Old car - low value - impossible to replace

the-original-tigger

My mother has owned the same car for almost 20 years an old honda hatchback with 70k mileage. Unfortunately someone has hit it in the snow and ice and suspect it will be a right off due to it's age. She was hoping this car would see her to the end of her days. We are concerned we will be offered a sum from the insurance which will make it impossible to replace such a reliable vehicle. Does anyone have any advice please

Many thanks

lincroft1710

Your mother would only get the market value of a 20 yr old Honda with low mileage for its age. If you know someone who could repair it cheaply, she could buy car back from insurance co after she has received the payout.

lisyloo

In law she is only entitled to be put back in the same financial position.
Unfortunately the financial value of the car is low although is worth much more to her "on the road".

It may be uneconomical for an insurer to repair at high st dealers, but it's possible it could be repaired more cheaply by either a back st gargage, using parts from a scrap yard or ebay of if she isn't bothered about aethetics then she could settle for different coloured body parts, rather than having it spray painted.
Could you help her research the options for having it repaired more cheaply? if it's possible then you can ask the insurer if she can buy it back (they don't all allow this but some do).

rev_henry

If someone else hit her is that person not liable to put her back in the same position? I.e. you could insist that the 3rd party insurance company sources her a similar aged honda in similar condition. Its their problem to do it...

McKneff

she isn't bothered about aethetics then she could settle for different coloured body parts, rather than having it spray painted.


Hey, that might just be what she would like, cool eh.:D

Sparx

What's the damage? You may well say it has been a reliable car, but after a smashup and it is repaired after, it could be a hell of a lot less reliable and have all sorts of internal damage/effects you wouldn't notice, all sorts of things could go wrong from now on if it does get repaired! Try think of it from the other side of the coin.

olly300

rev_henry wrote: »

If someone else hit her is that person not liable to put her back in the same position? I.e. you could insist that the 3rd party insurance company sources her a similar aged honda in similar condition. Its their problem to do it...

No.

The OP mother only gets financial compensation i.e. the value of the car.

Norfolk_Jim

Thats the problem we all face if we have low value cars - is there an excess? Have you thought of just writing it off yourself? How much NCB will be lost? Will her premiums rocket now? If you know who hit it you might consider going after them yourself or with the help of a claims company who might be able to persue expences while you look for another cheap car. A lot of insurers will have you over every which way, which is why I tend to insure only for total disaster scenarios.

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the-original-tigger wrote: »

Does anyone have any advice please?

Wait and see what the insurers say?

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Norfolk_Jim wrote: »

I tend to insure only for total disaster scenarios.

!!!!!! does that mean?

Norfolk_Jim

Quote wrote: »

!!!!!! does that mean?

It means I cover myself for things that I could not cope with, like a big claim against me, or my house burns down.

You see, while the insurance claims to protect you from all kinds of really quite modest losses - your problems begin when you claim with loss of NCB, increasing premiums and wo betide you if you claim several times - loss of cover altogether.

If you sit down and work out if claiming for a wing mirror (for example) is worth it, after excess deducted, a lot of the time I'll end up paying more in increased premiums than I'll get back from my claim.

So I want insurance that covers me in the event of something big. As such I accept a high or very high excess, because I wont claim unless its a big claim or beyond my means to deal with it

OP states car is old - so will have a very low book value. Will probably get next to nothing for the claim but might end up with costs like loss of NCB or increased premiums

hope thats a bit clearer for you