Car insurance claim on older car - not my fault, do they have to repair it?

stugall

Hi folks

Just a simple one hooopefully! - someone ran into the side of my trusty late 2001 Citroen Picasso, (worth £800 at most, well serviced, 2 owners, it was stationary and I was visiitng a friend in a house.

The other party admitted liability, all very amicable, lovely lady, and we exchanged details.

Phoned Direct Line straight away, am fully comp with full no claims and 175 excess, and they assigned a local garage XXXXX to come and pick up car to take to garage to ''assess" and "estimate" damage. (Damage is low to moderate, offside front side and bumper, still very drieveable, no internal damage...) and I was told I'd be given a call when repaired.

Holiday pending to Highands on Aug 4, anxious, called garage where it is to be repaired and sked how it was all going, might I get it back before leaving for the glorious Highlands and got a very curt and confusing response. "Oh just getting estimate now, haven't actually started work on it, we'll try to call you before Friday (ie the day we go!!!) what we are going to do....

And then the BOMBSHELL "Obviously we'lll let you know if it's repairable or whether your insurance company will scrap....."

WHAT? Hadn't been told any of this, fortunately I have received a courtesy car from insurers via Enterprise (just as well as we leave for the Highlands for 3 weeks and they have said to just keep it).

Simple question:

Is it within my rights to have the car back and repair it with my trusty local garage who have always done a good job.

Do I need to put in writing to Direct Line that I want the car repaired, ormm if they don't think it's worth repairing, I want it back>>>>>

Does a car insurance company have the right to scrap a car without telling me, or do they have to write to me first?

In other words, it may well be in my own interest (given I have a good local garage, and am leaving for holiday), to have the car back and have it repaired myself in my own time?

Any advice guys as I am getting an 'evil look' from the other half who was a bit confused to hear of developments / lack of............ and we are about to pack.........

Cheers!
Stuart
x

Buzby

No. In a word. Your insurer will assess the total cost to it of getting you back on the road. If this is more than the market value, then it is written off. (Your hire car will probably add £500 to the insures costs, so may have been instrumental in reaching the scalp page limit.)

You can offer to settle with them and get the car repaired by your chosen route, but the hire car cost may make this difficult.

They have to tell you how the plan to resolve your case, so chase them ASAP.

dacouch

Be aware that there's a good chance that DL will want the hire car back a few days after they have given you a reasonable offer for the car

InsideInsurance

Depending on if the hire car is credit hire or the DL Guaranteed Hire Car will dictate when it has to go back but neither go back instantly as neither are a traditional hire car.

It may be an option that you can take the settlement and buy back the car/salvage for a relatively small sum, have it fixed up and get it back on the road. You will need to check with DL about putting the vehicle back on cover after the repairs before you take this route.

The cost of repairs would have to come out of the total loss settlement - you wouldnt be able to reclaim them or anything over the TL settlement from the TP