Car insurance dragging feet - flooded water damage

dur747

3 weeks ago my car ended up in a flooded road, submerged upto the top of the tyre level for over an hour - engine cut out, anyway had to be towed back home.

Since then I've had loads of problems with the insurers, getting it back on the road(they have agreed to cover flood damage in principle):

1. The courtesy car from insurers ran out after 2 weeks even though there were delays in getting the insurance assessor to inspect the car, obtain a quote and authorise repairs. The company said that I had gone to a garage of my preference, so they had 'no responsibility in ensuring things were chased up'. I insisted that I contacted them before the car was towed anywhere, that I had no specific preference but gave them the address that the AA had suggested. They didn't tell me anything about having their own authorised repairers during the telephone conversation.

2. The engine needs replacing which the insurers have agreed to cover. But in the process of stripping it down, the garage have found other faults after the initial insurance inspection, that the insurance company don't believe are due to flood damage and therefore won't pay for: seized clutch, leaking front wishbone suspension etc. that will cost an extra £500 or so, on top of my £300 excess. I didn't argue and said fine, I just want to get back on the road with it. Luckily BMW have provided a courtesy car because the insurance company refused to extend

3. It is now 3 weeks on, and the car was about to be returned; garage did a test drive and heard some rattling (which wasn't there before) and said the ball bearings have gone, which could have been due to flood damage, and will cost another £500 to replace. They contacted the insurers who again deny that flooded water could have caused it (without even re-inspecting it) by saying that it is a 'sealed unit'. They have also said that the assessor is on holiday for a week and therefore noone can come to re-assess for at least a week.

Bit fed up of it all, has anyone got any wise words of wisdom???? The car was working completely fine before the incident and I'm annoyed that having regularly paid premiums of more than £700 for several years without claims, when there is a claim the company are being so obstructive.

Does something like this usually take more than 4 weeks to sort out?!

Helen_J_3

Yes this could take ages if my experiences are anything to go on. All I had was a bump to the back of my car by someone else and that was September, still hasn't been sorted.

Insurance companies drag their feet in the hope you'll give up.

I don't know how to advise you on the repairs costs and stuff but I'd imagine if the garage say that it could be down to flood damage and can send a report to your insurer then your insurers can't deny that (especially if they're not willing to send someone out because he's on holiday! Do they only have one assessor???)

Also if you have a recent service/MOT that's passed you can say that this shows there was nothing wrong with it before?

Not sure if it will work but maybe worth a try.

mrstewieo

Helen_J wrote: »

Insurance companies drag their feet in the hope you'll give up.
.

If that statement had any slight hint of truth in it, then I'm sure the FSA would have fined insurance companies long ago. This is not true at all.

OP, you could always get your own independant engineer. Insurance companies usually only have one assesor who covers a certain area.