No fault accident.... Engine damage...who is at fault?

peterjb12

My wife was recently involved in an accident in the evening when another car rear ended her. Subsequently her car went into the car in front. The police arrived to direct traffic and take statements. She was asked by the police to move the car across the road to a nearby lay-by 20 metres away.

The car was then towed away and I contacted the insurance company on the day of the accident and we are now going through the Albany Assistance (the insurance company's legal arm). The car was then collected by the preferred auto repair shop a week later and they drove the vehicle onto their transporter.

The auto repair shop has now stated that the engine is now seized and wont start. I went to inspect the car and there was no coolant in the engine.

Who is to blame for the subsequent engine damage?

redux

The engine won't have been damaged that much by driving the 20 metres to a layby with no coolant.

Or a similar distance on to a transporter, probably starting from cold

So the question is how much other time has it been running

Discuss it with the insurers

artbaron

Damage wouldn't occur by just starting it and moving it a few yards. So either the (1) car's been running for some time - many minutes - without coolant and the engine has seized (2) the engine has seized due to some other issue (3) the engine hasn't seized at all, it just won't start. Seeing the mechanic has admitted to attempting to start then engine when it has no coolant in it maybe he can shed some light on your engine issues.

w50nky

Albany assist are not your insurers legal arm, they are a claims management company who have your car repaired on a credit agreement basis. They pay your insurers a commision for letting them deal with your claim I believe. They will no doubt give your a loan car too.
Suggest you google reviews on this company and be watchful with your dealings.

dacouch

w50nky wrote: »

Albany assist are not your insurers legal arm, they are a claims management company who have your car repaired on a credit agreement basis. They pay your insurers a commision for letting them deal with your claim I believe. They will no doubt give your a loan car too.
Suggest you google reviews on this company and be watchful with your dealings.

and take ages

Strider590

They'll push the damage onto the 3rd party insurer......

Literally they don't give a damn what damage they do to the car, it'll all be used to increase the repair bill for the 3rd party.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Strider590 wrote: »

They'll push the damage onto the 3rd party insurer......

Literally they don't give a damn what damage they do to the car, it'll all be used to increase the repair bill for the 3rd party.

Yeah great for the op when it comes back with a secondhand engine.

EdGasket

Albany Assistance .....oh dear oh dear!

paddedjohn

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

Yeah great for the op when it comes back with a secondhand engine.

If its got front end, rear end and engine damage then it will probably be written off.

peterjb12

Car written off due to engine damage. Total claimed off third party. Now waiting for the pay out. At one point I was looking at seeing a lawyer. Thanks for your comments.