Could somebodybody give me some advice please?

Louise03

I will try to be brief.

A month ago I pulled over to let a lorry past, narrow country lane, as he was passing me he caught my rear right side bumper.

Rang my insurance company who said I would have to pay £250 excess and then they would claim back. However couple of hours later they said as non fault accident excess would be waived. They told me I could have courtesy car and put me through to Driveassist.

I had the courtsey car for 13 days while my was repaired. Last week I got a letter from my ins. to say that they had contacted 3rd party ins. and were waiting for a reply but I would have to pay excess when I collected my car.
I already had collected mmy car and was not charged excess.

I rang my ins. and told them this and that I had been originally told my excess was waived, woman I spoke to said this should not of happened because normally in these incidents (narrow country lane) it goes 50/50, (I was stationairy at the time).

Meanwhile I have received letter from Driveassist and estimated bill for 22 days car hire £1200.

Can anyone tell me if it does go 50/50 will I now have to pay excess £250 and if Driveassist cannot claim car hire charges from 3rd party will I have to pay this too?

My ins. policiy does state free courtesy car but on reading driveassist small print it looks that I would be responsible for paying if they cannot claim back from 3rd party.

Sorry for this being so long winded, but I would be grateful for any replies or feedback.

vikingaero

Send a letter of complaint to your insurer and ask for a copy of any tapes/transcript of any telephone conversations.

Louise03

Thankyou for replying, I feel very mislead by my ins. First they tell me non fault accident have a courtesy car as bumper damage means mine is unsafe to drive. Then I am told that it will probably be 50/50 and I could be liable to pay £1000++.

goldspanners

challenge the insurance company,i had trouble with admiral earlier this year and kept on at them,after about 4 calls and a few letters i got there in the end with them admitting it was their sales person who sold me the policy wrongly and i got off with a charge, smaller than your so definatly worth the hassle in your case.
try mentioning to them that the FSA will be your next course of action. it helped me out.

Louise03

Who is the FSA?

Can it be legal that my ins states on policy free courtesy car then expects me to pay if Driveassist cannot claim cost back from 3rd party?

goldspanners

FSA financial service authority.
they govern most insurance companies,banks etc...

Louise03

Thanks Goldspanners I will contact my ins tomorow, if no joy I will contact FSA.

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

What an overreaction

Absolutly nothing I have read on here suggests a complaint is justified

1) Excess is almost always applied in cases like this until the case is settled and only refunded if the third party insurers take 100% of the claim and your insurers recover all their outgoings

2) Regarding the courtesy car, either way you will not need to pay the bill unless your found to be in breach of your insurance and a pay out is refused, the costs will either be recovered from the third parties insurer or your insurer will pay out and pick up the cost

the worst case I can see happening and is probably likely in a case like this is that you lose 2 years off your no claim and have to pay the excess

I think its a simple case of misinterpretation and whilst your excess will likely be waived in a no fault claim at this stage it isnt that

Im all for consumer power but at least wait until you have been wronged !!!!!!