Yet another insurance query

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Wed 16 Nov 2005 20:48
Yet another insurance query - TrevorH
Was involved in a minor collision on Saturday. When I registered the claim my insurer offered up a repair service and passed my number on to them. The repairers called on Monday to book the car in at which point I deferred until liability was confirmed.

Today I have a letter from the 3rd party's insurer which accepts liability on their behalf. They too are offering an Approved Repairer Service. This, however, has a rider at the foot of the page. "If you choose not accept this offer ... we may not be able to consider costs incurred in hiring an alternative car or a claim for the loss of use of your car".

Yes, I have a duty to minimise losses but isn't this a bit coercive? Would accepting my own insurer's offer automatically place me in breach of that duty?

This is all new to me. Which should I go with? I'm sure I won't get an impartial view from either my, or the other's, insurers.
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Thu 17 Nov 2005 15:28
Yet another insurance query - ukbeefy
Well part of it could be that if they have brokered a deal with their own repair chain to offer courtesy cars for free then they will attempt to avoid paying for a repair AND car rental for you that you might arrange yourself. Will your insurer's repairer attempt to charge for repair and car hire?

It is also effectively part of the industry's attempt to quash the car rental businesses that grew up attempting to offer people free cars contingent on claiming back on the third party's insurance.
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Thu 17 Nov 2005 22:26
Yet another insurance query - martint123
It's usually the repairer who supplies the courtesy car rather than the insurer.

Myself I would prefer to let the other insurer repair my car. This will make sure that I don't have to pay and claim back my excess and the niggles of possible NCD problems that would occur if I let my insurer pay and claim back from the other party.

Martin
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Fri 18 Nov 2005 06:25
Yet another insurance query - No FM2R
Sorry for the delay, I missed your thread....

It is somewhat of an intimidating line but you need to consider it.

The reality is that if you introduce a delay, then you wouldn't stand much chance of claiming anything for that period. So, if the period of time from the accident to the date it could be repaired was 10 days, but you went another route extending that period to 15 days, you would only be able claim for losses wihtin the 10 days - the losses within the additional 5 would be your own problem.

However, look at it the other way. They have admitted in writing that they will repair your car - what more do you want ?

You'll have no issue recovering your excess, no issues with the NCD on your policy, no troublesome admin, all you'll have to do is forward proof to your insurance company that your car was repaired by them. - seems an obvious choice to me.

If you did not have the letter and were considering pursuing the third party insurer I would advise against it, but that's not the position you're in.

M.
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