No Fault Claim- advice needed please!

L.MO

Hi all,
Newbie alert (hope i've done this right).
I’ve never had to make a claim on car insurance before. Last week, someone reversed into my car when it was parked, admitted full liability and both insurers have been informed. My car is PCP and although it's 'drivable' i need to get it fixed. I am with Admiral, they gave me two options to either claim with them but have to pay excess (which at £400 is not an option for us) or go through Auxillis. I chose Auxillis, they have found me a garage who are Audi approved… all good so far.

Driver at fault’s company (Esure) have since called to ask me to do repairs through them saying that Auxillis will charge them 3 times the normal rate for repairs and courtesy car and that if they dispute the charges I can end up having to pay out for the difference… as someone new to this whole claim process I am obviously worried now!

I’ve called round the houses…
Admiral have just advised it’s up to me and I could have gone for other option and paid excess (which I can’t afford to do),
Auxillis have said as long as I cooperate with them I will be protected by credit protection policy so have no charges to pay. I have also said to Auxillis I don’t need a like for like courtesy as apparently this is where the insurers take the mick with each other.

The garage doing the repairs have also weighed in (I did ask for an opinion) saying they would suggest I phone Admiral and ask them to do the claim themselves without me paying for the excess as the other party has admitted full responsibility and it would also mean the garage would be able to come out pick my car up, drop off replacement and return car when fixed. Through Auxillis I’m having to drop by for estimate of repair then go back in when they can do repair to pick up replacement which is obviously less convenient for me but can work with.

I’m thoroughly confused. I would be quite happy to stick with Auxillis as long as I know I won’t be expected to pay anything at the end of it but is this the right thing to do?

Any suggestions or advice gratefully accepted!

rich13348

If you go through esure you will not have to pay anything either as you are claiming off the 3rd parties insurance. But you won't be able to go to the ombudsmen if you are not happy.

Auxillis is a claims management company whose sole job is to make as much money as possible for the least amount of work possible. As you have mentioned you could be left with a bill to auxillis if desire refuse to pay all the charges.

Bigphil1474

Tough one, but if you are happy that Esure will do the job, and they'll be picking up the bill after all, might be better for you if you go with them. I had a no fault in 2013 which was handled by a third party company, provided by my insurer - Kwik Fit. As everything was handled by the TP co. it didn't go down as a claim on my insurance, and everything was fine. Having said that, my car was only worth £750 and it was written off - yours sounds a bit more valuable. I too skipped the hire car offer, which they seemed very keen for me to go with. You would have thought that if the insurance companies are using these TP co's, they'd be trying to sort prices out between them so they all benefit. Have you got cast iron paperwork from Auxillis?

rich13348

Bigphil1474 wrote: »

Tough one, but if you are happy that Esure will do the job, and they'll be picking up the bill after all, might be better for you if you go with them. I had a no fault in 2013 which was handled by a third party company, provided by my insurer - Kwik Fit. As everything was handled by the TP co. it didn't go down as a claim on my insurance, and everything was fine. Having said that, my car was only worth £750 and it was written off - yours sounds a bit more valuable. I too skipped the hire car offer, which they seemed very keen for me to go with. You would have thought that if the insurance companies are using these TP co's, they'd be trying to sort prices out between them so they all benefit. Have you got cast iron paperwork from Auxillis?

The information marked in bold is incorrect. You have to put the claim down as a claim when renewing every year for 3 to 5 years depending on insurer.

However you don't pay excess or lose your no claims bonus.

gzoom

I'm current in a similar situation with a none-fault claim, my insure is DirectLine and the at fault party is Admiral - who have accepted full liability on behalf of their insured.

Firstly don't let your self be intimated by insurance companies, you pay a premium each year, and it's their job to sort out what happens in an accident not yours.

Admiral and Esure are both big companies so will have well rehearsed way of doing things. Auxillis happens to be the same company I was referred to by DirectLine as my claim is also a 'non-fault' claim.

I wouldn't let Esure 'scare' you into anything, if Auxillis is as bad as they claim I highly doubt two of the largest insurance companies around will be using them (me with Directline and your with Admiral). There are widely accepted industry 'rates' for repairs/hire car costs, these might be more than what the public is charged, but there is a clear difference between asking a garage to do urgent/unexpected work needed as a result of an accident compared to rate charged for a planned repair/service etc. But that all that is for the insurance company to sort out not you.

To be quite frank Esure has no business phoning you up and pressuring you into making decision. Personally I would be inform them your recording any future telephone calls from them, and if you feel like they are trying to 'scare' you into making a decision your report them to the Ombudsman.

Good luck with getting things sorted, if your happy with the service provided by Auxillis stick with them.


Oh as mentioned already, as a non-fault claim your should NOT have to pay any excess, Admiral should have made that clear to you from the start.


Do CHECK that the other party has accepted full liability though, sadly in this day and age no one want to take responsibility for their actions, what people say to their insurance companies can be very different from what they 'admit' to at the scene of the accident.

Quentin

gzoom wrote: »

Oh as mentioned already, as a non-fault claim your should NOT have to pay any excess, Admiral should have made that clear to you from the start.
.

No.

Your excess is an uninsured item.


So if you make any claim off your own insurer expect to pay your excess to the garage before you get your car back!


You reclaim your uninsured losses (inc your excess) off the third party insurer


Either by using any legal cover you have with your policy or DIY


You do avoid paying your excess by going with an accident management co. or direct to the third party insurer.


(Always agree an excess you will be able to afford - you would have to pay it were you involved in any claim where you were to blame or no third party can be identified etc)

dacouch

Auxillis changed their name from Albany Assistance.

Google "Albany Assistance problem" and have a read of the various websites

loskie

Do the right thing go with the 3rd party insurer BUT insist that the car is fixed where you want it to be.

L.MO

Hi all,

Sorry i lost my log in details and got a bit confused with the reset emails. I really appreciate all of your advice it is sort of comforting that there is still a mix of opinions as I did start to think they were taking advantage of me not knowing what i was doing or what to insist they do, etc. Great to have people in the know so grateful to you all for posting. I am pursing the 3rd party route now and hopefully have it all resolved soon! Many thanks

AdrianC

Audi on PCP. £400 excess "not an option".
<sigh>