take maybe a week or just over - delays occurred and it was almost three weeks before the car was back. I returned the hire car immediately having done just 100 miles. Then the letters and telephone calls started. It was necessary to take out a summons in my name to require the third party's insurance company to pay the repair and hire. This I agreed to do.

I queried just how much was involved and was told the repair had cost in the region of £900 and the hire an amount in the region of £1200. I was astounded when I had gone to the trouble of getting a quotation for a total cost of £475. Is there any wonder that the cost of insurance keeps going up? As of now I still do not the outcome or if there has been one. Not only that but I have received at least three calls concerning personal injury claims which I rejected on the grounds that I had no intention of claiming for something that did not happen. You will not be surprised to hear that when the insurance came round for renewal I changed companies.