Aviva Motor Insurance Woes

Richard_I

This is more of a vent and warning than anything else but I'd apreciate any feedback.

Insurance time last year and after some issues with flood damage and Tesco inurance I said enough, I'll use a reputable company and the fact that Aviva claim to look after their customers pulled me in, oops.

Last May we had some major roadworks not far from me. The road layouts they kept putting in with the cones were 'suboptimal' and were and accident waiting to happen. As a professional driver (Ex Ambulance) I cringed everytime I drove through just waiting for something to happen. A paricular fve on this roundabout was to close one of the two exit lanes 4m from the exit with no warning forcing drivers to slam their brakes on while on the roundabout or dive into the other lane else plough into the cones. Someon was going to get hit and indeed there were a few dings.

One morning I was on my way back home and saw another driver had ignored the solitary lane closed sigh and was about to cut me up. I'd already started braking to make room when the old git in fron ot him paniced and stopped dead. Without any warning he then dove in front of me and slammed hi brakes on. I was locked up at this point and tapped his rear passenger side with the drivers corner of my car. For reference (it'll be important in a second and you'll be tested ) I drive 2.5Tons of Mitsubishi's finest steel, and as I use it for work, its not covered in plastic pretty so his little C4 got a steel bumper. The damage to mine, nothing, damage to his, a tiny little bit pf plastic chrome trim popped off. Pulled over and off the road, checked he was ok, he was out the car bouncing about and then when I knew he was ok I cheched his car, no damage bar the £10 bit of trim which by now has been run over half a dozen times. Checked shut lines and bumper mounts, no damage. Said to the guy quite fairly that he can pay for the scuff on my bumper I'll pay for the trim. He said no which is his right so I said because of where we are and the roadworks I need to call the Police, so phoned it through and got a reference and an assurance someone *might* come and look. Swapped details and suddenly he has a sore neck. So I sit him down, check him over again and offer him an ambulance or to take him to A&E (2 mins away) and he refuses and drives off.

Soon as I'm home I report it via the Avai Website, this takes half a dozen attempts and I dont get a confirmation. Loads of detail, drawing, pics the works.

I decide to call them and check, 15 mins on hold, hung up on by the operator. Nother 15 mins on hold and get a girl who says there is a backlog and that it would be processed asap. My blood pressure is rising.

A call a week later yeilds the same results.

4 months! yes, thats right, 4 months later I get a letter. 'Very sorry, its your fault, tough luck, k thanx bai'

So another 3 hour marathon on the phone. I eventually get through to an arrogant and totally useless girl who informs me as I hit him its my fault and he is claiming for whiplash, a hie care and £100s or repairs! Nothing I can do about it. I explain none of this makse sense and get the same line. I kick off and get a manager, who then puts me on hold to an actual claims advisor (Turns out this was just a random worker that sent the letter, not an assesor). After a chat we agree that his claim is inconsistant with the facts BUT all of this information is missing from my file. Aparently I hit him full on at speed, when its pointed out that a 30mph 2.5t Shogun VS plastic C4 impact would write the C4 off she agrees its all amiss and I give her all the details again. Then to top it the following day the same !!!! about face closure is in place and I get an email address and send a video showing the same thing happening 4 cars in front along with the cone layout and signage.

Its now March 25th, over 8 months on from the claim and I have heard sweet stuff all, nothing, zip. I'm a very busy guy and I cant spare an hour at a time to phone them, speciually as the number civen doesnt work after 5. I have tried and been met with huge queues every time. As a professional driver having this over my head is somewhat stressful and it is getting to me. On top of this its renewal time in a month or so and I just know I'm going to end up getting shafted or being stuck uninsured.

This morning an crap-o-cram (tm) has gone off detailing the above. Its gone recorded and given notice that they have 7 working days to do something or else.

Oh and finding the complaints department address...good luck! I'll be bringing that up with the FOS if it goes that route.

Retrogamer

Good luck.

From my experience of similar issues your insurance will pay out to the third party because you're liable regardless of the costs and it'll cost less to pay him his whiplash claim than it would be to take it to court and dispute it.

[Deleted User]

Richard_I wrote: »

This is more of a vent and warning than anything else but I'd apreciate any feedback.

Insurance time last year and after some issues with flood damage and Tesco inurance I said enough, I'll use a reputable company and the fact that Aviva claim to look after their customers pulled me in, oops.

Last May we had some major roadworks not far from me. The road layouts they kept putting in with the cones were 'suboptimal' and were and accident waiting to happen. As a professional driver (Ex Ambulance) I cringed everytime I drove through just waiting for something to happen. A paricular fve on this roundabout was to close one of the two exit lanes 4m from the exit with no warning forcing drivers to slam their brakes on while on the roundabout or dive into the other lane else plough into the cones. Someon was going to get hit and indeed there were a few dings.

One morning I was on my way back home and saw another driver had ignored the solitary lane closed sigh and was about to cut me up. I'd already started braking to make room when the old git in fron ot him paniced and stopped dead. Without any warning he then dove in front of me and slammed hi brakes on. I was locked up at this point and tapped his rear passenger side with the drivers corner of my car. For reference (it'll be important in a second and you'll be tested ) I drive 2.5Tons of Mitsubishi's finest steel, and as I use it for work, its not covered in plastic pretty so his little C4 got a steel bumper. The damage to mine, nothing, damage to his, a tiny little bit pf plastic chrome trim popped off. Pulled over and off the road, checked he was ok, he was out the car bouncing about and then when I knew he was ok I cheched his car, no damage bar the £10 bit of trim which by now has been run over half a dozen times. Checked shut lines and bumper mounts, no damage. Said to the guy quite fairly that he can pay for the scuff on my bumper I'll pay for the trim. He said no which is his right so I said because of where we are and the roadworks I need to call the Police, so phoned it through and got a reference and an assurance someone *might* come and look. Swapped details and suddenly he has a sore neck. So I sit him down, check him over again and offer him an ambulance or to take him to A&E (2 mins away) and he refuses and drives off.

Soon as I'm home I report it via the Avai Website, this takes half a dozen attempts and I dont get a confirmation. Loads of detail, drawing, pics the works.

I decide to call them and check, 15 mins on hold, hung up on by the operator. Nother 15 mins on hold and get a girl who says there is a backlog and that it would be processed asap. My blood pressure is rising.

A call a week later yeilds the same results.

4 months! yes, thats right, 4 months later I get a letter. 'Very sorry, its your fault, tough luck, k thanx bai'

So another 3 hour marathon on the phone. I eventually get through to an arrogant and totally useless girl who informs me as I hit him its my fault and he is claiming for whiplash, a hie care and £100s or repairs! Nothing I can do about it. I explain none of this makse sense and get the same line. I kick off and get a manager, who then puts me on hold to an actual claims advisor (Turns out this was just a random worker that sent the letter, not an assesor). After a chat we agree that his claim is inconsistant with the facts BUT all of this information is missing from my file. Aparently I hit him full on at speed, when its pointed out that a 30mph 2.5t Shogun VS plastic C4 impact would write the C4 off she agrees its all amiss and I give her all the details again. Then to top it the following day the same !!!! about face closure is in place and I get an email address and send a video showing the same thing happening 4 cars in front along with the cone layout and signage.

Its now March 25th, over 8 months on from the claim and I have heard sweet stuff all, nothing, zip. I'm a very busy guy and I cant spare an hour at a time to phone them, speciually as the number civen doesnt work after 5. I have tried and been met with huge queues every time. As a professional driver having this over my head is somewhat stressful and it is getting to me. On top of this its renewal time in a month or so and I just know I'm going to end up getting shafted or being stuck uninsured.

This morning an crap-o-cram (tm) has gone off detailing the above. Its gone recorded and given notice that they have 7 working days to do something or else.

Oh and finding the complaints department address...good luck! I'll be bringing that up with the FOS if it goes that route.

Hi Richard_I

I'm sorry to hear about the delays & service you've received during your claim. It doesn't sound like the usual high standards both you and we expect our customers to receive.

I can completely understand your frustration with the situation and I'd like to look into things for you with our Claims team. I know liability can be complex in certain circumstances and if there's a dispute it can take time to resolve.

If you'd like me to at least check things over, can you please email me at social@aviva.co.uk with the following information:

Your full name
Date of birth
Postcode
Claim or vehicle registration number
Your MSE username so we can tie your email to this post

I hope this helps.

Kind regards

Marv
Aviva Social Media Support