Car insurance claim problem

zidanee

Hi All

I hope somebody can help me out with an advice.

I had an accident last October (2009) when another car reversed into my door which resulted in a dent. I reported the claim to my insurer (I was on 3rd party fire and theft back then) and the third party insurer accepted the blame. Now since then I cannot get them to repair my car. My ex-insurer (Admiral) contracts Albany Assistance to deal with claims and arrange repairs and they were very unprofessional and really not helpful. For 4 months they had mixed up their data and chased a different car under different insurer through DVLA (although I have confirmed in writing 3 times the third party's reg number, name, address, etc.) When they realised that they were after the wrong car, they contacted the right insurer and another trouble began - for no less than 5 months they cannot get my repair estimates to the third party insurer. They keep on faxing them through and the insurer keeps not receiving them. One more intelligent customer advisor from Albany Assistance emailed the estimates while staying on the phone with the third party insurer and they confirmed receiving the estimates and passing it forward within their company. That was more than a month ago. I am ringing them every week now and they are saying that AGAIN they tried to send out estimates and AGAIN 3rd party insurer is not receiving them. I feel really frustrated that nothing is happening and I am driving a damaged car and they don't seem to be doing anything. Plus I am moving half a country soon so the estimates will mean nothing anyway and I will have to get new once which will probably take another year to fax through. And I wanted to sell the car soon which I cannot do without getting it repaired first and I don't want to pay for the repairs as it wasn't my fault that somebody can't use rear view mirrors! Is there anything I can do to resolve this? Is there any regulation according to which the claims should be resolved within a specific time period? Any advice is much appreciated!!

Thanks

Quentin

Make a (written) complaint to the claim handlers and ask for the matter to be escalated. You have been a little too patient with them, so now keep on at them,(in writing).

(Alternatively, you could use your own solicitor to sort this out.)

lisyloo

You could send them a letter (I suggest using recorded delivery for 75p) to say that unless they start repairs within 10 working days that you will make the repairs yourself and seek to reclaims your losses through the small claims track.

We have advanced our way up the work queue by threatening to do it ourselves before (but not have to carry out the threat).

lisyloo

Small claims track is something you can do yourself very cheaply.
It's a fairly unsophisticated court without complicated leagl procedures or expensive fees.
Paying solicitors will be expensive unless you have an insurance policy in place or can get a conditional fee agreement.