accept insurance offer.... and complain to ombudsman

wantoknow_2

Hello

Could you please advice me on the following. I have been battling with insurance company for about 3 months now for my friend to increase his compensation offer as his vehicle was written off. They increased it a bit, but not as much as he thinks he should get.

Can he accept the offer, take what they give him now and still complain to ombudsman.

Thank you

bigjl

To get an idea on trade price for his car use Webuyanycar as it is free.

Just to make sure your friend hasn't overvalued his car.

Then print off as many adverts for similar cars as you can.

Unless you have already done so.

Nodding_Donkey

Three months? I take it there is a big difference in the valuations then?

neilmcl

bigjl wrote: »

To get an idea on trade price for his car use Webuyanycar as it is free.

Just to make sure your friend hasn't overvalued his car.

Then print off as many adverts for similar cars as you can.

Unless you have already done so.

What's the trade price got to do with anything. The write off value should be based on the retail price of a replaceent vehicle.

Aretnap

Is the friend claiming from his own insurance company, or from the other driver's insurer (if there was another driver involved)?

teabelly

Find a few that are identical in age and quality from dealers within a reasonable travelling time. If you can prove you cannot buy a replacement with the settlement then they have to up their offer.

Only caveat is modified vehicles. If it has been modified not all insurers will pay out for the modifications and will only pay for a standard car even if all modifications have been declared. Policy small print is important.

arcon5

Don't bother with webuyanycar. Their prices are meaningless to your friend.

Get yourself on autotrader and see what the going rate for similar cars is and submit this as proof.

Some people though do naturally value their cars much more than the market values them

Quentin

Assuming this battle is with the third party insurer then you cannot take this to the ombudsman

If you want to escalate the dispute your friends only option will be to go to court

teabelly

If it is a battle with the third party's insurer is it possible to send a letter before action to the third party to basically say their insurer won't pay up an adequate amount so they will be pursing the third party for the difference... a sort of uninsured loss? I'd bet the TP will be straight on the phone to their insurer to tell them to cough up!

notanewuser

teabelly wrote: »

If it is a battle with the third party's insurer is it possible to send a letter before action to the third party to basically say their insurer won't pay up an adequate amount so they will be pursing the third party for the difference... a sort of uninsured loss? I'd bet the TP will be straight on the phone to their insurer to tell them to cough up!

That would be great........ if the TP hadn't signed a contract saying it was the insurer's decision to make......

InsideInsurance

teabelly wrote: »

If it is a battle with the third party's insurer is it possible to send a letter before action to the third party to basically say their insurer won't pay up an adequate amount so they will be pursing the third party for the difference... a sort of uninsured loss? I'd bet the TP will be straight on the phone to their insurer to tell them to cough up!

And their insurer will reassure them that its all ok, if they do get a court claim form then simply forward it to them and they will respond and deal with it all for them.

As others have said, it is critical to know if this claim is made from their own insurance or the TP as the ombudsman only considers own insurance claims.

If its is their own, put a formal complaint about the valuation it and ask for a final response to it. If you still arent happy then you can take it to the ombudsman.

If it is the third party, what evidence has been submitted against their engineers report to justify a higher valuation? Have you commissioned your own engineers report? Ultimately the only resolution option is to go to court but remember that the court action must include all elements of the claim not just the vehicle damage.