Car a write off - offered a really low value by insurer

Riverway

Hello,

Short version:

My car was written off after a crash on ice. After browsing AutoTrader and local garages, I found a very similar (but lower specced) replacement privately for £1650 after haggling - most comparable cars were in the £2000 region. My insurers offered £1190 as their first offer for the write-off, which I rejected, but they have said that this is their final offer and they won't be increasing it. There are numerous errors and exaggerations in their report.

Full version:

At the start of December, my car - an 02 reg Renault Clio - skidded on ice and crashed. It was written off. There were no other vehicles involved.

I had to buy a new car pretty quickly because I need it for work. I wanted a similar car, so after scouring the internet, I found a Clio privately for £1650. This is petrol (my old one was diesel) and 3 door (my old one was 5 door), but everything else - age, mileage etc. - is virtually identical.

My insurers, Churchill, took a long time to get back to me with a figure for what they would pay for my old car. After over 2 weeks, they admitted that they had LOST the car, and were still trying to locate it! But then after 3 weeks, their inspector rang and told me that they would offer £1190. I rejected this as the car was in perfect condition before the crash (except for a few very minor barely noticeable scuff marks, but what 10 year old car doesn't have some slight marks?). Similar cars on AutoTrader and the garages in this area are all priced around £2000. In fact, the Clio I bought for £1650 is still the cheapest I have seen for similar mileage, age, engine size, etc.

Churchill told me that they would re-assess the amount, but the second inspector has now said that they won't be increasing their offer. He hasn't actually seen the car for himself and is working off the original inspector's report which is surely wrong. He said that the original inspector's report says that the car was in a poor state of repair, which is absolutely untrue; I even have photos of the car from immediately after the accident showing that it was in perfect condition (except for the obvious damage to the front of the car from the accident), and no defects can be seen in the photos whatsoever.

I have been driving for 40 years, and have never claimed on my insurance. The car was absolutely definitely worth more than £1190. I had even had brand new tyres fitted the day before the crash (I still have proof of purchase) because I wanted to be safer in the winter weather - that surely increases the value of the car by itself! I'm not even asking for £2000 like an equivilent would cost - i'd be happy with the £1650 that the replacement cost me. But Churchill aren't having any of it. They keep saying that they won't increase their offer because my new car isn't "like for like" (even though it's virtually identical).

Churchill reluctantly sent me a copy of their report, where the inspector describes the condition of the tyres as only "fair" (they were only a day old, they were obviously much better than "fair"!). It also gives their reasons for the low valuation - namely damage to the bonnet and wheels (obviously from the accident), scratches (superficial), and a "stain" on a seat (more like a barely visable blemish which would easily come out with water). The report also says that a new part was needed for the wheels - why? The car was a write off, why would they need to order new parts? It says that I have "allegedly" paid £1650 for a replacement vehicle, clearly implicating that I am making things up. It is all very much biased in Churchill's favour, and I get the impression that the car has never actually been inspected due to their glaring mistakes and exaggeration, and especially as Churchill mysteriously "lost" the car and couldn't even locate it until 3 weeks after the accident.

Please, does anyone have any idea where I take this from here? The inspector advised that I contact the ombudsman if I wasn't happy with his valuation - is this the way forward? I'm really shocked that Churchill haven't been willing to negotiate and are saying that their first offer is their final one when it's so clearly wrong.

Thank you.

rs65

What was the mileage on it?

jobdone1

Just out of curiosity what was the millage. I have just carried out a search on this type of car on auto trader i have seen a mint full service history 5 dr 1.5 diesel in blue on a 52 plate reg year 2003 with a TRADER for £1388 with 88000 on the clock so unless yours did next to no millage then i think the offer is fair just my view.

peter_the_piper

Last time (the only time) I had a car written off they offered me about £150 for it. I wrote back and said I could not possibly accept less than £750. Few letters more and we settled for £350 and I kept the car. Only a wing damage which I fixed cheaply.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

you would need to ask churchill to send you a deadlock letter with a statement of reasons for the deadlock in this case its settlement figure despute.

you would need then to contact the ombudsmen, this costs churchill money per investigation into a single case wich cannot be claimed back from you.

you will have to prove your case to the ombusdmen with you evidence as to your belief of the vehicles value, so the same year about the same mileage and trim level and engine size and fuel type and condition examples would need be provided such as photo adverts, now dont forget these are asking prices not RRP so dont expect the amount your asking.

forgotmyname

£945 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201301044791764/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/model/clio/make/renault/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/sw111aa/page/2/radius/1501?logcode=p

2005 car for £2200 Haggle down below £2000...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201301305115803/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/quantity-of-doors/5/fuel-type/diesel/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/model/clio/make/renault/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/page/1/radius/1501/postcode/sw111aa?logcode=p

vaio

Read http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.u...valuation.html

it covers pretty much all you need to know re fair valuations

Retail price is what you should get from your insurer

SevenOfNine

Have a look at the Glass's Guide website http://www.glass.co.uk/

You'll get a better idea of the possible value if you pay a couple of pounds to access a more tailored valuation though. Can't use it for insurance valuation purposes I believe, but at least you'll know if Churchills are being 'nearly' fair.

The Ombudsman site has great advice, & if your case ends up there they use the retail value from a reputable dealer, not ads from the newspaper! You can ring to discuss this first, check out news info on the site for case examples as well.

olias

Just checked autotrader - average price for a decent one with <100000 miles seems to be about £1400

olias