Claiming on Insurance

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Mon 14 Sep 2015 22:08
Claiming on Insurance - cowoflove

Hi all

looked on the net but struggling to get some decent answers.

I was involved in a minor accident on Saturday evening.

Contacted my insurers this morning and explained the incident and that i am not admitting liability.

How long does the whole process tend to take and what kind of things can i expect?

So far i spoke to the intial person at the insurance company who said it sounds like the other driver is at fault and arranged for repairs company and courtesy car company to ring me.

A garage is coming Wednesday AM to collect the car and a hire company dropping a car off (bit scared at the cost per day for a hire car although been told by them i won't have to pay it as long as i am honest about the incident as they too say it sounds like the other driver at fault).

Im thinking the other person involved will also contest no liability.

No police were involved and there were no witnesses.

Thanks in advance

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 01:45
Claiming on Insurance - No_FM2R

With no witnesses, anything can happen. Take nothing for granted.

Be careful of the basis on which you are accepting the car. mostly, if they fail to get their money back, for any reason, are you liable?

(e.g. "as long as I am honest..." and if the other driver says that you are lying?)

If it is so minor, why do you need a courtesy car? Is it just for the time that repairs take? Is this a replacement car from a claims handling company, or a benefit of your policy from your insurer? I suspect the former.

Suffice to say you need to be aware of what is going on.

So, find out from the insurer whether this replacement car is from them or a claims handling company.

Ask if there are any circumstances under which you could be liable for the cost of the hire car.

Ask your insurer what will happen to your NCD both while the claim is being processed and if they are unable to recover their money. Especially if your renewal is close. ask also what will happen to your premium if they are uable to recover their money. Confirm that if their money is recoverd then you will have no impact to premium or bonus.

Be clear whether they are pursuing their claim or some claims handling company is doing it and will lump your claim in with it.

Ask your insurer if you have an excess, will you have to pay it before your car is returned to you, and will they attempt to recover that for you when pursing their own losses.

There is no way to know how long it will take, but you need to get a whole bunch clearer on what is going on actually going on in your case. And for that you need to interrogate your own insurer, not the internet.

ask your insurer in detail. if you don't understand, then ask them again. If you want to check somethign here, then please do. I only drop in from time to time but there are many others here who can help.

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 10:15
Claiming on Insurance - cowoflove

Thanks for the reply.

I will get onto my insurance company today to get some more details as to who is officially handling my case, as the car hire company (albany) have said that i need to keep them updated as well.

Ive looked over the documentation provided by the car hire company. It states things such as...

"We will only authorise a credit hire vehicle from Helphire Limited if the information in our
possession suggests that you will be able to recover the charges from the responsible party’s
insurers"

It then states that I have been offered Credit Protection Policy which means that if i lose the case, then charged will be met by the underwriters of the credit protection policy.

I still have a few questions that i need to ask them so will see what they say.

This is my first time in this situation so no idea what to expect or if i will need to get solictiors involved at all (i dont have legal cover)

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 18:37
Claiming on Insurance - No_FM2R

Albany are probably the replacment car suppliers, the credit protecion policy suppliers and the claims handling company. Their incentive to recover the claim is making profit on both their services and the rental car.

They should pursue your excess and other expenses as well.

Legal cover would mostly just cover what the claims handlers are doing so I wouldn't worry.

You are most unlikely to need solicitors.

I dislike these set ups, but that's by the by and it sounds like you are safe enough.

Don't forget to find out about excesses, bonus and stuff.

Key an eye out for things suddenly dragging on.

Try not to use the replacement car for longer than you need and try nto to ramp up your expenses unneccsarily. Having said that, do make sure you tell the claims handlers of any and all loses/expenses you suffer.

And shout if you get worried.

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 10:23
Claiming on Insurance - Palcouk

When you purchased your insurance it would appear that you failed to obtain, and pay for the courtesy car option.

If your insurers have past your details on to car hire company, then unless the cost of the hire is recovered from someones insurance, yours or the other party, then you personally would be liable.

The rates charged by relacement car hire companies are horendous

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 12:43
Claiming on Insurance - cowoflove

I checked my insurance and i do have courtesy car included, however as my insurance company said that i am not liable for the accident they passed me onto albany for the courtesy car.

Have since spoken to albany again who have for the 3rd time ensured me that i wont have to pay for anything even if i am held liable, providing the information given is the truth and i keep them updated (part of the payment protection).

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 13:32
Claiming on Insurance - scot22

I suggest getting key imformation in print. Conversations can be 'misremembered'.

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 16:38
Claiming on Insurance - daveyjp

OP - If your car is still road legal I would advise to continue driving it until the liability matter is resolved and then get a courtesy car whilst it is repaired.

My wife's car was hit by a neighbour whilst he was reversing - very minor paint damage - if he had been reasonable he could have written a cheque and it would have been sorted, but thats another story!

As soon as my wife reported it the insurance company put us in touch with a claims (mis) management company whose first job was to try and get us to sign for a very expensive hire car which we didn't need. We declined and from that point the claims company did absolutely nothing for us.

We chased and eventually liability was accepted. I took it to my own garage for a repair - it cost £230 and the insurance company were billed directly.

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Tue 15 Sep 2015 18:49
Claiming on Insurance - concrete

Good advice from the forum but try to do as daveyjp suggests and drive your car until it goes in for repairs. Then use the courtesy car provided by the repairer. Do not take the replacement vehicle. Tell them you don't need it and send them away. They will come after you if it all works out against you. Be under on illusions, they don't give out replacement cars because they are nice people, they do it because they make someone pay for it and they make money. That someone is often the poor sap who thinks he is in the right, but it cannot be proved conclusively. Take notice.

Let us know how you get on and best of luck.

Cheers Concrete.

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