Billed for windscreen fitted three years ago

Burning_Bridges

Hi All,

I had a windscreen fitted to my old Volvo three years ago and was under the impression it was long paid by my insurance company. It's a long time ago, but my policy booklet had the windscreen company's logo and a number to ring and they do all the rest (words to that effect) i.e seek payment from insurers etc.

I still have the invoice, it has my policy number on it and they have charged me £60 excess.

A bill came on Monday, saying the debt is outstanding and I have seven days to pay or it will go to their debt collection agency.

I called the repairers and when I asked why this has come up after such a long time they said it was only rejected recently by my insurance agency (as I was third party fire & theft apparently). After such a long time I no longer have my policy documents to clarify anything.

I called the insurers who confirmed they won't pay as I wasn't fully comp, and they said they have only just rejected it probably because it was probably only just presented to them??? So fingers for the delay pointing each way.

My Questions are:

Do the repairers not seek an authorisation before fitting doing the work, as I would have liked to know the cost and be able to make a decision to repair or not before the work was done if I was to be liable for it.

Is this debt still valid after such a length of time?

wealdroam

Burning_Bridges wrote: »

Is this debt still valid after such a length of time?

Yes. They have up to six years.

Wywth

Burning_Bridges wrote: »

Hi All,

I had a windscreen fitted to my old Volvo three years ago and was under the impression it was long paid by my insurance company. It's a long time ago, but my policy booklet had the windscreen company's logo and a number to ring and they do all the rest (words to that effect) i.e seek payment from insurers etc.

I still have the invoice, it has my policy number on it and they have charged me £60 excess.

A bill came on Monday, saying the debt is outstanding and I have seven days to pay or it will go to their debt collection agency.

I called the repairers and when I asked why this has come up after such a long time they said it was only rejected recently by my insurance agency (as I was third party fire & theft apparently). After such a long time I no longer have my policy documents to clarify anything.

I called the insurers who confirmed they won't pay as I wasn't fully comp, and they said they have only just rejected it probably because it was probably only just presented to them??? So fingers for the delay pointing each way.

My Questions are:

Do the repairers not seek an authorisation before fitting doing the work, as I would have liked to know the cost and be able to make a decision to repair or not before the work was done if I was to be liable for it.

Is this debt still valid after such a length of time?

Yes, and presumably you gave it.

Yes.

bod1467

I suspect OP was referring to an authorisation from the INSURANCE company.

spacey2012

Do they have any form of contract from you ?
Ask them to produce a signed contract where you authorised the work on that basis.
Without such documentation they are on to a loser.

pinkshoes

I would write back to them saying that you do not owe them any debt. Send them a copy showing the £60 excess on your insurance policy was paid, as the insurance company agreed to pay for the replacement on your insurance minus the excess, which you have already paid.

I'd point out that had the insurance company not agreed to the repair, you would NOT have paid the £60 excess, and would have taken it somewhere cheaper to have the repair done.

Send a copy to your insurance too, as it's THEIR mistake!

verityboo

pinkshoes wrote: »

I would write back to them saying that you do not owe them any debt. Send them a copy showing the £60 excess on your insurance policy was paid, as the insurance company agreed to pay for the replacement on your insurance minus the excess, which you have already paid.

I'd point out that had the insurance company not agreed to the repair, you would NOT have paid the £60 excess, and would have taken it somewhere cheaper to have the repair done.

Send a copy to your insurance too, as it's THEIR mistake!

It is difficult to blame the insurance company when it is not clear that they were ever involved. It appears to me that the OP contacted the screen company directly, told them the insurance company and they agreed to replace the screen (this is how it works with my insurance company).

I think the Op should have checked their insurance cover before contacting the screen company and the screen company should have okayed the replacement with the insurance company, they both share the blame

bris

spacey2012 wrote: »

Do they have any form of contract from you ?
Ask them to produce a signed contract where you authorised the work on that basis.
Without such documentation they are on to a loser.

Dont be silly, you don't need a signed contract, there is no doubt the work was done, contract concluded on their part.

You misinformed them that the insurance would pay and the screen was replaced on good faith by your say so, time to pay up.

rustyboy21

Just be ready for the massive bill, if you have to pay up.

I have a lease car and insurance with no window cover. I rang a number of leading windscreen co's who gave me prices so high I nearly fell off my chair ! they were in the realms of £500-900.

I went to an independant co, who fitted the windscreen with a manufacturer fitted screen for £160 inc vat. They have 1 list for insurance and a cheaper one for private purchase.

You would have signed a contract with the supplier, they would not install without this being done and having your info.

Good luck. But I do agree with #8 I am afraid

McKneff

So what was the £60 for then....

Burning_Bridges

verityboo wrote: »

It is difficult to blame the insurance company when it is not clear that they were ever involved. It appears to me that the OP contacted the screen company directly, told them the insurance company and they agreed to replace the screen (this is how it works with my insurance company).

I think the Op should have checked their insurance cover before contacting the screen company and the screen company should have okayed the replacement with the insurance company, they both share the blame

I think Verityboo, much as I'd like to, have to agree with your comments!

I did indeed only contact the windscreen company, and yes, I did EXPECT/ASSUME they sought insurance company approval PRIOR to any work taking place. As a matter of good customer service I would have thought that should approval not be given, a quick call to state the full cost to the customer and the option to decline the repair would be the norm. I now realise it's all assumption on my part but why did they charge me an excess of £60 if they didn't have the approval? The person in the accounts department said "I will have told them what my excess is" ??? Clever, as it's so long ago (see my comment below), but how did I know if I wasn't even insured?

Essentially, it is my problem I know, as my naivety has led to possibly a lazy or a clever company allowing me to be billed a long time after any work was done. I have to admit, the wording in the back of my policy book (as far as I can remember) left me happily leaving it all between the repairer and the insurer. If the repairer had come back to me at the time, prior to the repair, I would have possibly scrapped/sold/delayed the repair.

Why do I consider them lazy? It's took THREE years to come back to me regarding work done. They deal with windscreens, insurance companies, and less than savvy customers day in, day out - it would take minutes for them to get an authorisation from their working 'partners' to help THEIR MUTUAL customers against making a policy mistake.

Why are they possibly clever? After three years I have no policy book, less memory of the proceedings, and the car has been long scrapped, so what the company representatives have 'on file', I will have to go by.

At best, let it be a warning that should you have a nice, convenient freephone number suggesting one call sorts it all, it does only if the small print suits!

Thank you all for your comments, I really appreciate it.