Insurance excess query. Please help.

whirleyshirley

Hello,

My son got his transport stolen. He reported it to police who found his transport. They recovered it with a massive amount of damage.

It was then recovered by insurance company to dealer. There was a 2 month delay in repairs. They were done. Son collected his transport and was told by garage no excess to pay as insurance company paying all costs.

Then 1 week later insurance company send a letter demanding the excess. Son is furious. He has it in writing on garage account stating no excess to pay insurance company paying in full.

Where does he stand with this?

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Shirley.

Hintza

What is transport? He has an excess to pay, garage have cocked up so he really should pay as required. Does he really fancy a fight over this?

whirleyshirley

His transport that he drives to and from work.

Don't know if he fancies a fight over this but was just wanting to know his position.

Garage held on to his transport for 2 months before repairing.

Thieves who stole it have been caught. Son has to submit all receipts to court to try to get compensation for all costs involved while his transport was in the garage, from the thieves.

He was not given courtesy vehicle despite it being part of his insurance policy. 2 months of busses etc.

Hintza

You have raised other issues.

2 months seem a long time and you need to find out why that was. Insurance company dragging it's heels, garage being slow or parts not available?

I would certainly be trying to recover as much as I can from the thieves but of course they will have no money.

Why was courtesy car not provided he needs to chase that up but should have kicked up more of a fuss at the time (did he take the car to the approved repairer? If not that could be the reason.)

Vaio might be along soon he seems to be jacked up on insurance.

whirleyshirley

Police recovered it to where it was stolen from while thieves still at large, risking it stolen again. I recovered it to home, and secured it.

It was taken by insurance company approved recovery vehicle to approved repairer, within 12 hours, following day.

2 Months delay because insurance company did not authorise repairs. Garage did not list all damage. Had to contact garage to point out other damage recorded by police and son on initial recovery after theft.

Theives won't have any money but will still have to pay the costs out of dole money etc, whether in form of a fine or order for costs.

No idea why courtesy vehicle not given at time.

rev_henry

Most policies have a separate fire and theft excess that is lower than the normal compulsory + voluntary excess. He, in theory, should have to pay this, but seeing as how he has this in writing from the garage maybe he should chase them.
Seems a bit lackadaisical on the part of you and your son about the courtesy car, you should have sorted that at the time.

vikingaero

How old is your son? Some companies use normal rental companies for courtesy cars. These companies may have a policy not hire to people under certain ages.

whirleyshirley

Son is 18 and trying to deal with these things himself but gets in knots on occasion.

He was sure there was no courtesy vehicle until he let me look at his policy yesterday, after getting the letter demanding the excess. I'd have sorted it out immediately, but son wants to be independent.

rev_henry

whirleyshirley wrote: »

Son is 18 and trying to deal with these things himself but gets in knots on occasion.

He was sure there was no courtesy vehicle until he let me look at his policy yesterday, after getting the letter demanding the excess. I'd have sorted it out immediately, but son wants to be independent.

Ah, I see. Well, as I said he'll probably have to pay a smaller fire and theft excess, that is all. I'm also 18 and mines £100 or maybe £150, to give you some idea. Maybe you could speak to the insurance company and say, 'well you failed to give us a courtesy car so as compensation can you waive the excess?'
Worth a try surely?

whirleyshirley

A good idea. It's worth a try.

whirleyshirley

Thanks very much.