Car insurance not getting back in touch regards claim. ZURICH.

Not_Me_Officer

Just wondering if this is normal, should i wait longer or should i get in touch again, maybe a complaint? Basically just what to do.

Was involved in an accident a couple weeks ago. The other person didn't stop.
Called police & had a visit the next day, was told they'd investigate and be back in touch, probably next week (which was last week).

Police haven't been in touch.

Using the reg i got i paid for the details on the askMID website to obtain his insurance details.

email his insurance - ZURICH last Weds giving them as much detail as i could and asked about their buy back policy since i think my car will be deemed a total loss but i don't want to lose it, only to then see the email wasn't in my sent folder so i sent a follow up email asking if they'd received anything from me (didn't want to type it all out again if i didn't have to).

Get an email the next day (quite impressed) to say no and send again, which i did when i got home. That was last Thurs.

The middle of this week i send another email to Zurich asking if they could confirm they've received my email and are processing it, and once again asked about their buy back policy - could they at least inform me of this while i wait on them dealing with the claim.

Still no reply.

Please don't say call them. I tried that right at the start and i can't get anyone speaking understandable English. I don't want to agree to something i can't understand and at the same time i can't just sit there saying can you repeat that please (after 3 can you say that again please i can't quite understand what you're saying the woman seemed to get quite upset with me & i kept having to do it too).

What to do? Have never been in this position before so don't know how long it takes.

dacouch

You were miss advised on your other thread.

When you claim under your own comprehensive policy you have a contract between you and your Insurer. The Insurers can dictate the terms of the contract and where they have a deal with a national scrap merchant some may not allow you to buy your vehicle back.

When claiming from a third parties Insurer, there is no contract between you and the Insurer so they cannot dictate the terms.

It is normal practice for a third party Insurer (When you claim directly from them or via a claims management company) for them to deduct the value of the salvage from the amount they pay you for your vehicles written off value. You then either keep the vehicle or arrange the sale of the salvage yourself.

There are some exceptions to this rule eg Hastings tend to try and not allow you to buy the vehicle back. I do not know for certain whether Zurich do not allow you to retain the salvage but it would be unusual for them to not allow it

Not_Me_Officer

dacouch wrote: »

You were miss advised on your other thread.

When you claim under your own comprehensive policy you have a contract between you and your Insurer. The Insurers can dictate the terms of the contract and where they have a deal with a national scrap merchant some may not allow you to buy your vehicle back.

When claiming from a third parties Insurer, there is no contract between you and the Insurer so they cannot dictate the terms.

It is normal practice for a third party Insurer (When you claim directly from them or via a claims management company) for them to deduct the value of the salvage from the amount they pay you for your vehicles written off value. You then either keep the vehicle or arrange the sale of the salvage yourself.

There are some exceptions to this rule eg Hastings tend to try and not allow you to buy the vehicle back. I do not know for certain whether Zurich do not allow you to retain the salvage but it would be unusual for them to not allow it

Thanks. I thought after posting this about reaching out to them on twitter. I'm not really a twitter person but i gave it a go. They told me to contact them via a supplied email so we'll see what happens.

Not_Me_Officer

Here's a thought:

The police have said that the guy could just turn around and say he didn't know he hit me.

So if he says that to the insurance what is the likely outcome there? Will they see it as i just mysteriously got this damage to my car but it can't possibly be there man = no pay out see you later?

Quentin

Yes the driver may not have realised he hit you. Or choose to lie.

In that case you rely on other evidence eg. Independent witnesses​/corresponding damage/CCTV

Not_Me_Officer

Oooh how annoying, i hit the wrong there/their/they're. That grates on me and i did it lol

Right so basically this chap is going to say sorry officer/insuranceman but i didn't have an accident at all that day i don't know what you or this crazy fool is talking about.

And since there's nothing by way of other evidence around, no witnesses, no CCTV, that'll be the end of it.
And since it's a works vehicle and as abused as those get, if anyone did check it then it's just one of the many crazy drivers who's been driving it - must've damaged it on site somewhere.

Time to at the very least get a dash cam installed. I know it wont have picked up the collision since it was on my side but it'll have picked up that he was there. Whether even that will have been enough i doubt it.

Quentin

Whenever liability is disputed you have the back up (assuming you have comprehensive cover) of putting the claim to your own insurer and letting them deal with the hassle

Not_Me_Officer

The problem there though is that i would have to pay my excess. The damage is not excessive (as in no panels need renewing or beating out, it's just scratches. It'd be the cost of the car really.

Annoying that he'll just tell his insurance he wasn't even there officer but i've obviously informed mine and now for the next 3-5 years i'll have to declare it as having been in an accident.

Although how can i be in an accident if he says he wasn't in an accident? Doubt my insurance would see it that way when it comes to paying up/paying out though.