Car accident insurance advice sought............

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MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
I was driving my wife's beloved mint 92k FSH '98 MX-5. A women drove directy into it whilst looking at and talking to her kid in the back seat of her car. I knew it was going to happen and had stopped, I was stationary, impact was low speed.

Damage to MX-5 consists of, front bumper & under carriage wrecked, front wing wrecked, bonnet misaligned, all impact was on the front OS (drivers) quarter. 3PTF insured.

Reported it to my insures but I am awaiting the claim form to fill in and send back with the pics that I took.

But I've already received a letter from the other drivers insurers, she has admitted responsibility, they want me to progress the claim through them (to minimise their costs I expect).

I am decent guy, no extra damage, car hire or whiplash would be claimed for, I just want the best opportunity of having the car that my wife loves, repaired. I don't want a cheque.

Any advice?
 
Get a quote from a repair shop you trust and give their insurers the quote plus any additional loses. Don't let them take it way and fix it as it may not be to the standard you expect.
 

siadwell

Guru
Location
Surrey
And be prepared for the insurers to declare it a write-off :sad:

I had a car written off after someone ran in the back of me at fairly low speed. The cost of visible repairs exceeded I think 80% of the value of the car, making it technically a write-off. Mind you, I checked the reg number online after the insurers had settled and it appeared to still be on the road.
 

Blue

Squire
Location
N Ireland
And be prepared for the insurers to declare it a write-off :sad:

I had a car written off after someone ran in the back of me at fairly low speed. The cost of visible repairs exceeded I think 80% of the value of the car, making it technically a write-off. Mind you, I checked the reg number online after the insurers had settled and it appeared to still be on the road.
That is a huge issue for older, mint condition, cars. They are not worth what the owner thinks of them. The other party is only responsible for actual loss, not sentimental value.
 
Write-offs don't tend to mean what people think. There's various versions of write-offs, which include the insurer only paying up to the value of the car, but not necessarily meaning the car cannot be repaired and legally driven
 

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
Deal with your insurance company and not the third party's insurer. Complete the claim form from your insurer, send it back with a letter telling them what the tp insurer has said. Wait for your insurance company to tell you what you should do next. After all that is what you pay your insurance company for.
make sure you include any names and telephone numbers of people from the tp Insurers, so that your insurer can contact them directly.
 

stephec

Squire
Location
Bolton
Deal with your insurance company and not the third party's insurer. Complete the claim form from your insurer, send it back with a letter telling them what the tp insurer has said. Wait for your insurance company to tell you what you should do next. After all that is what you pay your insurance company for.
make sure you include any names and telephone numbers of people from the tp Insurers, so that your insurer can contact them directly.

This is it, you don't want your insurance company to turn round and dismiss your claim as you didn't follow the procedure specified in your policy.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
Write-offs don't tend to mean what people think. There's various versions of write-offs, which include the insurer only paying up to the value of the car, but not necessarily meaning the car cannot be repaired and legally driven
There are 4 types of write off, ABCD, you can legally repair CD write offs, but not AB. Although the car will always be tagged as a cat CD write off, so may be harder to sell on.
If the car is written off as CD, then you can ask to retain the salvage, ie the damaged car, and using the settlement money you may be able to get it repaired with second hand parts etc.
 
Sounds like may be an uneconomical repair write-off. Follow insurer's instructions regarding quotes and see what they say. Remember insurance repair quotes tend not to bear resemblance to a private one. There may be repair avenues worth taking once a settlement has been reached if it goes in that direction.
 
OP
OP
MarkF

MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Thanks for the replies. I know what it was worth and for an insurers preferred shop like say, Just Car Clinic, I'd guess it's a write off. My wife is very attached to it though, I really want it repaired.

I'll get my insurers on the case.

I should be able to say to my insurers "Go and get me a mint '98 silver 93k FSH 1 owner MX5"
 
Sorry to hear. I had a similar thing with a woman telling off her kids in the back and not looking. I stopped and she swerved just in time (so close it set off my parking sensors to red). Horrid feeling when there is nothing you can do.

Re the claim. If you are 3pft then I would think that you have no choice but to claim from them as you are not covered on your own insurance (you are covered for damage TO a third party not BY a third party).

So then get the figures for damage and to put you right and claim that direct from them. Just say you want X or you go to court.

Sorry but cannot just magic the car repaired. You can only turn the lost into a sum of money to put it right.
 

Svendo

Guru
Location
Walsden
There are 4 types of write off, ABCD, you can legally repair CD write offs, but not AB. Although the car will always be tagged as a cat CD write off, so may be harder to sell on. If the car is written off as CD, then you can ask to retain the salvage, ie the damaged car, and using the settlement money you may be able to get it repaired with second hand parts etc.
I've done that once myself, car has to be inspected by the DoT and reregistered but it's not that much extra hassle.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
I should be able to say to my insurers "Go and get me a mint '98 silver 93k FSH 1 owner MX5"
That wont happen. Insurance is a financial contract, not a service contract, so all they will do is give you the cash for the value of the car, you will have to buy it, and it wont be an exact swap.
 

GM

Legendary Member
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welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
Normally, your insurance company will replace with a car as close in spec, milege etc to the one you had if the car is less than 12 months old. After that it is based on value and they will give you cash.
 
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