Accident Advice - How to deal with your insurer/assessor

[s2driveruk]

As we have advised others recently, always turn down their first offer. It is always offensive and normally will be in breach of the industry regulations on how write-off's should be settled.

The Association of British Insurers says car insurance companies must offer you a realistic payout for the value of your car. This means you must be offered an amount that will allow you to buy a similar car in a similar condition in your local area. All the insurer should deduct is the excess you agreed to when taking the policy.

Your insurance company will offer you the least they can get away with and normally use lower models as a guideline. Certainly a mint ABY S2 will be worth up to double their offer so hold your ground.

Send them examples of cars for sale at higher prices and ask them to justify why they have valued the car at a lower value. They must provide a reason for the valuation - which of course they cannot as they are trying to save money. Don't even get me started on the scum of the earth that are independent insurance assessors

Their second offer will be a little higher but not enough. Stand your ground and remember that normal wear and tear for that age car is NOT a reason for lowering the valuation. All the example cars for sale that you send them will have similar wear and tear. Point this out and insist on the details of their vaulation.

The insurance company rely on the fact that this is your only means of transport and so you need a fast payout. Tell them that you have a company car and are happy to wait for them to research the true value of this model in this condition. DO NOT accept their offer of you paying for a new assessment as the rules on how his new valuation are treated will only benefit them, not you.

This is where it gets sticky. Most companies will make the second offer (which will still be offensive) but most will now stall and hope that you give in so will not make a third offer.

Your final port of call is therefore the Financial Ombudsman. This free complaints service will investigate and try to negotiate a suitable payment for you. Let your company know you WILL use this service if they do not make a satisfactory offer.

HTH

Cheers n

Si

[Fat Audi 80]

Brilliant!

[HPmuirt]

For the sake of completeness, if we are including insurance assessors in this (whether independent or from the insurance company) then I would add the following points: -

- Always try to meet the assessor when he views the vehicle (prefferably on your property or your own local garage, where you can control his access).

- Try to workout whether he is an employee or an independent assessor as this may have a significant impact on his attitude to the valuation, particularly if the car will be classed as a write-off.

- Discuss with him the value and rarity of the car and show him details of the maintenance record along with details of similar cars for sale. At the end, ask him for a verbal assessment of the cars value and help him to raise this if too low. You can use this later when the offers are offensively low.

- Be careful about disclosing certain modifications as these may count against you when it comes to agreeing on a buy-back value. If you can, remove 'personal additions' which may not be covered under the policy, before the assessor sees the car so that they are not included in the buy-back valuation. Remember this is a mint, standard and well maintained example of a classic car and is your pride and joy, not an A to B daily driver

- Allow him to believe that you are in no hurry for a payout because you have other transport (a company car etc) and therefore you will fight for a fair valuation. This may increase their first valuation and may prevent the insurance company playing their usual waiting game.

Cheers n

Si

[Markarina]

Remember that in accidents involving a third party, were the 3rd party is at fault you are still claiming off your insurer, in theory you could claim off the 3rd party insurer and not even have to pay the excess as they are the ones liable. However insurers never tell you this so that they can save money by deducting excess. I had a case were the repair cost was less than my excess so I claimed off the third party and the full amount.

Also remember if the insurance company find that you have modified your car from the original spec and not told them they will declare the policy invalid and pay you nothing!!!

[Nj]

Re insurance asessors.. Is a kick in the testicles out of the question?

[sfrs4]

if you start to get real problems with your insurance company, just remember 2 words "mis-sold and misrepresented" along with "solicitor".
this normally gets you the results you require or as a minimum there full attention.

[Phil Payne]

if you start to get real problems with your insurance company, ...

I had problems with London and Edinburgh for weeks. Oddly they decided to settle for everything I was asking for about four hours after I put up a web page detailing their silly stunts.

[quattro singh]

Just asked for a quote from BG insurance for Audi 90 quattto with 3b engine installed told them all my detail age 43 never been in accident never made insurance claim . Bg started asking me about what cars I had driven told them I have driven most cars on the road owned Porsches ranges rover etc etc and used to work for interleasing then masterly asking which is a car refurb centre all cars where less then 3 years old and where company cars or big directors exlease vehicles . Then a hour later they rang me back saying we carnt insure you because I haven't had that much experience with Driveing fast cars . Just burst out laughing asking the chap if he was playing me up but he was serious . I just could believe what I was hearing any ov just had a quote for £260 fully comp . I hate insurance company's love to take your money but any old excuse not to pay out