Hastings direct write-off issues

agray2812

Hi,

I had a small run in with some unseen concrete bollards just before Christmas. The car was driveable and we managed to use for 2 days before Nationwide crash repair came and took it away for assessmnet and left us with a courtesy car.
I am no expert but as far as i can tell the damage was to front wing and to sills on passenger side door (both probably need replacing) there may also have ben some damage to the underside of the car.
Obviously being Xmas it has taken a while to get a report on the damage, but iwas called yesterday and told the insurers are writing it off. I am yet to receive a call from the total loss people, but i am loathe to giove our car up as we have spent quite a bit of cash on the car recently for repairs etc anyways. It a 53 plate megane scenic. Am i right in saying that if they make as on offer for the car value, firstly we should haggle on the price; secondly we could take the cheque and then buy back the car at scrap value.
This then would mean we can get repairs made (if economical) and re MOT the car and use as normal.

My other problem is that Nationwide crash repairs now want their loan car back (next Weds) and of course i will need a vehicle to get to work then. Can i claim for a hire car from insurers whilst we are waiting for the claim to be sorted??


Any advice will be greatfully received!

ADDED NOTE:
We are insured via Hastings direct and i have just been told by them that we cannot buy the car back from them if scrapped (not directly, but possibly via salvage company) This could stimy any of the above plans but advice still greatfully received.
The insurers do not have the damage report in writing yet so i do not even know what category of damage it is.
HELP!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

some insurers have a no buy back policy when writing the vehicle off. this can be anoying if its only cat d and you wish to have it back, you would then have to look up the salvage company wich may not be local and buy it off them (wich could be a price your not willing to pay for).

the insurance company may not offer a low price for it, some insurers have been given a deal of respect in offering high end of the vehicles value.

at the moment, you could ask you insurance company to hold off in writing it off pending a second opinion cost for repair are high because insurers have to use NEW parts or even MAIN DEALER PARTS and the labour charge is wached up by the body shop to maximise profits.

your car would have been assessed as a whole not just the damage affected side, every scratch, dint,blemish,scuff,windscreen chip is counted towards the repair cost getting a second opinion from antoher body shop just doing the damage affected area could reduce the price of repair, you could then ask your insurers if their willing to pay that garage for repairing it, the insurers may agree with a CAP on cost so if your quoted £1000 to repair and labour and vat that will be all you insurers will be willing to pay WITHOUT PREJUDICE (basically youll have to tend to any warranty issues not complain to the insurers).

scour the ads for you cars value same car specs mileage etc, that way youll know what to expect when the make an offer if it falls short youll have to provide proof to the insurers so make sure you print the ads this will be dragged out long process but will ensure you get a fair price for your scrap if you take the offer pay out over repair.

motorguy

agray2812 wrote: »

Hi,

I had a small run in with some unseen concrete bollards just before Christmas. The car was driveable and we managed to use for 2 days before Nationwide crash repair came and took it away for assessmnet and left us with a courtesy car.
I am no expert but as far as i can tell the damage was to front wing and to sills on passenger side door (both probably need replacing) there may also have ben some damage to the underside of the car.
Obviously being Xmas it has taken a while to get a report on the damage, but iwas called yesterday and told the insurers are writing it off. I am yet to receive a call from the total loss people, but i am loathe to giove our car up as we have spent quite a bit of cash on the car recently for repairs etc anyways. It a 53 plate megane scenic. Am i right in saying that if they make as on offer for the car value, firstly we should haggle on the price; secondly we could take the cheque and then buy back the car at scrap value.
This then would mean we can get repairs made (if economical) and re MOT the car and use as normal.

My other problem is that Nationwide crash repairs now want their loan car back (next Weds) and of course i will need a vehicle to get to work then. Can i claim for a hire car from insurers whilst we are waiting for the claim to be sorted??


Any advice will be greatfully received!

ADDED NOTE:
We are insured via Hastings direct and i have just been told by them that we cannot buy the car back from them if scrapped (not directly, but possibly via salvage company) This could stimy any of the above plans but advice still greatfully received.
The insurers do not have the damage report in writing yet so i do not even know what category of damage it is.
HELP!

I wouldnt be that keen to buy the car back and attempt a repair given what you've outlined about the damage - thats major work - particularly if you get into the realms of bent suspension which is likely.

Accidents always cause inconvenience but the insurance company do seem to be acting fairly thus far and in line with what you would expect to happen in this situation, and sadly this inconvenience in this case does seem to have been self inflicted.

gilbert_and_sullivan

This will be very interesting, HD do not have many good things said about them, so looking forward to the update posts.

Hastings_Direct_company_representative

Thanks for taking the time to let us know what you think. I’m so sorry that you’re not happy the service from us. I would really like an opportunity to look into this for you and need your help to do so. Please would you let me have a bit more detail such as your policy number and contact details? I look forward to helping you very soon, thanks, Lisa Finlay.

agray2812

I think that Hastings have actually been ok. They have valued our car at £2000 which is reasonable.
We are now trying to collect teh vehicle from the salvage agant so we can get an independet inspection for repairs. Any further advice or comments please post.

mikey72

I'm amazed you can still find it. Usually the salvage has them shipped off before you even see sight of any offer on them now.

agray2812

We were told by hastings that it wasnt their policy to allow customers to buy back total loss vehicles at salvage value. However, we were also informed that special arrangemenst can be made in special circumstances.
Following advice from here and from the salvage agents who were passed our vehicle we persued the matter and asked to have our vehicle returned so that we could have it assessed for private repairs. After considerable tooing and froing the vehicle was 'delivered' yesterday. I say delivered in the loosest posible terms as what actually ahppened was the delivery driver said he couldn't get the truck into our road (plausible but when he initially called me he said he couldn't find it!) so he took the car off the truck then found he couldn't start it. I was at work so couldn't deal with this. The driver then came to our house and told my wife that he'd left teh car on another street as he couldn't get into ours (!?!). No mention of the starting problems. So she signed the paperwork and then later found teh vehicle wouldn't start!
I have been told the battery is flat although there is enough charge in it to work all headlights and warning ligts etc at the same time. So not only did we not get the vehicle returned to our property, but asl it was not in the condition in which they took it away from us!!

I am absolutely disgusted with this. My poor wife has spent the best part of 2 days trying to sort this fiasco out. We have now managed to have an independent garage take the car away to assess the repairs (at our cost) so we will wait and see. But i would be interested to hear from the nice man at Hastings who left a comment on my post earlier what he thinks of this service?
The salvage people and hastings have both consistently contacted us on incorrect phone numbers and the information we have had has been conflicting all along.
All we want is our vehicle repaired and working just fine as it did before my little bollard disagreement. I understadm the total loss process, but what use is that to me?
Surely Hastings could at least give us the vehicle back in the condition in which they took it away??

HELP!

TrickyWicky

Moral of the story: Unless it's major damage and the car can't be repaired, don't bother claiming. Insurance companies are not there to help you repair your car.

Crabman

You may find these helpful:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/insurance-write-offs/

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/motor-valuation.html

Just so you know (as the insurer seems to be pushing you around) if you complain and then escalate the complaint to the FOS, Hastings will have to pay the Ombudsman a £500 case fee.

agray2812

Before we go down ombudsman route i would really like to hear back on the forum from teh hastings guy - anyone there??