Insurance - Proving modification value?

[Ross]

I'll have to see what the insurance co. come back with before I take this any further. I'm putting a reply together to send this week.

@CHEN - what's the implications of a car arriving with parts replaced or missing? When you buy the salvage title, if there's parts missing can you ask for them or is that just part of the job?? I wouldn't wanna face legal action although I can't see why (seeing as it's still my car) I can't take the parts I want before 'signing it over' to them... especially as they're refusing to pay for half of them! I could do with some 'inside info' here as the insurance co. certainly aren't gonna help me that way.

Many thanks.
Ross

[Jamo]

If the parts are missing they will adjust your pay off accordingly.

If i was you i'd pay Corey to swap the engine out for any old knackered 3B engine ( thats about 99 % of them then ) and swap out all the modded bits prompto before you accept then offer.

[s2dude]

If the parts are missing they will adjust your pay off accordingly.

If i was you i'd pay Corey to swap the engine out for any old knackered 3B engine ( thats about 99 % of them then ) and swap out all the modded bits prompto before you accept then offer.

Ahem...my engine is spot on. Just the rest of the car that has needed rebuilding from scratch

[CHEN]

To be honest it is normally just part of the job as you put it. Most of breakers we buy in do not list any modifications to the car what so ever, infact other than roughly what it is there is very info on the car. We rely on the photos in the auction to guess what is on the car. To be honest I don't think the insurance companies really care. give me a call at work on 0117 9494136 if you need any more info or help.

[BRY]

Ahem...my engine is spot on. Just the rest of the car that has needed rebuilding from scratch

You said that about the rest of the car, before you started taking it apart.

[Ross]

Looks like I'll be taking the difficult route on this one...

Basically, NIG have raised by £400 on the value. Modest but certainly worth a few letters and a few phone calls. I've chatted with one of their senior engineers, who has said that they won't settle the claim without taking ownership of the car. Plain and simple. They also won't let me designate a 'friendly breaker' to buy the car (they're in bed with their own approved ppl) and at first said nothing can be removed from the car.

After challenging this, and being told that my car didn't need modifying, etc (I could sypathise with this as the guy was into his old Saab's and looked down on a 'classic' being modded - but why should that affect my insurance), that the parts won't increase value, that private ads can't be considered etc. he finally admitted that if I were to revert my modded parts to stock, then I was free to do so as the value didn't consider mods. So, fitting the old and taking the new looks like the way to go.

Still frustrated, Adrian Flux said they couldn't help as it was down to the underwriter (so much for their quote from the web site about being fed up with "muppets that offer you market value for your modded vehicle") but the guy was blunt, said if I am not happy with that then I'd have to take it to the ombudsman.

My thoughts are, should I get it in writing re: the new value, and also that I can tremove my modified parts prior to the car being moved? He tried to give me till 8th Feb to remove parts but I said that I'd talk to him on monday (which he was a bit pissed about because he was pressurising to agree there + then). I just can't believe the cheek really. He even suggested that teh car should be removed quickly "because of the temptation for parts to dissapear" and advised that in such a scenario, the breaker would bill them for missing parts and he'd be giving me a call to settle it. I didn't go as far asking for a quote for a 'stolen' engine , which he previously told me he couldn't allow me to remove (even in return for the £400 increase, which I'd perviously been told was more than my engine was worth anyway).

Could be worth trying to bargain with the breaker who'll collect, I'm sure it'll save the hassle of removing the engine and I could offer them a few hundred for it...

Just thought I'd echo a 'word of warning' for those with so-called specialist insurers that don't have agreed value on their modded cars.

Cheers
Ross

[Crawford_S2]

he finally admitted that if I were to revert my modded parts to stock, then I was free to do so as the value didn't consider mods. So, fitting the old and taking the new looks like the way to go.

I would defo go for that and say as little as possible to the engineer from now on, chances are the breaker will not notice anything is missing and i think it would go to auction from you, then to a breaker. By the time most cars have bin through that lot half the bits are missing anyway!!

[topsparky]

I would defo go for that and say as little as possible to the engineer from now on, chances are the breaker will not notice anything is missing and i think it would go to auction from you, then to a breaker. By the time most cars have bin through that lot half the bits are missing anyway!!

they did n't on mine
i found the rear load cover
spare wheel
and the ecu
in the garage in the morning
when myself and a certain jedi master
went to remove my personnel effects

[QuattroFever]

It doesn't sound like your going to get much joy with the mods so I would concentrate on arguing and bumping up the market value.

At the end of the day they are legally bound by contract cover your loss. If they say they can find a car same condition, same colour (some colours are more rare), same mods and same spec. then fair enough. But you and I know they can't.

Get examples of the most expensive S2's you can find modified or not even if they're not 3B's you can still argue that it's the same model.

Any photographs of your car pre-accident can help to prove the meticulous condition that it was in. all the service history and any receipts you have photocopy it all and send it off. Repair bills, parts, cleaning, honestly anything, send the lot!

I managed to get the price of a 3b I had written off up to £6000 -£500 excess It was modded but wasn't worth arguing the toss just argued on the market value. If you can prove it will cost you £6000 to replace your car they have to pay it.

sadly mate it's all a waiting game. Remember it inconvenient for them to keep it in storage so the longer your arguing the more it's costing them.

[twoqu]

Would have to agree with the above.
Surely there is some kind of contractual argument. They can't increase your premium to take account of your mods, then treat the settlement as a standard car! By accepting the payment they have agreed to cover the mods. So the only argument is how much more value do these add. Bad timing really as Audimans car is up for sale and that could have been used to negoiate.
I am no lawyer but I expect you could consider taking action against them for breech of contract. I know its all aggro but perhaps you should mutter that under your breath. Might be worth totalling up the declared mods and see what kind of figure it adds up to. Then negotiate towards an acceptable figure. If they lowball you then say you accept the figure if you can retain the parts. If a revised figure is acceptable then say goodbye!
In the interim why don't you list what you would need to replace to put it back to stock.

[topsparky]

It doesn't sound like your going to get much joy with the mods so I would concentrate on arguing and bumping up the market value.

At the end of the day they are legally bound by contract cover your loss. If they say they can find a car same condition, same colour (some colours are more rare), same mods and same spec. then fair enough. But you and I know they can't.

Get examples of the most expensive S2's you can find modified or not even if they're not 3B's you can still argue that it's the same model.

Any photographs of your car pre-accident can help to prove the meticulous condition that it was in. all the service history and any receipts you have photocopy it all and send it off. Repair bills, parts, cleaning, honestly anything, send the lot!

I managed to get the price of a 3b I had written off up to £6000 -£500 excess It was modded but wasn't worth arguing the toss just argued on the market value. If you can prove it will cost you £6000 to replace your car they have to pay it.

sadly mate it's all a waiting game. Remember it inconvenient for them to keep it in storage so the longer your arguing the more it's costing them.

that did n't work when i tried it
i sent them 10 different examples
they say they offer market value according to glasses guide
that's tosh because glasses guide stated my s2 was only worth
£3555
i only had it 4 months or so and paid
£5100 for the car and
£1030 for audi dave to rip my arms and legs off
that was for new bremsport discs front and back(fitted leading edge groove)
cam belt no water pump
turbo timer

and no fecking reciept or invoice

[QuattroFever]

Don't quote me on this but i'm pretty sure that the clause about not being able to sell it back to you is more an individual company policy thing and not the law!

Try calling the DVLA and finding out what is legal and what is policy. If the insurers agree on the phone to let you buy it back get it in writing before you send an acceptance.

[s2dude]

Don't quote me on this but i'm pretty sure that the clause about not being able to sell it back to you is more an individual company policy thing and not the law!

Try calling the DVLA and finding out what is legal and what is policy. If the insurers agree on the phone to let you buy it back get it in writing before you send an acceptance.

It is illegal for any insurance company to sell you a Cat B or worse write off.
The cars body and chassis has to be destroyed iirc...
In other words...make sure it can never be put back on the road. Cat C and D are classed as repairable though.
not sure on the parts stripping issues though? Chen?

[QuattroFever]

It is illegal for any insurance company to sell you a Cat B or worse write off.
The cars body and chassis has to be destroyed iirc...
In other words...make sure it can never be put back on the road. Cat C and D are classed as repairable though.
not sure on the parts stripping issues though? Chen?

How sure can you be that its actually illegal?

when I asked to buy mine back (CAT B write off) they explained to me about the A,B,C or D categories and to buy it back you either
1. have to be an authorised dismantler
2. wait for it to go up for auction
or 3. get a cert. of destruction from the DVLA
but upon calling the DVLA and asking for such a cert. they replied...Whats that, never heard of that one before!?! Called the insurers back explained the situ. and they said I had to send a signed letter confirming that I accept responsibility for the vehicle and that I would dispose of it they then offered it to me for £300 but I was told I would have to pay the transport costs to get it back.

[s2dude]

Yep...Badly worded on my part Quattor fever!
Licensed Dismantlers can buy the cars legally, Ive never heard of the "cert of destruction"?! and for point 2....I thought you had to be a licensed vehicle dismantler to buy the car from an auction? (could be wrong tho)...point being they want to ensure the car chassis/body etc is destroyed and never re incarnated as a cut'n'shut mobile
Im sure there "might" be a way around this lot...just not sure exactly what it is