Car Write-Off problem after no-fault accident

blackcateddie

I'm hoping someone might give me advice on how to deal with Aviva regarding an accident early in January.

i had a car drive out of a slip road straight into the passenger side of my car, so my insurance company declared immediately I was not at fault, waived my excess and gave me a rental car ( part of my insurance deal ) whilst mine was collected for repair.

Two weeks later I was contacted by Aviva's engineer and told it would be a write -off, i asked for a written estimate of the damage and cost of repair and then he declared my car to be worth £1800 - £2000. After I laughed and said i'd give him the money myself if he could find one at that price he eventually went to £2230 I pointed out there are currently only 6 cars similar to mine on Autotrader,most double the mileage mine had which was 57K on a 51 plate, and that the cars that are of a similar mileage are around 3K on Autotrader. We agreed he would escalate it to a senior engineer to review.

Next thing I know, on Thursday I get a call from the senior engineers secretary to say they are looking at it - and they had sent me a cheque for the £2230!!! - a terse conversation ensued and I asked for them to review and to send me the written estimate.

Since I now have a cheque I thought it prudent to fetch the tax disc from my car today and imagine to my dismay that my car was picked up by a salvage company on the 24th.

We haven't agreed my car is a write -off, I haven't seen an estimate and the third party has not admitted liability yet!!!

Where do I stand regarding my car - at the moment I feel Aviva has stolen it and is doing what it likes, riding roughshod over my rights and trying to force me to accept a low valuation of my vehicle when I actually thought that my legal right is to be put back on the road in the state I was in before the accident.

What does anyone recommend I do?

They claim they are 'trying to put me back on the road quickly' but i just feel let down and mistreated.

I'd be grateful for any advice please lovely people

chanz4

Get quotes from local dealers, what you have to remember is auto trader is higher prices as they know people knock them down. £2230 aint bad if they are in auto trader @ £3k . whats glasses guide say?

McKneff

I;d be a bit worried about the other party not admitting liability this far down the line to be honest.

mikey72

Write to them, reject the offer, send the cheque back, and demand the car back, advise them you still have personal possessions in it.

As to valuations, look at

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

dacouch

Are Aviva your Insurer or the other drivers insurer?

blackcateddie

Aviva are my insurer, the other guys is with Equity Red Star,which is why I was surprised it's Aviva making me the offer in the first place - surely it's the guy who hit me who's supposed to pay for the damage, I mean it's him I can sue isn't it?

Thanks for the advice re their offer,but honestly this is the second one of these cars I've owned,it took me a year to find this one so I have a good idea of what they cost because they stopped making them in 2004 so they're in limited supply. Even if I'd be expected to knock a trader down, I don't see them moving £800 from £3000 to match what Aviva are offering me.

Quentin

Aviva are making you the offer because it seems you chose to put in your claim with them, rather than pursuing your claim against the third party yourself.

vax2002

You have decided to use your own insurance rather than force the other party to claim on their own.
this will put cost loadings on your insurance for many years.
It's a drink from the devils cup I am afraid and once drunk, then thats just about it.
The salvage company will send the tax back, if its left in the vehicle when they purchase it from the insurance, then thats a bonus for them.

rs65

vax2002 wrote: »

The salvage company will send the tax back, if its left in the vehicle when they purchase it from the insurance, then thats a bonus for them.

The refund application has to match the name on the V5C. If I was the OP I would apply for a refund before anyone changes the registered keeper.

Quentin

rs65 wrote: »

If I was the OP I would apply for a refund before anyone changes the registered keeper.

He cannot do so without sending in the disc with his application!

rs65

Quentin wrote: »

He cannot do so without sending in the disc with his application!

Fill in a V33 ‘Application for a refund of vehicle tax when the tax disc is missing’.