Insurance Claim with Tesco

regular_guy27

Hi,

This is my post here but I'm a big follower of the website.

Last November during a particularly Icy spell my partner and I were involved in an incident with another vehicle. We were travelling round a sharp corner doing no more than 15 - 20 mph and the car slid out to the other side of the road, my partner sucessfully managed to regain control and successfully got us back to our side of the road. The problem is that the vehicle travelling in the opposite direction tried to brake for the corner after seeing us and skidded scraping his car on a barrier (minimal damage was caused to his vehicle).

Within an hour of the incident occuring my partner contacted Tesco Insurance and iformed them of what had happened. They advised us that as there was no contact made the other party could not claim any damages from our insurance. Having been told this we thought fine.

Approximately 2 weeks later to our shock we received a letter from Tesco insurance stating that we had been involved in an incident which we had failed to notify them of!!! We called them and they apologised for sending the letter and confirmed that they had a reccord of our telephone conversation. They again re-iterated the point that as there had been no contact a claim would not be paid out, but that they would require a statement from my partner and me (as the incident happened in Scotland apparently mmy statement can also be used even though I am her partner???). This was done.

Two weeks ago we received a letter from Tesco Insurance stating that WE had made a claim on our insurance and would now be liable for any excess charges. So yet again we contacted Tesco insurance, they claimed that because there was no damage to our car there would be no exccess to pay (seemed a bit strange to me) and advised that the other drivers insurance company had sent the invoice for the repairs to our insurance but that they had responded stating that they were not willing to pay any of the claim.

It has now been 2 weeks since our insurance wrote to his and we have not heard anything. My partner called them today and they said that they would put an urgent "webnote" on file to get this sorted out asap.

The only reason that me and my partner want this resolved asap is that we are looking to buy a new car but dont know where we stand with NCB (currently at 2ys only).

Apologies if there is anything that doesnt make any sense, but any advise would be really appreciated as it seems that every time we phone Tesco insurance we are told something different or the department we need to speak to is closed.

Helen_J_3

regular_guy27 wrote: »

Apologies if there is anything that doesnt make any sense, but any advise would be really appreciated as it seems that every time we phone Tesco insurance we are told something different or the department we need to speak to is closed.

This sounds like your usual insurance company practice! Always slow to drag their heels.

I'm sorry I don't know more about your position legally but the above activities are nothing new from my experience.

regular_guy27

Thanks for the post Helen, I suppose this sort of poor practice is common among most insurers, the annoying thing is that we desperately need to buy a new car and just cant until this is all sorted out. That and the fact that every time we phone we are told a different thing!!!

I personally wouldn't recomment anyone to use Tesco Car Insurance.

McKneff

Tesco themselves dont insure cars, which insurance company were they using, is more to the point.

regular_guy27

I dont have a clue, I'm sure at one point my partner was put through to someone at directline although I could be wrong.

vaio

I can see this being a tricky one to argue........

You slid onto the wrong side of the road and if the TP was forced into the barrier to avoid hitting you then you are liable.

If the TP saw you slide, panicked and skidded without you being close enough to have any chance of affecting him then you are not liable.

regular_guy27

Hi,

It was most definately a case of the other driver skidding of his own accord. We were on our own side of the road when he went off the road. The road in question is so narrow that if we weren't on our side of the road then there would definately have been contact.

vaio

I'm convinced, now all you need to do is convince the insurance companies

Good luck