Albany Assistance and Elephant Car insurance help

EmmaST

Hi,
I am hoping that someone can help me as I am really confused with the options I have. I was recently involved in a car accident where my car was hit from the side. I was on the main road going out of a big car park and was hit by a car coming into the car park from a road which has a give way sign. The third party is not accepting liability and the damage to their car is minor (scratch on front bumper). The damage to my car is much greater - dents and scratches on driver side. Since this was on a car park, I might also be able to obtain CCTV footage.

Elephant (my insurance company) advised me that this is a non fault accident and gave me 2 options:
1) make the claim, pay the excess and lose my NCB
2) go through Albany Assistance (no excess to pay and not losing my NCB)
I did say to my insurer that I am happy to go through Albany Assistance and they have put me through. I had a long telephone conversation with Albany Assistance and they are insisting to provide me with a like for like courtesy car. I have accepted to proceed over the phone and they emailed me documents to sign. However, I didn't sign anything yet and after reading all the bad reviews about Albany, I wonder if I should? What are my options if I don't go with Albany? Should I contact the 3rd party insurer? My excess is £500 and it doesn't help that I am a new driver. Please help!

Quentin

Yes. Try the third party insurer.

If they continue to say they aren't liable then you can still go back to your own insurance and claim "traditionally", pay your excess and await the conclusion of the liability issue then if it is decided as you being blameless you will be able to get your excess back off the third party insurer

daveyjp

Go third party. If you car has only suffered cosmetic damage keep driving it until liability is sorted. Use the time to prepare a full statement of what happened. Photos, plans, maps etc.

Albany just want to get you into an overpriced hire car for a few weeks.

EmmaST

Thank you for your replies.
I will contact the 3rd party insurer. Now my question is, should I tell them that my insurer has said that this is a non fault accident and that they have transferred me over to Albany?

maddogb

EmmaST wrote: »

Thank you for your replies.
I will contact the 3rd party insurer. Now my question is, should I tell them that my insurer has said that this is a non fault accident and that they have transferred me over to Albany?

I doubt it will hurt to mention you are considering Albany as an option, might make them sit up and take notice if they are facing a much larger bill and you don't have to commit at that stage.

Quentin

EmmaST wrote: »

Thank you for your replies.
I will contact the 3rd party insurer. Now my question is, should I tell them that my insurer has said that this is a non fault accident and that they have transferred me over to Albany?

It would be better to say your insurer has advised you that you are blameless and wants you to use Albany (rather than tell them you have been "transferred" to Albany which they could take to mean you are already an Albany client!)

Auxillis

Hi EmmaST,

We’re sorry to hear that you are thinking of not using our services after your car accident.

Our services enable you to exercise your legal right to be returned to the position you were in before your accident - providing you with a like-for-like vehicle, managing repairs to your own vehicle, and handling all elements of your claim to minimise disruption and hassle. If you visit recent reviews on Google, Trustpilot, Yell and FreeIndex you can see how the vast majority of drivers are satisfied and value service we provide at no cost to yourself.

If you would like to discuss this with our team, please email onlineteam@albanyassistance.co.uk with your reference number and we will arrange for someone to contact you directly.

Kind Regards,

Albany Assistance Online Team

EdGasket

albanyassistance wrote: »

Hi EmmaST,

you can see how the vast majority of drivers are satisfied and value service we provide at no cost to yourself.

Albany Assistance Online Team

^^^ lol. That should read 'at no cost to Albany Assistance'. If they don't recover the expensive hire costs from the third party either because full liability is not proved or the third party insurers successfully argue that the cost is too high, then you become liable for the full cost yourself or any shortfall.

If your car is still driveable then do not get a credit-hire car as well. Better still claim off the third party's insurance or if you can't do that, your own insurance with Elephant. You will initially pay an excess BUT that and your NCB should be recovered for you if the third party is proved to be at fault as you say.

Auxillis

We would like to correct EdGasket on 2 points.

All Albany Assistance customers receive a free credit protection policy to ensure that in the event that a third party does not settle the customer is not held responsible.

Also, if your car is driveable you would receive a credit hire vehicle but only whilst your car is being repaired.

Kind Regards,

Albany Assistance Online Team

Quentin

The "recent reviews" we are asked to look at by the Albany Rep have a remarkably similar style. (Wonder why he only directs us to the "recent" ones??)


For the truth you need to go back just a few weeks before the unbelievable 5 star attack comes in on its regular sorties


Only the completely gullible will be fooled by this!

EdGasket

Ha, you'd think the reviews are of two different companies; totally polarised between terrible and fantastic!