Insurance claim issue

dysucker

Hi guys,

Apologies if this is the wrong place for this post - it seemed the most relevant place to put it.

Last summer, whilst I was sat stationary in my car, a bus hit the back of my car causing minimal damage, then drove off - I eventually got the bus company to admit liability.

However, since then, their insurance has been very quick to dismiss my request for reimbursement for loss of earnings; I am self employed - however on the day in question and the day after, I had originally taken time off away from work to renovate a house, but on the day in question, because the driver drove away, I spent the day talking to police and insurance companies, then the next day getting my car assessed for damage.

Essentially my argument is that, even though I had the time off from work, I've had to take further time off work to complete the renovation work I had intended to do. Their argument is that because it was originally unpaid work, then there is no loss of earnings.

They've asked for proof that I took further time off, which I have provided. Now they've asked me for bank statements and my previous years self assessment - and I don't know for what reason, I cannot see how this additional information can help them decide I wasn't paid for 2 days and therefore I am owed for that time.

I have told my solicitor dealing with the claim that if this isn't resolved soon, I shall be issuing a small claim against them myself - is this a reasonable request? It has been 8 months since the accident occurred, for which they have admitted liability.

I'm getting increasingly annoyed at their continued attempts to delay a pay out, so I am unsure whether what I have suggested is the right course of action, and what I can possibly do to speed this up, or what to do to make the claim myself.

Thanks for any advice / support in advance! :beer:

Quentin

Proving self employment loss of earnings isn't straightforward as you have discovered.

But if you have a solicitor dealing with this then take their advice.

(Were you to end up in court, you would need all the evidence that they asked you for to prove your losses so you may as well comply now)

dysucker

OK, thanks for the advice.

They've asked for bank statements, I've sent them the bank statements for my LTD; my assumption is that because the loss of earnings is attributed to my activities as a business, this is what they would want.

This is all very new to me, and very aggravating!