Third party cover - hit by another car

AliceBanned

My car was hit and damaged while I was indicating to turn right today from a main road. Driver behind admitted liability immediately and there was a witness who kindly got out to help and called police. Not sure what to expect - my car is M reg Fiesta and I was going to replace it at the end of the year anyway. Valued at £400 so presumbly will be a write off? There is a dent and paint damage, and boot lock won't work now, but I think all lights etc ok. Insurance company told me not to drive as it is not roadworthy with boot damage. They are sending courtesy car on Mon. Never been in this situation but presume I can take the payment when I get it and just get the lock fixed to make it roadworthy? Can't afford another car yet but would be nice to get something newer soon. I had my bike inside (thankfully and not on rack on back) - just glad I wasn't riding it, with people who aren't looking in front of them when driving on the road! :mad:

Notmyrealname

If they write it off, it becomes their property unless you tell them you want to keep it at which point they'll offer you a reduced payout.

The fact the boot lock doesn't work doesn't make it unroadworthy as long as you can secure the boot in the closed position.

AliceBanned

Notmyrealname wrote: »

If they write it off, it becomes their property unless you tell them you want to keep it at which point they'll offer you a reduced payout.

The fact the boot lock doesn't work doesn't make it unroadworthy as long as you can secure the boot in the closed position.

OK very helpful, thanks.

Quentin

As you have only third party cover, then you have no cover yourself, and will be claiming off the third party, so you will be keeping your car. (They will not want your car, and will make a small deduction for salvage).

AliceBanned

Quentin wrote: »

As you have only third party cover, then you have no cover yourself, and will be claiming off the third party, so you will be keeping your car. (They will not want your car, and will make a small deduction for salvage).

Thanks Quentin. My next year's insurance is set up as fully comp, there was no real reason for me to go third party. On top of this, I was ten hours away (midnight on Sat) from my new insurance starting!

Never mind, thanks i was getting confused - I am waiting for third party's co. to an assessment. My own insurance co. did not advise me very well so I was not clear that if I let them assess they would keep it etc. I want to try to keep the car and it is running ok, so I'm hoping it passes the assessment and they write it off but allow me to keep it. I wonder whether to not even have it looked at at all in fact, as I was going to get rid of it towards the end of the year. If they don't deem it roadworthy then I can't keep it without going through a test similar to an MOT apparently! thanks but still unsure what to do. I also have a £300 excess on my insurance - would this be taken off? In which case I'll get nothing.:mad:

AliceBanned

I've been getting confused by different opinions - my excess won't come into it as it is their insurance. Hopefully he will deem it roadworthy and I carry on, and get some money to repair it. Thanks.

vax2002

You will have to inform the new insurance, they may well cancel the deal and re-quote you.

AliceBanned

OK thanks, I'll give them a ring. I still have the car in the street though although getting hire car tomorrow so won't be using it. Guess it needs cover still.? I have to look for another car with very little notice, not easy.

Also the engineer came and said the repairs are about £800 so more than it is worth. He thinks I should negotiate for a good enough deal to buy something else, and this may be more than I could sell it for, ie its value as a vehicle which is reliable etc. if that makes sense! I just have to wait and see what they pay me, a few more days but if it's something like £300 I'm in trouble as can't replace it.:cool:

AliceBanned

I've been offered £400 minus £40 salvage fee if they take it. I may keep it for a couple of months, would be convenient but its has been classed as Category C - I think this means I need a VRC check? The insurance company did not stipulate this - I will let new insurer know as they are covering it. Friend told me I could take the money and also sell on Ebay as insurance write off. I need about £1k I think just to get a reliable runabout for the time being. i can't really replace it with £400 but it is an ok offer really as it is 1995 Fiesta, 100,000 miles. I may negotiate for a bit more. i think I need £600-700 to get something similar.. any advice would be appreciated. thanks:)

atrixblue.-MFR-.

search auto trader ebay gumtree for the same spec car and mileage, once you have a few examples of how much theyre worth, then you should be asking them to put you back into the same position you were in before the accident. i.e same car spec and mileage costing £550 then thats what i would expect to be paid out from the liable parties insurer if they refuse then i would send them these ads and make sure they come to an agreement.

A cat c write off mk3 fiesta will be worth scrap £120-50 max if you take it in to a scrap yard doesnt make sense to allow the insurers to have it from you when you could simply get more in destroying it.

when is the tax and MOT up on the festa? because as soon as one or other run out you wont be able to tax it and wont be able to MOT untill its had a VIC test.

AliceBanned

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

search auto trader ebay gumtree for the same spec car and mileage, once you have a few examples of how much theyre worth, then you should be asking them to put you back into the same position you were in before the accident. i.e same car spec and mileage costing £550 then thats what i would expect to be paid out from the liable parties insurer if they refuse then i would send them these ads and make sure they come to an agreement.

A cat c write off mk3 fiesta will be worth scrap £120-50 max if you take it in to a scrap yard doesnt make sense to allow the insurers to have it from you when you could simply get more in destroying it.

when is the tax and MOT up on the festa? because as soon as one or other run out you wont be able to tax it and wont be able to MOT untill its had a VIC test.

Hi by "same spec" you mean same edition (it is a special edition lol). I doubt there are many left never mind for sale. Most Fiestas around about the same mileage are about 12-14 years old and mine is 18 so I guess I need a figure somewhere between mileage and age if I can't find anything similar? Will do a search, thanks.

I wasn't sure whether Cat c meant I can't drive it as it is? I changed insurers on the day after the accident (coincidentally) and I haven't told the new insurers yet, although i haven't used it or been told it is definitely unroadworthy. It is spluttering a bit and jumping when first started, and didn't do this before the accident. MOT is up on 1st December so it has a while to go - presume I can drive it legally until then. The third party's insurer simply said "we don't get involved" when I asked them. I won't be taking the £40 extra for salvage, that's for sure. I think i could get at least £100 for it.

Tax I did 6 monthly, so runs out end of August.

Is VIC as comprehensive as an MOT? If so this driver may well have written it off in a sense, as it may fail now either due to the damage caused or due to wear and tear in between last MOT and accident anyway. I spent around £400 on last MOT in the hope to keep it going for the rest of the year but will definitely be replacing it this year (was likely to anyway).

Thanks, I have a bit more idea what i need to do now and will probably get the price up a little bit if possible. I don't know whether i will find anything reliable for that money, and it was very reliable!:(