BEWARE - Albany Assistance & Equity Redstar

atencorps

After 13 Months I had to vent my warning.

I went thru autodirect to get insurance quotations last year as for the past 4 years Ive gone through Autodirect and they have always provided me with good quotations and with good providers. So went with Equity Redstar as it seemed reasonable pricing and policy.


Last Jan some guy knocked into my car and had to get the car fixed on which I paid the excess. As it wasnt my fault I tried to get the excess back. Equity Redstar said their claims handlers were Albany assistance.


Albany Assistance must be the most disorganized group of people I have ever known and thats saying something since I worked for a year in a County Council Department.

For 12 months letters were coming back and forth all asking for things from me (to me a claims handler would have a checklist of things they need ie details of incident, map of route / place of incident, details of damage and bill from repairers ) . Not the case with Albany assistance as once I provided something they would ask for something else.

It was only in month 9 that they asked for repair bill/photos of the damage from me ( Equity had been sent the bill and photos of damage by the repairs yet Albany didnt have the brains to contact a equity for it so that whole process took another two months).

Back in the summer after not hearing from them for 3 months I decided to call them and turned out who ever was handling my claim had been on holiday and therefor it hadnt moved for 3 months.

Back in Early jan they sent me a form to fill in authorizing for them to go ahead and organize a small claims court date to be set and proceedings brought against the other party. Rang them 3 days ago and seems they received the letter I sent but it had been sitting in the post room for 6 weeks and nobody had looked at it yet.


As as Said Albany Assistance are a two bit operation with the worst service possible.

dacouch

Its more of an issue caused by Albany than ERS but no doubt you are not happy as Albany were recommended by ERS.

Albany do not have a great reputation, probably the best thing you can do is keep ring (I know you should not have to) them to keep Albany on the ball

atencorps

Ringing is the only thing I can do. As soon as its sorted I am never going to go with ERS again.

From now on Im sticking with well known companies like AA or Zurich.

dacouch

ERS are the 5 largest car insurer in the UK (I think), no I don't work for them..

If you do change check who the Legal Cover is with as a lot of companies use Albany Assistance for their Legal Cover

agaveworm

I bet Albany Assistance are ultimately a Credit Hire company.

If you have a 'fault claim' - good luck! Have a 'non-fault' claim where there is a known, insured third party - you're suddenly their best friend and they can't do enough for you....

Atermis

agaveworm wrote: »

I bet Albany Assistance are ultimately a Credit Hire company.

yes Albany are a CHO.

Equity are a pain as they never NEVER waive the excess

If your just claiming excess why not just send a copy of the receipt with a covering letter into the TPI, will be miles quicker.

dacouch

Atermis is correct you will probably find it easier just ring the other Insurer directly and asking them to refund your excess directly. If its a clear cut case and they are a decent Insurer you will probably have it within 10 days.

I'm confused as to why Albany want to issue proceedings to recover an excess if its a clear cut case. Are you claiming for other things from the other Insurer or have you had a credit hire vehicle from Albany

I don't know of any Insurers that have a habit or waiving the excess apart from some of the companies who waive it if you hit an uninsured driver.

SomeBozo

Interesting.

I was in a car accident and my insurance passed on my details to Albany to get me to persue my injury claim with them,. I took the advice on the forums and are using my own solicitor.

Bozo

dacouch

Thats a good idea somebozo, go by recommendations of friends etc.

If you run into any problems post them up here for Crazy Jamie & Midlandssolicitor etc as they can try and help

You probably don't realise but your Insurer would have been paid around £350 commission by Albany for passing you over to them for a standard injury claim, plus about £150 if Albany put you in a hire vehicle.

The Insurers (Especially NU and Zurich who make the biggest noise) make me laugh as they say how many problems these types of companies cause and put peoples premiums up but they are quite happy to earn commissions from them.

agaveworm

Seriously.... don't diss the ERS.

I'm banging on with them all day long.

Long live Lloyds.