UK Assistance - Car Repairs

girlinabox

Direct Line own this company and have insisted on me getting my car repaired by them, they're coming to get my car tomorrow. Has anyone used this firm before, and if so, what can I expect?

Many thanks.

P.S. UK Assistance are in Salford.

lisyloo

Direct Line are a good insurer and your repairs should be guaranteed.
Undoubtedly the reason why they use them is that they get a discount for bulk business.

I don't know whether legally you could challenge it (depends what it says you are entitled to in your policy) but personally I wouldn't be that worried unless you have a specialist car like a Ferrari or and Aston Martin.

girlinabox

lisyloo wrote: »

Direct Line are a good insurer and your repairs should be guaranteed.
Undoubtedly the reason why they use them is that they get a discount for bulk business.

I don't know whether legally you could challenge it (depends what it says you are entitled to in your policy) but personally I wouldn't be that worried unless you have a specialist car like a Ferrari or and Aston Martin.

I have heard so many things about people's cars coming back with more scratches on etc. Also, they are getting me a hire car with Enterprise but want me to pay a deposit, under those circumstances do you think I could cancel and ask them to approve the quote by Renault as they will give me a hire car for free?

girlinabox

Also - the excess on my policy was £500 which drops after you turn 25. I turned 25 in Nov but my accident was in Aug - are they correct in saying that the £500 excess applies, as I would have thought the excess only applies when you claim - i.e. now that I am having the car repaired. Can anyone shed any light on this as I have told them to cancel the repairs under these circumstances as I haven't got £500!!

lisyloo

I have heard so many things about people's cars coming back with more scratches on etc.

You need to check your policy to see what you are entitled to.
If you had gone through an insurance broker then you would have someone to help you. But as you went "Direct" and without advice then you are on your own, so it's a case of reading the policy.
If you've lost it then I'm pretty sure you can download or look at it on the internet.

You also need to do the same to check your entitlements to a hire car.
Did you pay for the guaranteed car hire option?

I have told them to cancel the repairs under these circumstances

If your repairs are not urgent then can you not wait until the claim is settled and then claim of the other party rather than through your own insurers? (I am assuming this is the roundabout accident we have been discussing in another thread).
Then you won't have to pay the excess.

as I haven't got £500!!

Was the excess voluntary or compulsorary?
If it was voluntary then why did you take it if you don't have the money?
I'm not being nasty but do you need to review your finances wholescale?
What happens if you lose your job?
Less than £500 is not a lot of money to have.
I don't know your liabilities (dependents etc.) but anyone with commitments or dependents should have about 3 months salary put by to get them through any bad times e.g.redundancy.
If your finances are in a bad state then perhaps you need to consider getting the bus for a while or use a pedal cycle over the summer until you can at least get yourself sorted out.

dogbot

I turned 25 in Nov but my accident was in Aug - are they correct in saying that the £500 excess applies, as I would have thought the excess only applies when you claim - i.e. now that I am having the car repaired.

Yes they are. You were under 25 at the time of the incident and so that is the date that matters.

girlinabox

lisyloo wrote: »

You need to check your policy to see what you are entitled to.
If you had gone through an insurance broker then you would have someone to help you. But as you went "Direct" and without advice then you are on your own, so it's a case of reading the policy.
If you've lost it then I'm pretty sure you can download or look at it on the internet.

You also need to do the same to check your entitlements to a hire car.
Did you pay for the guaranteed car hire option?

Yes I did and my suggestion to them that perhaps they should forewarn people who take this cover out that they will be paying a deposit as well didn't go down well.



If your repairs are not urgent then can you not wait until the claim is settled and then claim of the other party rather than through your own insurers? (I am assuming this is the roundabout accident we have been discussing in another thread).
Then you won't have to pay the excess.

Yes this is the accident you have given me advice on in the other thread. My solicitor seemed to think that I needed my excess receipt in order to issue proceedings. Alternatively I can get a quote elsewhere and use that as an invoice I think she said? You mention claiming off the other insurers once settled - this is only assuming I win 100% I take it?



Was the excess voluntary or compulsorary?
If it was voluntary then why did you take it if you don't have the money?
I'm not being nasty but do you need to review your finances wholescale?
What happens if you lose your job?
Less than £500 is not a lot of money to have.
I don't know your liabilities (dependents etc.) but anyone with commitments or dependents should have about 3 months salary put by to get them through any bad times e.g.redundancy.
If your finances are in a bad state then perhaps you need to consider getting the bus for a while or use a pedal cycle over the summer until you can at least get yourself sorted out.

It was voluntary but on the quotation I did it stated £250 (which is an ok amount for me) but when the documents came through it stated £500 and I didn't notice this until recently. When I asked them, they stated that it only goes to £250 after I turn 25, its just unfortunate that the accident occured before my 25th birthday and I never noticed this on the policy documents...my fault entirely.

It isn't that my finances are in a bad state - I have an ok enough income and no monthly direct debits etc, I just don't have £500 to spare in one go.

Quentin

girlinabox wrote: »

I could cancel and ask them to approve the quote by Renault as they will give me a hire car for free?

You do not have to have your car repaired at the nominated repairer of your insurer.

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

A few comments

1) Renault as a dealer will probably not give you a cheaper quote, and they too are likely to insist on a deposit for a courtesy car.

2) Voluntary excess- its likely you had £250 voluntary and also £250 compulsory due to your age

3) It will have been available to you

Tbh it seems you havent read properly.

girlinabox

LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »

A few comments

1) Renault as a dealer will probably not give you a cheaper quote, and they too are likely to insist on a deposit for a courtesy car.


2) Voluntary excess- its likely you had £250 voluntary and also £250 compulsory due to your age


3) It will have been available to you

Tbh it seems you havent read properly.

Haven't read what properly?

before_hollywood

girlinabox wrote: »

Direct Line own this company and have insisted on me getting my car repaired by them, they're coming to get my car tomorrow. Has anyone used this firm before, and if so, what can I expect?

Many thanks.

P.S. UK Assistance are in Salford.

sounds similar to a company that repaired mine, i think they were called accident assistance uk or something based in heywood lancs (so just up the road) they are called collision assist these days but last easter someone wrote their car off into mine and they were excellent

might not be same company i am not sure