repair advice

gymratuk

Hi
Hoping for some advice.
Someone hit my range rover Evoque has i was going around a island. the driver admitted fault. The insurance phone and wanted me to take it to there garage. I said i would take it to a land rover approved garage. So i went to Stratstone who do my service and mot and any repairs. insurance have phoned me and said the repair bill is to high. I phone phoned Stratstone and they said they had already cut the bill by 30%. Where Do i stand.

thank you for any replys

glentoran99

gymratuk wrote: »

Hi
Hoping for some advice.
Someone hit my range rover Evoque has i was going around a island. the driver admitted fault. The insurance phone and wanted me to take it to there garage. I said i would take it to a land rover approved garage. So i went to Stratstone who do my service and mot and any repairs. insurance have phoned me and said the repair bill is to high. I phone phoned Stratstone and they said they had already cut the bill by 30%. Where Do i stand.

thank you for any replys

The insurer will get it fixed at their own approved repairer, You cant dictate to them where you will take it if they aren't happy with the cost, push it too much and they could write it off giving you some more issues

ValiantSon

You have no leg to stand on. If you wanted to use your own repairer then you should have got a quote from them before they began work and submitted this to your insurer for approval. If you just went ahead and got the repairs done then they are entitled to dispute the bill.

Why wouldn't you use the approved repairer?

gymratuk

I am taking it to a land rover approved repairer.
If i get my car serviced i dont take it to anywhere i take it to
land rover garage. Cost double but you get what you pay for.
So why should i de value my car anymore then it already has been.

Blibble

gymratuk wrote: »

So why should i de value my car anymore then it already has been.

Because your policy will likely advise that any repair centre is at your insurer's discretion.

You either:
a) Go to their approved repair centre, which is usually a quicker process
b) Get a quote from an independent repair centre (e.g., Stratstone), and send the quote to your insurer

Did you get a quote, or did you plough on and get it repaired at Stratstone?

Quentin

If you are claiming off your own policy then it may be easier to cancel the claim and claim straight off the third party insurer if liability is clear cut


If you are claiming off the third party and they are being awkward about your choice of repairer then tell them you will appoint a claims handler to deal with this and see if that changes their tune


(If it doesn't then do instruct your own claim handler and make it clear to them you insist on the repairer of your choice)

gymratuk

(Because your policy will likely advise that any repair centre is at your insurer's discretion)

I know what your saying, But i am not going though my insurer so i have not signed to say everything. Thanks for your reply.


No i only got stratstone to quote my repairs. I am going to to 2 more JL approved garages today. Just to get a fair price. To me i have set a standard with my own money, that Stratstone does the repairs on my car. Just because 3rd party is paying why should i take it to there garage. I did not crash in to anybody they crash into me.

I am not going though my insurance. How do i appoint claims handler sounds like what i need.

Quentin

gymratuk wrote: »

I am not going though my insurance. How do i appoint claims handler sounds like what i need.

First beware any pm's you may now get from "ambulance chaser" lurkers here who offer to represent you.


Then maybe ask at Stratstones for a recommendation based on claims handlers they have dealt with, or look online for feedback etc on claims handlers.


Whoever you choose make sure they understand you want to use your own choice of repairer


(If you already are in contact with the third party insurer do put it to them you want to use your own choice of repairer and you intend using a claim handler as advised above - it may make them change their approach!!)

gymratuk

Quentin Thank you. I will ring 3rd party insurance first. Thank you for your advice.

glentoran99

gymratuk wrote: »

(Because your policy will likely advise that any repair centre is at your insurer's discretion)

I know what your saying, But i am not going though my insurer so i have not signed to say everything. Thanks for your reply.


No i only got stratstone to quote my repairs. I am going to to 2 more JL approved garages today. Just to get a fair price. To me i have set a standard with my own money, that Stratstone does the repairs on my car. Just because 3rd party is paying why should i take it to there garage. I did not crash in to anybody they crash into me.

I am not going though my insurance. How do i appoint claims handler sounds like what i need.

Insurer approved repairers will be every bit as good as your garage, all new original parts etc, they have to be, an insurance approved repair won’t devalue your car

angrycrow

There is no requirement to use the insurers own repairer and they can not force you to do so. It is your car so you decide where to have it repaired. What they can do unfortunately if it they put it in the policy terms is to refuse to pay more than they would have at their own repairer.

I response to those saying nothing wrong with approved repairer I would not let any car I owned anywhere near UK assistance (or whatever they are calling themselves this week) who are a major insurers approved repairer.