Privilege Car Insurance - guarantees re repair work - help!

laughing_cow

Hello

Early last year I was involved in a car accident which was the fault of the other party. My car was repaired in the local main dealer, which has since shut down.

Recently I've noticed that the paint work is looking a bit dodgy. It's a blue car, but there's a greeny-yellow hue showing through, which I've been informed is a result of poor preparation and the filler having a reaction with the paint. As the garage has shut down, obviously I cannot take it back and complain.

I've just spoken to Privilege, my insurance company who authorised the work. They informed me that the work I had done is not guaranteed because I didn't use one of their 'approved' garages and I used my 'own' garage. When I phoned to report the accident, I suggested that they might use the main dealer simply because I have an unusual imported car and from past experience, the main dealer was able to source specialist parts much quicker than other garages. I did not at any point insist they use this garage - I just suggested it to be helpful. They said they would get back to me because it wasn't one of their usual garages, which they did a couple of days later. They then sent their inspector down and approved the work which was completed shortly after (April 2005).

When I phoned today to discuss this, all I got was "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do" comments. They told me that I would have been offered an approved garage initially and turned it down in favour of my 'own' (I wasn't, as far as I recall). Because the work had been authorised by Privilege, I did not worry. At no point was I warned that the work would not be guaranteed. The person I spoke to is also insisting that there is an exception clause in accident section of my policy booklet stating this. My booklet is probably a couple of years old, but there is no such statement - I even read all the exceptions out to him. He then said that the policy document says that work from approved garages is guaranteed for 5 years. Again, nowhere is this stated in my policy document And nowhere does it state that if you have the work done in garages they don't normally use, it will not be guaranteed.

They've now gone off to check the tapes of their telephone calls. I'm pretty sure that I will be ok there - I don't recall being offered any other gararges, and I KNOW that I didn't insist on using the main dealer.

Does anyone know where I stand?
(a) should they have warned me in the initial phone call that the work would not be guaranteed?
(b) as my policy document doesn't mention approved garages or guarantees, do I have a case here, even if my booklet is a couple of years old?
(c) how concrete is this 'approved' garage issue - ie if the insurance co has authorised your car repair at a main dealer, wouldn't you assume that this is 'approved'?


I simply want the faulty area to be corrected/repainted, and I'm annoyed that it will cost £300 to fix it - particularly when the accident wasn't even my fault in the first place!

For the record, the two members of staff I dealt with were both unpleasant and rude oiks who didn't listen - the kind of people who, when they can't answer a question, just read out facts, whether or not those facts are relevant. My insurance policy is up for renewal soon.........hmmmm!


Ta for your help

laughingcow

Astaroth

The extended warrenty on the repairs are subject to you using one of their network garages rather than a garage of your own choice which they then subsequently approve repairs at... the same goes for the car being cleaned, collected and returned free of charge etc.

I did used to work in the claims depart for the Direct Line Group (as it was then and who own Privilege) and in my day the claims registration advisors were heavily targeted on "promoting" the network repairers and so whilst they werent allowed to do "hard sell" on it I would be surprised if they didnt try to suggest that you may want to use a network/ approved repairer. Unfortunately for the advisors there were many people who wanted to use their main dealer because of warrenties or "only a merc garage will repair a merc to my standards etc".

They certainly used to be very concrete over the warrenty as whilst "direct line" offer the warrenty it is actually the garage that pays for it all not direct line (it is in the contract they have negotiated with the garages)

The other party wouldnt be liable either as you personally chose the garage that you took it to so they arent liable for shoddy workmanship at the garage.

If it was a main dealer of your own choosing is it not possible to complain to the manufactures/ other main dealer for them to rectify the issue from one of their sister sites? (car francises always confuse me)

oldwiring

The use of approved repairers and withdrawal of warranty could also give problems to the insurer as well IMHO. Wht happens in a situation like what follows. My car carries a 10 year boddy warranty, but any repair has to be done by a repairer approved by the manufacturer. Say that repairer is not on the insurer's approved list. If I use the insurer's agent, I lose my body warranty. If I use the manufactuer's, I lose the insurer's warranty.

ISTM that the insurer may become in such a case in breach of what insurance is for, namely to put you back in to the position you were prior to accident, which is to be in possession of a car with a valid body warranty.

laughing_cow

Astaroth wrote:

I did used to work in the claims depart for the Direct Line Group (as it was then and who own Privilege) and in my day the claims registration advisors were heavily targeted on "promoting" the network repairers and so whilst they werent allowed to do "hard sell" on it I would be surprised if they didnt try to suggest that you may want to use a network/ approved repairer.

It's a while ago so I can't recall fully whether another garage was mentioned - however I am certain that I didn't turn down any of their garages.

Astaroth wrote:

The other party wouldnt be liable either as you personally chose the garage that you took it to so they arent liable for shoddy workmanship at the garage.

Whilst I accept that I can't go back to the other party, I am miffed at mine because I didn't 'choose' the garage - I merely informed them that the garage I normally used was able to get the parts much easier and quicker than other garages, so maybe they'd like to use them.

Astaroth wrote:

If it was a main dealer of your own choosing is it not possible to complain to the manufactures/ other main dealer for them to rectify the issue from one of their sister sites? (car francises always confuse me)

Car franchises always confuse me too! I guess there's very a slim possibility the manufacturers might be of some help. As far as the franchise goes, it was Lookers, who I understand went into liquidation. The particular branch I used has not been bought by anyone else and is currently standing empty, so I think I'm stuffed there.


I understand the points you have made re using their repairers, but there's no mention about this exception to the guarantee in my policy document. How can they insist on sticking to their 'rules' if I haven't been informed of them?

Astaroth

laughing_cow wrote:

I understand the points you have made re using their repairers, but there's no mention about this exception to the guarantee in my policy document. How can they insist on sticking to their 'rules' if I haven't been informed of them?

I dont know about your policy booklet but looking at one from last year that I happen to have on my desk (its amazing how over stuffed by draw is with all our and our competitors policybooks - really should get round to just downloading the PDF versions) it states at the begining of the booklet:

All of our recommended repairers' work is guaranteed for 5 years

I am sure it will say somewhere in the policy booklet - probably be in the begining blurb - about the guarantee, if it simply says "all repairs covered for 5 years" rather than any mention of network/ recommended/ approved garages then you may have a case to argue and send a photocopy of the version of the policybooklet that you happen to have (remember these things are frequently updated)

maclean2

Hi - Lookers still seem to be around and try https://www.lookers.co.uk.Your problem is worth taking up with their head office or nearest branch with a bodyshop.Make sure you can produce a copy of their estimate and the repair account as proof that they did the work.

I'm not saying they will roll over and pay but I hope you have success.

HTH

laughing_cow

Astaroth wrote:

I am sure it will say somewhere in the policy booklet - probably be in the begining blurb - about the guarantee, if it simply says "all repairs covered for 5 years" rather than any mention of network/ recommended/ approved garages then you may have a case to argue and send a photocopy of the version of the policybooklet that you happen to have (remember these things are frequently updated)

After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing and Privilege suggesting that I'm making it up, someone has today come back to me saying they've got the same booklet and admitted that they "can't find at the moment" any mentions of approved garages/guarantees, and furthermore that there are no statements re this "where I'd expect it to be". They've gone off to read it further, but I've had 3 colleagues read the whole booklet through, and there really are no mentions.

I've had several amusing incidents with their staff today. One person who phoned me only gave me his first name - when I asked (politely) for his full name and job title replied defensively "I'm experienced and I know what I'm talking about!" to which I replied, "Er, I didn't say you weren't - I just wanted to note down who I'm dealing with."

This same man told me that if a policy document changes, then I should phone and ask for it. Me: "Erm, exactly how will I know it has changed if you do not tell me - do I phone up every 6 months to check?" His only answer for that was to read out facts, which were not relevant to the subject matter. He then went on to tell me that their TV ads mention that there's a guarantee on work with approved repairers.
Me: "So I'm expected to watch TV and look out for your ads to know details of my policy?"
Him: "There are lots of ads, so you should have seen them."
Me: "I've got Sky+, I never watch the ads".
Him: "Well, most people do".

His manager then went on to tell me that "absolutely everyone" knows that insurance companies have approved repairers and work is not guaranteed otherwise. A straw poll amongst the drivers in my office reveals this not to be true - particularly as most people, like myself, were under the misapprehension that if an insurer authorises work then it is 'approved'.

They've also contradicted themselves several times. One minute telling me that they would "definitely" have offered one of their repairers, saying that it's an advantage for them to do so (as Astorath mentions above), the next telling me that if I had mentioned another garage, then they wouldn't necessarily have "pushed" theirs.

I've also been told that I "wouldn't be complaining" about my policy if I didn't have a problem with my repair. Doh! Of course not! - I wouldn't be aware of it! I've not claimed for many years and I don't spend my evenings reading policy booklets for fun.

They were originally very bullish about the phone calls, saying they would find "proof" that I had been offered one of their repairers and had turned it down in favour of my own. Funnily enough, they've been looking for 3 days and they now "can't find" the tapes of my phone call. The manager, who had originally told me that a new repair on my car was "absolutely not going to happen", has now said that the engineers will contact me about coming to inspect it.

I can't remember when I last dealt with such poor customer service staff - no listening skills, impolite, contradictory and a weird habit of repeating the same irrelevant sentences when they were unable or unwilling to answer a question. I am sooooo not going to renew my policy with them.

I will have to see what happens, if anything, but will report back here with any news. Thanks for your replies, particularly Astoroth with his 'insider' knowledge.

laughing_cow

maclean2 wrote:

Hi - Lookers still seem to be around and try https://www.lookers.co.uk.Your problem is worth taking up with their head office or nearest branch with a bodyshop.Make sure you can produce a copy of their estimate and the repair account as proof that they did the work.

I'm not saying they will roll over and pay but I hope you have success.

HTH

Thanks - that's very useful.

I had been told by people in the motor trade that Lookers had gone - it seems that it might only be the London dealerships that have been shut down, or only dealerships of my brand of car.

I have phoned and left a message for the relevant person at Lookers. Hopefully, if I try them and the insurance co, one of them might at least come through and fix it!

Barnei

On the privilege website it has a policy booklet you can download (pdf doc). On page 5 it says theres a 5 yr guarantee if you use their recommended repairers.

Also when you register a claim with them you are automatically sent a letter advising about repairs. If you are using their recommended repairer it will give their details on this letter. If you are not it will ask you to forward an estimate to them. The call you made to them will have been recorded so they will eventually have to track it down. Advisers must offer the use of an approved repairer in the initial call (its in their interests as it is targeted). If having problems, just write to their regional customer service manager or customer relations dept and they will get the call listened to.

From my experience, if it not an approved repairer the insurer would not do anything regarding problems with repairs.

oldwiring

BTW I think you'll find that Privilege is either a direct subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland or via Direct Line. My cases have had nothing to do with insurance but I have found that if yoy can find a way of getting to and making a nuisance of yourself at group HQ.....

Astaroth

Privilege is underwritten by Direct Line both of which is owned by RBS

Whilst you could write to the head of RBS I am sure that you would get the same response from writting to the head of Privilege (after all the head of the group will delegate to the head of the insurance division and the head of the insurance division will delegate to the head of the brand)

I am not sure how the FOS (if it needed to go to that level) would rule on this one as there is an element of common sense that if you went to a dodge backstreet garage the insurer wouldnt say they would warrenty the repairs for 5 years