Car Insurance - Without Drive Assist!

secondangel

My story starts in Nov 2007.
I was insured with Budget and was hit my a foreign lorry driver who didnt speak English and was at fault. I called the Police at the accident to get his insurance information etc as i didnt feel confident i would get the answers i needed. My car was an N reg Vectra 1.8.

Budget Insurance took the information and because of the damage to the car near the wheel arch it was advised that if id drove the car it could puncture the wheel or worse the wheel fall off due to where it was hit. I took photos for evidence just in case.

As i was non fault i was told i could get a car to help me get to work, take the kids to school etc.

I recieved a call from Drive Assist who were going to get me a car and that the charges would be claimed back from the other insurance company but i paid a legal fee to make sure all legal costs would be covered and that provided i complied with information id never be liable to pay those costs. I checked their small print etc.

The car they delievred was superior to my car but i was told it was all they had and the guy who delivered said i should be pleased with it. It was a Mercedes Benz 2.2. At teh time i had started up a company so when they asked for job title i gave it as Managing Director (the truth) and i actually think this was why i got the nicer car.

As you may remember around this time Drive Assist featured on Watchdog for the scams about cars being scratched etc. I was worried and so decided to return the car and figure out getting one privately myself even though i had paid my insurance and was entitled to a car.

The man on the phone at Drive Assist assured me that there was no problem but if i wanted to end it i could. I got it returned and it was a fine.

My car had been looked at by a local garage (Drive Assist were just the hire car lenders) and deemed that the cost of repair was treble the value of the acr and was classed as a write off.

I phoned Budget again to explain that i obviously wasn't claiming because of the age of my car and that i had given the hire car back and no longer needed any help. They said that Drive Assist would obviously claim to get the hirecar money back from the guy but wouldn't be claiming for damage to the car, replacement or any personal injury done to me.

Over the next 2 years Drive Assist (and several different employees) kept contacting me asking me to fill out forms to provide them with the evidence to charge the person who hit me. I gave them copies of the information from the police along with witness statements and photographs of the car.

After 2 years it was deemed that the person was uninsured and the claim would need to go through the MIB. It was stated i must help them do this even though no money or claim was for me - but it was so that i wouldn't be liable to pay the car hire charges myself. I filled out the MIB form for them.

Another year passes not hearing anything until MTA solicitors send me information back in Dec2010 and that hey have taken on the case and will be trying to get the information required to get the money back from the other insurer.

It was said the other driver was being taken to court and i would need to regive any evidence or information required.

I phoned them and have also sent several emails repeating all of the information.

I have been annoyed all along but because of the delays in between each time ive assumed that they have the information and are getting on with - whereas know im checking the internet and seeing it looks like they string people along.

What has prompted me to further action (CAB is tomorrow) is when they asked for my bank details and my bank statements at the time of the accident to what they said prove IMPESCUNIONITY that i couldn't afford the car and therefore needed it. This made me suspicious and i asked whether it was legal for them to ask and whether i had to provide this information. He said i didn't so i didn't but responded to their letter.
They had this habit of on the bottom of letters stating - we look forward to your reply within 14 days ( a legal trick im sure so that if i don't reply they can do me for not helping them)

This was a month ago.

Yesterday i got a letter asking if i could refill in my statement and to sign that i agree that i am liable unless i have the legal waiver policy (which i paid for) The letter stated a court claim number - so i have contacted the court to see if its an actual real claim.

Im sure i will continue to get letters asking for information.

//

Sorry for a mega long story but it seems what i have is bits of whats happened to lots of people.

I have contacted BBC watchdog and im due to speak to the Citizens Advice.

At no point have i complained as to be honest im unsure how to word and structure the complaint, i want them to leave me alone and get on with getting the money from the other insurer - if they cant then am im liable? because of the legal waiver fee - i think they should drop it and need help to make them do so. Isnt there a time frame for these things or can they continue to hound me for information after 4 years


I have come to the conclusion that Drive Assist cannot get the money and are basically trying to find a way to make me liable to pay it.

The money is £2,600 for hire charges


Any advice please as its causing so much distress and i have had depression in the last 2 years due to excess stress and wnat this resolved.

daisyrose

I am in a similar situation but with another company. The non fault accident was in 2009 and I hadn't heard anything from then until June this year.I have been told that companies have 6 years to pursue people. I have also been told by someone that works in a garage that disputes relating to hire cars are very common.

chezza52343

Hey

I thought i would share my experience with these (what i can only describe as jokers)
I have attached the email i sent to the them as a high level complaint to save time!

11th June accident occurred, called what I thought was the claim line for my insurance company but was actually through to your company. The male on the phone asked for the policy holders details, details of car crash and person’s concerned and was told that a courtesy car would be available to me as the “vehicle is not legally drivable”. The car would be picked up for an engineer to “look at it” and assess the damage. This would enable me not to lose our no claims or pay the excess.
The person on the phone at the time took my mobile number and an updated email address for Anya (policy holder)
11th June – Email confirming conversation with myself (incorrect email address)

I had two separate garages look at the car whilst on my driveway (visual inspection without looking in the boot) and they assessed the damage at £250 - £400, this would be for a reconditioned boot, filling of damage to the bumper and a flash spray of paint. Obviously there could be other damage but that was the initial quote.

Tuesday 14th June the car was picked up to be taken for an engineer to look at it and the hire car was delivered.
Thursday 16th I received an email (to incorrect email address) and a letter to inform me to take all of my personal effects out of the car (which as you can imagine was extremely helpful due to it being taken away two days beforehand)
Friday 17th I called your company (to which you have no record of!) and asked what was happening with the vehicle and was informed that it was still with the engineers and someone would be in touch soon with the report and inform us what was happening, they gave me a turnaround time of 24 hours.
Saturday 18th I called and spoke to someone who informed me the engineers report was in (then changed his mind half way through the conversation) he decided that the report was not in and would therefore be available on Monday but I should await a call from the company directly.
Wednesday 22nd I called again and asked what in fact was happening and was informed that the car was a write off due to the cost of the repairs were in fact £1525.00, the male on the phone said you would be in touch with me as you were in fact keeping the car. At this point i asked for someone senior to speak to me on the phone as i informed the male of the two previous quotes and asked how it was possible to increase the cost by almost £1100! He said he would get someone to call me back.
I received a call from Female supervisor later on in the day(22nd) to inform me she was not sure where the previous advisor had got the figures from and the amount for the repairs was in fact £1600, i asked for a breakdown of the costs and asked why in fact i had not been informed of this already as i was supposed to get a phone call from someone on Monday, she informed me that the engineers report had only come in that morning (this was a lie) i asked how on earth they had come up with this amount and she advised that it would need a new boot and the engineer had in fact “looked at it”, a heated exchange ensued as i said i would have the car returned to me and at that point i was advised there would be costs involved as you had worked on my behalf, Female supervisor said she would call me back to advise of what they would be before if got my car back, i told her i wanted the car returning to me on the Thursday and she did call me back.
Female supervisor advised that the costs would be £478.00, i asked what this was for and she advised it was for “carriage fee’s, engineers looking at the car and for any work you had completed on my behalf”
Again i questioned Female supervisor regarding the cost and i said i would call her back with a delivery address for the vehicle to be returned to.
Wednesday 22nd - contacted Copart by phone to ask how much they charge in carriage to return my car and they advised £0, they also advised that no engineer had in fact looked at the car as per Female supervisor’s advice earlier in the conversation and what had happened is that photographs were taken of the car and they were “uploaded” to a website and were available to all parties to see.
The photo’s confirmed by Copart were taken and uploaded on the 16th June!
I then called Female supervisor back and asked why

·I was paying for carriage costs from a company that do not charge carriage costs
·Paying for the cost as i didn’t ask for the removal of the car from my drive
·I was paying for an engineer to look at my car (when in fact all he did was look at photo’s)
·Why there was a delay in processing the photo’s by the engineer
·Why i was told the car was not legally drivable (when it was)
·Why the engineer didn’t come to my house to check the damage or in fact take my photo’s of the damage that i had already in my possession
·Why i had no correspondence but the two email’s sent to the wrong email address and have had no courtesy calls from yourselves even to say where we were up to with the claim but i had several ambulance chasers sent to me (after being referred by you)
·How your engineer was able to pluck that figure out of thin air as i had two other quotes as above when he had not even seen any damage but with a massively inflated cost
Female supervisor could not answer the majority of the points raised and therefore reduced the cost of the charges to £228.00. She agreed to contact Copart to deliver the car and arranged the hire car to be picked up on Friday evening from my home address.

23rd June – phonecall from Drive Assist to ask if they can pick up the car earlier, answer no!
24th June – 16:10pmhire car picked up from my house
24th June - 16:30pm phone call made to Copart to find out where my car was, they advised it was en route to the garage, this didn’t arrive!
25th June - 9:20am called you again and asked where my car was as you had effectively left me stranded without a car.
25th June - Several conversations with your colleagues relating to calling the police as all contact with your company had ceased, a customer services representative said they would contact Copart and find out where the car was. I got a call back to advise the car had not been delivered and was still in the compound and as the company was now closed my car was there until Monday.
27th June – Car was returned to the garage and noticeable damage to the bonnet of the car! (picture enclosed, these are the fixing strapping’s from the carrier and are on both sides of the car)

What i would like from you is a detailed breakdown of costs as to why are you charging me £228.00 for what i see was unnecessary carriage, photo’s sent to an engineer, no communication from yourselves unless it was to the wrong email address and for damaging the car whilst in your possession
What i would also like to know is where i send the repair costs for damage to my car
Why it took you so long to process the claim/photo’s
Why i was left without any vehicle over the whole weekend
Why i was told the car was not legal to drive

Please advise how is it now that i have been given a final quote of £850to fix the car (as there is in fact damage to the boot, but your engineer would have known that if they had as per conversation with Female supervisor in fact looked at the car) this is still far cheaper than what you were quoting and is not a write off as per what your advice was.

Please rest assured this is not the end of the matter for me, i have been treated appallingly by your company, been told lies and had the whole process in fact drawn out to enable you to (in my opinion) grossly over estimate the job and bump up the cost to the other party as they would have to pay for it seeing as they were at fault.

Yesterday was the final day (by their own admission) to respond to my complaint and they are leaving me no choice but to instruct a solicitor!!

DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS COMPANY, THE STRESS WILL KILL YOU!!

daKlone

Hi All,

I've been reading this and a few other threads on other sites with dread...my wife has just taken delivery of a brand new Focus as a hire car while her Alfa 147 is being repaired after a non-fault accident.

I say non-fault, however initially the claim seemed cut-and-dried non-fault, but the other parties insurer is going for 50/50 now.

Anyway, I did question the fact that she had to sign a note to say that we accepted that we were responsible for paying for it if the other party didn't, especially since the delivery driver refused to tell me what the charges would be until we had signed!! I phoned Drive Assist customer services and the lady said she couldn't tell me either but that we didn't HAVE to take the car but our insurer would only offer a small car and would take some time to sort out (bearing in mind my wife's car was collected for repair on Tuesday and she needs one for work tomorrow). That in itself rang alarm bells, but further reading has really worried me.

When we finally got through all the paperwork (including the "copy and paste" PDA signatures) it turns out that they are charging £52.74+VAT per day plus £31.00 delivery charge. According to the GTA agreed maximum settlement rates on the ABI website the most they should be charging is £39.26+VAT.

Can anyone suggest what I should do? I'd quite like to return the car and insist on one from the insurer (and take the pain of the wife getting to and from work), but am worried about having to pay for it anyway. Should I take out their £10 indemnity insurance? Am I going to end up paying the difference between the GTA rates and their charged rate?

Any advice appreciated.

hpuse

daKlone wrote: »

Hi All,

I've been reading this and a few other threads on other sites with dread...my wife has just taken delivery of a brand new Focus as a hire car while her Alfa 147 is being repaired after a non-fault accident.

I say non-fault, however initially the claim seemed cut-and-dried non-fault, but the other parties insurer is going for 50/50 now.

Anyway, I did question the fact that she had to sign a note to say that we accepted that we were responsible for paying for it if the other party didn't, especially since the delivery driver refused to tell me what the charges would be until we had signed!! I phoned Drive Assist customer services and the lady said she couldn't tell me either but that we didn't HAVE to take the car but our insurer would only offer a small car and would take some time to sort out (bearing in mind my wife's car was collected for repair on Tuesday and she needs one for work tomorrow). That in itself rang alarm bells, but further reading has really worried me.

When we finally got through all the paperwork (including the "copy and paste" PDA signatures) it turns out that they are charging £52.74+VAT per day plus £31.00 delivery charge. According to the GTA agreed maximum settlement rates on the ABI website the most they should be charging is £39.26+VAT.

Can anyone suggest what I should do? I'd quite like to return the car and insist on one from the insurer (and take the pain of the wife getting to and from work), but am worried about having to pay for it anyway. Should I take out their £10 indemnity insurance? Am I going to end up paying the difference between the GTA rates and their charged rate?

Any advice appreciated.

Since you have already signed the hire agreement with DA, you have very little options left.

DA is a complicated fat-cow type business setup aimed to loot insurers, drivers by bast*rdising the whole claims processing business....
I would suggest you call the third party insurer' company and find out how much they would be paying for a replacement car while yours is on repair. If it is more than the charged rate, give DA a call and tell them you want to cancel the hire agreement w.e.f immediately unless they provide a hire car of the same rate as applicable. Let us know how it goes.

Tip for others: If the accident is not your fault, Actually I do not see a real need of using this Drive Assist type services companies. From various experience described in this thread, they will be nothing but a pain in the A**. Avoid them. If it is not your fault, it is always better to claim via third party's company. That way you will always end up with less hassle and do not even have to spend a penny from your own pocket.

<< Assumes this is a non-fault accident of yours and you have already spoken to the driver and obtained his/her details. If the driver did not stop after the accident/incident, then it is a different case, you should inform the police first before contacting your own insurance company! >>

Step 1) Contact the third party's insurance company and tell them you are a third party and want to make make a third party claim on the <v-reg> no. For this you would need the other vehicle' registration no:, driver name and his/her contact number. If you do not provide personal details of the drive to the TP company expect a slight delay in step 3. This is normal.
Step 2) note down the claim reference no:
Step 3) Allow/give the company 48 hrs - if you do not provide driver details as in step 1, this will take more time.
Step 4) Contact the TP insurance company after 48 hrs (or after 2 weeks if you did not provide driver details) and ask them about the courtsey replacement car and accident repair company details. (some companies very promptly call you back rather than you having to contact them). Ask them about dates and repair details and courtsey/replacement cars
Step 5 ) Collection and rental arrangement: This step differs amongst various insurance companies. If your car is in your possesion, Some companies arrange repair collection and courtsey car at the same time using a single company. Some insurers arrange a rental car thru a car hire company first (for e.g Avis, Enterprise etc) and those car hire companies will give you a call telling you that your courtsey car has been arranged. The accident repair company will come and collect your car separately after the accident.

If the car is not in your possesion( for e.g in a garage) then you will have two option
a) authorise the accident repair company to collect the car from the garage.
b) Approve the garage to carry out work by giving the claims reference no: obtained in step 2. The garage will arrange and receive works authorisation from the TP insurer and charge back them the cost of repair.

Step 6) Drive the courtsey car till your car ready after repair.
step 7) Accident repair company delivers the repaired car. If you arranged repair via your own garage, you will have to go to the garage and pick the car yourself after the work is completed.

Mark_West_Mids

I too have been having massive difficulties with Drive Assist. Following a no fault accident to my car, causing damage to the front wing and windscreen they took possession of my vehicle for repairs to be carried out. A week later, they contacted me to say that they had been given authority to complete the repairs, which should take about a week. Nine days later they called me back saying my car was ready for collection, that the front wing had been repaired but not the windscreen. I queried this and was informed that their engineer 'didn't think it was accident related'. They have refused to take into account all other evidence, namely that:

1. I have not made a claim in years. Based on their engineers opinion, this means that although I have suffered no damage in years, in a very short space of time while parked up, one third party collided with my vehicle damaging the wing and another third party came along and cracked the windscreen. The likelihood of this happening is extremely remote.

2. I can provide two witness statements confirming the perfect condition of the car when left parked and the damaged condition of it following the accident.

Drive Assist advised me to obtain my own engineers report. I have asked them what this would achieve bearing in mind that by repairing the wing, the point of collision and impact is now no longer visible (Drive Assist have effectively covered up the evidence). They have not responded to this point.

I have asked them why they telephoned me to say that the repairs would be done and then only repaired the wing, pointing out that had they told me at the outset they were only repairing the wing, I would have obtained a meaningful engineers report based on the point of collision still being visible, at that point. Drive Assist have apologised for this but refuse to provide any explanation.

When Drive Assist arrived to collect their hire car on Saturday, I explained about the dispute regarding the damage. Their employee stated that the damage 'could easily have been caused by the collision'. I have had to put the windscreen damage through my own insurance claim and have asked Drive Assist to refund me the excess. I had a long conversation with Drive Assist today and while their member of staff was very apologetic about the poor handling of this matter they refuse to budge.

H.H.H.

I seem to joining in with a long row of trouble and stress with DA.

I have just been in a no-fault accident and "Drive Assist" was to handle the case. My car was not driveable but all seemed well DA was supplying me with a car the day after the accident. When the car came I was shocked it was a new BMW Sport, costing the insurer about 70 pound a day. I said, -what are you giving me? I will be afraid of driving it- but he said I would be OK and left me with this car. I wondered when they would pick up my car for repair or whatever because I was so uncomfortable driving this car and barely wonted to use it, I called DA and asked about it, they said,- haven't an inspector been there yet? Well, it may take a few days. I waited, nothing happen so I phoned again same answer from DA. After 9 days I phoned DA then they said they could not get hold of the others car insurance company. I really felt I got really worried and tried to find them, after a few phone calls I did find the right third-party clam department and told them my case, they said they had not heard from DA yet. I told them I was very unhappy about the hire car and felt DA was trying to get so much money as possible out of it and I wanted to give the car back. The insurance company was very helpful and we sorted out someone to look at my car and they got me a new hire car that I am very comfortable with. DA was not happy to have their car back so they phoned the insurance company straight away (they could get hold of them then) and asked it they had told me to give the car back. Few days later I got a letter from DA guess what the BMW had panel and windscreen chip plus it had dirty exterior and interior all this written on a form I supposedly have signed. I am angry because I washed it twice inside and outside and I could not see any chip on the window while washing and I guess you would if it had been one. They also got the accident date wrong by a hole, I am not having anything more to do with them all will now be fixed by the insurance company and they have also apologised for DA`s bad handling of the case. I think this DA is a crooked company and pray upon people’s accidents. Maybe they thought I was a foreign dumb old woman.
Anyway I am glad I have read it’s not only me, it seem like something they usually do to people. Why can’t this company’s crooked policy be stopped?

makaza

The OFT have just announced an inquiry into the reasons for the massive increase in car insurance premiums over the last couple of years and one of the aspects they are inerested in is the role played by companies such as Drive Assist.
Having recently had the misfortune to have had contact with Drive Assist and seen at first hand the way they operate I have today submitted evidence to the OFT enquiry.

I would urge all of you who have had the misfortune of being involved with Drive Assist to do the same. You can find details of the enquiry at the OFT website. ( I can't post links but if you google "OFT Private Motor Insurance call for evidence " it should be the 3 or 4th result .You can email your response to them at motorinsurance@oft.gsi.gov.uk (you need to respond by 12 October 2011).

If enough people tell their stories perhaps we can look forward to the activities of companies like Drive Assist being severly curtailed.

Stoli

I have had the pleasure of dealing with Drive Assist after I had to make a no fault claim to my insurance company Sheila's Wheels. I won't bore you all with my tales of woe but I will agree with everyone else who has posted that they are a terrible company who seem intent in getting as much cash out of their "customers" by whatever means.

I have contacted OFT and sent an email with my complaint and I hope you all do the same. I consider myself to be a strong willed person but my 2 weeks of dealing with them caused me no end of stress and worry.

Do not deal with this company no matter what. I would have preferred to not have a car at all than have one from Drive Assist.

puddy

oh dear, im very worried reading this thread

i had an no fault accident 4 years ago and it was dealt with by my insurer and drive assist and i have to report no problems

however, my OH has now had a no fault accident and a curtesy car has now been arranged whilst his was taken in for mending

his car is a nissan note and my OH ask for a similar family car

we have a 2 litre, BMW, this years reg, cant tell you what series but seems quite 'posh' to us, leather seats and all that

i thought that my OH looked at the price of the cost of the car per day and i thought he said it was £40 per day or something

he has a high excess with his insurance as his insurance is high, will be about £500, what happens with this?

I remember asking on here a couple of weeks back whether it was better to go with our own insurance or the other party's and people suggested to stick with ours as if we went with the other party we wouldnt be covered by the FSA

now im wondering whether this was correct

I seem to recall when i got my car back from drive assist (or the garage, i cant remember how it worked) i had to pay them the excess is this what my OH will have to do?

as there are no injuries how does he get the money back?