Direct Line Car Ins ARGGGGGH!!!

Dipak

Hi All,

In need of some advice off you kind people again. I have a fully comp car insurance policy with protected no claims. In Oct 2009 i was stationary at the traffic lights when another car came into the back of my car. The damage was minimal, just some paint work damaged where his car hit my car. Decided that we'd go through insurance and so i did. I reported it to direct line the next day and they said they would contact the third party insurer and keep me updated with progress. While this was happening they arranged for a garage to carry out repairs and i'd have to pay my excess as they couldnt confirm who was at fault. I didnt want to pay my excess so i said that wait for third party to come back and admit fault then i'd have the repairs done.

End of Dec 2009 and still nothing as happened. Direct line say they have chased 5 times the 3rd party insurers havent responded. Direct line suggest i have a repairs done so they can then chase for payment. I questioned what if they dont admit fault what happens then? Direct line say that i lose my excess. Does this seem right? because to me it seems as though direct line have given up and just want me to lose my excess.

What do you think?

Cheers,
D

dogbot

if they have chased 5 times then dosen't sound like they have given up. Do you have the details of the TP insurer, vehicle and driver?

I would contact the third party insurer directly - ask DL if they have at least provided a claim reference number. Provide this and DL's reference and state that you will be claiming your uninsured losses including excess, wasted time, postage costs. Ask why, when you have identified their insured, the vehicle and provided the details, they will not deal with the claim after this time.

dunstonh

The problem is that you are not willing to use your own insurer to handle the claim but are waiting on the other party. Had you dealt with your own insurer in October you would have had the car repaired by now and would probably have had your excess and out of pocket expenses returned by now and your no claims discount reinstated.

There isnt much Direct Line can do at this stage. If you had claimed on your own policy and instructed your legal team then it is a lot easier.

Anihilator

If you have the details of the driver small claim court him directly.

Llyllyll

I had a similar situation to this when someone who was insured with Quinn Direct went into the back of my car - the difference was that I went through Direct Line and had the repair done straight away.

I didn't want to lose my excess either though so kept on to them and finally had a letter through stating that they had been on to the 3rd party insurers for many months but that they weren't replying. They also stated that it wasn't commercially worthwhile to take them to court so they just refunded my excess and wrote it off.

It is annoying when these (IMO) shoddy companies like Quinn Direct wriggle out of their responsibilities but as has already been stated without using Direct Line to help with the situation then you are left with taking the other driver to court (if you can).