Hastings direct - Nightmare!

sarahleann · 2 December 2016 at 9:24PM

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me with an issue with the wonderful Hastings direct.
2 weeks ago my car was parked up outside my house and it was hit and ultimately written off. I was called by someone who evaluated my car and I was asked how much I paid for it and said I only get back how much I paid. I told him it was worth more so he said I would get £700 rather that £500 as long as I didn't tell hasting what I paid. However, to buy another car it will cost more as I got a very good deal and my car had absolutely nothing wrong with it and it ran perfectly.
Secondly, I received a letter saying I had to pay £250 excess and around £1000 for remaining direct debit payments. I only had my policy for 1 month and now I'm being told it needs to be paid in full unless I have another car to switch it to.
I want to keep my insurance with another car but I don't have money to just go and buy another car.
Is there anything I can do? I made a complaint in an email and was told I would get a response within 5 working days. It has been 1 week today and still no response.
I have done absolutely nothing wrong. I was legally parked and now I feel like I'm going to be at a loss with no car thanks to someone else who couldn't drive properly.
Please help me
Sarah.

Franz_Ferdinand · 2 December 2016 at 9:28PM

Make, model and year of the car? Search autotrader and other sites and find similar cars. Use their prices to get a fair price for yours.

On the insurance side, unless you're claiming off the third party, they're correct you took out 12 months of insurance on finance. Now you've claimed they want paying.

sarahleann · 2 December 2016 at 9:42PM

Yes I am claiming from third party as he was to blame. I wasn't in my car when it happened.

Franz_Ferdinand · 2 December 2016 at 9:46PM

sarahleann wrote: »

Yes I am claiming from third party as he was to blame. I wasn't in my car when it happened.

Have they admitted liability yet?

sarahleann · 2 December 2016 at 9:50PM

I have had no contact with anyone from Hastings direct for a week. Last time I spoke to them they said no. I do have witnesses and footage from a dashcam as proof though so the third party involved cant deny it.

dacouch · 2 December 2016 at 10:08PM

You're not currently claiming from the third party, you're claiming from your own policy hence the deduction of your excess and remaining instalments (Both of these are standard when you claim from your own policy).

If you claim directly from the third parties Insurer there is no excess to pay and no deduction of instalments.

P.S The Ombudsman clearly states, if you make a mistake when entering the value of your car when taking insurance out, your Insurer should pay you the higher amount if your car is worth more than you put down when applying for the cover

sarahleann · 2 December 2016 at 10:20PM

Is it too late to contact the third party insurers and settle my claim with them? It would save them money as well as I am currently hiring a car and they will have to pay for. (so Hastings direct say).
Iv never been in tho situation before so I don't have a clue what to do or how to go about things.
They should teach this stuff in schools.

john539 · 2 December 2016 at 10:53PM

sarahleann wrote: »

Is it too late to contact the third party insurers and settle my claim with them? It would save them money as well as I am currently hiring a car and they will have to pay for. (so Hastings direct say).
Iv never been in tho situation before so I don't have a clue what to do or how to go about things.
They should teach this stuff in schools.

That's what life is for, start learning quick.

flashg67 · 5 December 2016 at 12:23AM

I friend of mine had his car written off in the first month of a policy and managed to get a refund of (most of) the rest of the premium back after a little hard negotiation. Keep trying.
Did you ak out legal cover on the policy? They might help with uninsured losses like hire car etc

rich13348 · 5 December 2016 at 2:10AM

Hire car is not an uninsured loss, her insurance gave her the hire car. Her excess on the other hand is an uninsured loss.
You can ask your insurer to settle your claim prematurely and make a new claim with the third parties insurer directly. However your insurer may be unwilling to do this if they have spent money they may not get back.
Your best bet, and if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will be along to correct me, is to finish claiming on your current claim and then pursue the third party for uninsured losses which he would pass to his insurers.

Sicard · 5 December 2016 at 9:06AM

I must be out of touch. In my experience, albeit many years ago, the op's insurance company should claim via the third party's insurance company if it's their fault.

Hastings direct - Nightmare!

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