Car Insurance - Without Drive Assist!

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  • Jue_xx
    Jue_xx Posts: 292
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Forumite
    vikingaero wrote: »
    Seems like the moral of the story is to refuse to sign the PDA.

    I didn't!

    I left their car at the repairer's garage when I collected mine, and the copy of the damage report they sent me had two signatures on it - neither of which were mine! That didn't make any difference to them when I queried it, their response was:
    (Vehicle Condition Report, Collection) "clearly shows that there was damage to the vehicle on collection of the vehicle, and this has been acknowledged with a valid signature" - NOT MY SIGNATURE!!:mad:

    And they still took the £160.00 out of my account.
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  • Jue_xx
    Jue_xx Posts: 292
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Forumite
    Think it's time I went over to the Vents Thread now to let off steam!!:mad: :mad: :mad:
    Extra Payment Every Week Challenge:
    Week 1: £29.68
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  • Rab

    I understand that following the Watchdog programme, Drive Assist dropped all the claims against those who were protesting about their charges through the programme.

    Have the claims against you been dropped yet?


    i have contacted watchdog via the email address that was supplied, i am as yet awaiting a reply.
    i will phone them to see whats happening, and will keep u informed!
    Nice to save.
  • I have after two letters not got through to drive assist that they are in the wrong and they have charged my card with £230. I am not giving up yet and have used the watchdog email again to send a complaint and demand my money back. This is a deplorable way to do buisness. I wish everyone good luck claiming there money back by the looks of things drive assist is going to be very busy answering emails/ phone calls.
  • I had the misfortune of using Drive Assist following a non-fault accident earlier this year and two months later was charged £170 for the pleasure. I did complain at the time that I had only signed for the return of the vehicle and had not been advised at the time of signing of any alleged damage whilst the car was my responsibility, but had little hope for success.

    I caught the end of Watchdog yesterday so immediately went online, found the contact details and emailed Drive Assist last night with my complaint. Got home today and found a telephone message from Drive Assist explaining that they are to reimburse my money and forward written confirmation.

    An amazing outcome for what I felt was a lost cause.
  • Hurrah!
    Pleased to inform that i have today received a very apologetic letter from drive assist stating they will refund the charges and credit my account.
    It seems that watchdog programme and mse together have been successful in getting them worried enough to realise it will affect their business if they dont deal with people in the right manner so they have decided to take steps to reimburse peeps and hopefully improve their service.
    It seems that dealing with matter over phone rather than email will get a quicker response.
    emailed last week - as yet no response.
    phoned on wednesday - was told i would receive a reply within 14 days.
    Received a phone call yesterday , i wasn't in.
    received letter this a.m. first class post.
    I am sure others will also receive any money back - good luck to all.
    just feel sorry for peeps who have been targeted by this company before and have lost out. - i am sure there must be many.

    btw, thanks to all who helped and for their concern
    Nice to save.
  • Me too:T received a phone call after my email sent and recieved a letter today stating full refund what a result. good luck to everyone still waiting.
  • That's great news Rab and and78... similar wishes to those still waiting.

    I'm especially struck by how similar the amounts being charged are. they wanted £160 off me which I've seen elsewhere and other amounts seems to be in the range £150 to £230. Do they have a repairer who charges fixed rates whatever the damage? Or could it be linked to the excess that was recovered? £160 was £10 above my excess...I wonder if they think there is a tolerance level where people would simply pay up if it wasn't much over their excess?

    The other thing I'd love to see is the audit trail of a car. I'd love to know whether the "scratch" that was alleged to be on the car when it was picked up from us, was either repaired, or represented as damage when it was presented to the next person.

    Wouldn't it be strange if it could be proved that they had charged two differenct customers with causing the same damage and attempted to charge them both for it? Strange, but not improbable in my opinion. And preventing anyone undertaking that kind of investigative analysis might be seen as a good reason for waiving all disputed charges, especially with a media scrutiny underway!
  • Jue_xx
    Jue_xx Posts: 292
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Forumite
    I too have been offered a full refund!:beer:
    The other thing I'd love to see is the audit trail of a car. I'd love to know whether the "scratch" that was alleged to be on the car when it was picked up from us, was either repaired, or represented as damage when it was presented to the next person.

    The car they loaned me already had four scratches on it, listed on the damage report, when they delivered it to me. So they appear to have been charging for damage and not even repairing it before handing the car over to their next "victim"!
    Extra Payment Every Week Challenge:
    Week 1: £29.68
    Week 2: £14.95
    Week 3: £5.05
  • Jue_xx
    Jue_xx Posts: 292
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Forumite
    Incidentally, Sunday Morning, did you manage to find an insurance company that doesn't use Drive Assist, as my insurance is up for renewal this month and I don't want to risk having to use DA again either!

    I'm with Budget at the moment, who definately DOES use Drive Assist, and apparently Marks and Spencers insurance do too, because a friend of mine uses them and has also been through the now familiar DA story, so that's two to cross off the list.

    Does anyone use an insurance company that doesn't use Drive Assist?
    Extra Payment Every Week Challenge:
    Week 1: £29.68
    Week 2: £14.95
    Week 3: £5.05
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