Advice needed regarding insurance claim

caliew

Hi, I have worked in insurance for a number of years and have just left due to childcare reasons. Can your son not get in contact with the underwriters of the policy and explain his financial circumstances for the underwriter to liaise with their garage and see if the underwriter is willing to come up with an agreed payment plan between yourself, the garage and the underwriter? I cannot guarantee it but anything is worth a try, if you show willingness you are prepared to pay they might assist (but once again I cannot guarantee it).

caliew

Also did you take out a separate excess protection plan alongside car insurance, I know that won't help with the upfront excess charges but then if a plan as such has been taken out then that gives you the excess money back once claim settled if you are at fault. However you cannot take an excess protection plan out now as such a plan would not cover pre existing problems but it is worth considering for future plans or a 0 voluntary excess in addition to underwriter compulsory upon your next purchase. It's you choice as a consumer which option works best.

[Deleted User]

marlot wrote: »

Wow that's not going to end well. I feel your pain.

To be honest if I was garage I would not be happy. They want their £600 not for someone to dump they're car on them with them having the hassle of storing it/selling it. Imagine if everyone did this.

If it was me, assuming the car can be sold for more than £600, I'd be adding the max possible storage charge per day, plus admin/selling fees, then selling it as quickly as possible. Then the owner would get back a minimum if there was any left.

But like I said, what can you do? He might get sick of the bus and grow up soon you never know. BTW - does he live with you? If so, I'd be increasing his rent by £100 a week to pay off the money he owes his mother - or he could kip rough.....

jk0

If son has his insurance on monthly payments, might they not expect him to continue paying even without a car, now that he has claimed?

[Deleted User]

jk0 wrote: »

If son has his insurance on monthly payments, might they not expect him to continue paying even without a car, now that he has claimed?

Hmmm. Wondering if son knows this?

Sounds like hes thinking, cut his loses and walk away and not pay for anything else.

AdrianC

jk0 wrote: »

If son has his insurance on monthly payments, might they not expect him to continue paying even without a car, now that he has claimed?

Ah, yes, the "I pay monthly" mindset, forgetting that it's paying by instalment for an annual policy.

bigjl

[quote=[Deleted User];70374794]To be honest if I was garage I would not be happy. They want their £600 not for someone to dump they're car on them with them having the hassle of storing it/selling it. Imagine if everyone did this.

If it was me, assuming the car can be sold for more than £600, I'd be adding the max possible storage charge per day, plus admin/selling fees, then selling it as quickly as possible. Then the owner would get back a minimum if there was any left.

But like I said, what can you do? He might get sick of the bus and grow up soon you never know. BTW - does he live with you? If so, I'd be increasing his rent by £100 a week to pay off the money he owes his mother - or he could kip rough.....[/QUOTE]

The garage has more legal right to the car than the finance company.

The finance company will have to negotiate with the garage to get their car back, all the money the finance company spend will be totalled up and they will chase the OPs son.

The owner of the garage I used to run got several cars from the finance companies by holding a lien, similiar attitude, the owner would get work done then not want to pay, storage costs would soon add up and owner would think they can just walk away.
The nicest car he obtained this way was a 420 SE, came in for an engine rebuild as the owner neglected servicing and basically ran it into the ground, the camchain tensioner gave up the ghost and the camchain jumped a tooth, car was only 5 years old at the time if memory serves.
Never heard from the owner/customer again, it took the finance company over 6 months to make contact with is to require about it.

I feel the OPs pain, as this will not end well for his son. But like most young lads you sometimes struggle to get through to them.

Perhaps if the OP explained the long term consequences of his actions he might change his mind, it could make it almost impossible for him to get finance for several years.

bigjl

caliew wrote: »

Hi, I have worked in insurance for a number of years and have just left due to childcare reasons. Can your son not get in contact with the underwriters of the policy and explain his financial circumstances for the underwriter to liaise with their garage and see if the underwriter is willing to come up with an agreed payment plan between yourself, the garage and the underwriter? I cannot guarantee it but anything is worth a try, if you show willingness you are prepared to pay they might assist (but once again I cannot guarantee it).

The money is not owed to the Insurance Company though is it.

The money is owed to the Garage. The Insurance Co have paid the Garage for the work, the OPs son now has to pay the share they agreed to when they took out the Policy.

If, as you often mention, you worked in Insurance for many years then surely you already know this?

maddogb

I am sure there would be many people would like to know the reality and legality of this situation.
I did come across something similar but it was about 30years ago.
Can't see how the garage can legally get away with this, surely any form of self help/vigilantism is frowned upon in law.
The correct thing to do in my mind is for them to release the car and sue for any money owed.

csgohan4

Oh Dear, the Son is in a right mess, ripping his mother and expecting someone else to foot the bill.

Perhaps it's time to stop the spoon feeding and let him realize his mistakes of a boy racer and doing something about it. If he doesn't have £6 pounds he aint going to be able to afford the new insurance premiums because of the fault crash. Perhaps better he sells it and cuts his loses.