Insurance Write Off

Joe_Horner

freccle wrote: »

I didn't even KNOW I could have contacted his insurers direct! I thought you each had to go through your own insurance company

Sadly the whole industry seems to be geared up to make people believe that.

Cynically, it gives them the chance to involve claims management companies, motor legal teams, and assorted other "professionals" in order for you to recover things like your excess - which you wouldn't have lost in the first place if they just kept to the simple facts of liability!

freccle

I'm not sure - will find out. Thanks all

Aretnap

freccle wrote: »

(and presumably lose my NCB)?

If you make a claim on your own policy your no claims bonus will be reduced initially. Your insurers will then look to recover their costs from the third party's insurers, and when they do this your NCD will be restored. It's not generally a problem unless your renewal date comes while this is ongoing, in which case it can make your life more complicated. This is another reason why if there's no dispute over liability it's often best to go direct to the third party's insurer and avoid the claim being made on your own policy at all. It's worth looking into whether this is still an option, or whether you're too far down the road with your own insurer to cancel now.

It's worth adding that there are some advantages to making the claim on your own policy as well. The main one is that if your car is written off and you're not happy with the valuation your insurer offers you then you can use their complaints procedure, and if necessary complain to the Financial Ombudsman, which is free (to you). If you claim directly from the third party insurer then you can't complain to the Ombudsman if you're not happy (as you're not their customer), so the only way to force them to increase their valuation would be to take them to court.

freccle

Well what I have done is change the "claim" with my insurance to a notification of the accident and I have an independent assessor coming out tomorrow to assess the damage. The other driver has notified his insurance company and admitted liability (couldn’t do much else really since our car was parked at the time). This is certainly a lesson to me on how things have changed

TheBanker

Have you told the other driver or his insurers that you are claiming from them directly? You should do as they may offer use of a loan car while the claim is being assessed.

When a similar thing happened to my sister, the other driver gave her details to his insurer, and his insurer contacted my sister directly to discuss the claim. Fortunately the damage to her car was not too severe, but they gave her a hire car to use until her car was repaired when she explained that her claim would include the cost of a hire car as she needed transport for work.

tykesi

freccle wrote: »

This is certainly a lesson to me on how things have changed

What has changed? If a third party is responsible for damage to your car, you claim from their insurance. That's what it's for, just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it has changed.

freccle

Well last time I was involved in an accident, we swapped details, I contacted my insurer, he contacted his and they sorted it out. Now it seems I don't need to go through my insurance at all. In fact I haven't - I have a personal injuries law firm (even though no personal injuries) suing his ins co

bigadaj

freccle wrote: »

Well last time I was involved in an accident, we swapped details, I contacted my insurer, he contacted his and they sorted it out. Now it seems I don't need to go through my insurance at all. In fact I haven't - I have a personal injuries law firm (even though no personal injuries) suing his ins co

That doesn't sound good.....

neilmcl

freccle wrote: »

Well last time I was involved in an accident, we swapped details, I contacted my insurer, he contacted his and they sorted it out. Now it seems I don't need to go through my insurance at all. In fact I haven't - I have a personal injuries law firm (even though no personal injuries) suing his ins co

Why on earth are you doing that instead of following the advice given and claim yourself from the TP insurer. No need to bring the ambulance chasers into the equation.

ohreally

freccle wrote: »

i have a personal injuries law firm (even though no personal injuries) suing his ins co

!!!!!!?......