Concerned about using Auxillis for no fault claim

Legacy_user

Hello, .

I am currently with Admiral car insurance. Last week I was hit in the rear at somewhere round 30mph while I was stationary, I then hit in to the car in front as a result.

The third party who crashed in to me admitted full liability to both his insurer and both of the other drivers involved.

Admiral explained I have 2 options:
1. Claim from their insurance, pay excess and lose no claims
2. Use Auxillis who will deal with the claim for me and ensure everything gets sorted by the third party. My NCB would not be lost not would I pay excess.

Naturally, I selected the latter of the two options.

I was pleasantly surprised by the service so far with Auxillis they have given me a Toyota Auria hybrid estate as I have a family and drive 70 moles per a day for my commute (they made absolutely sure they weren't given me a vehicle that was more than what I required, through multiple questions).

They picked up my car on the same day and took it too a local garage elected by them. My car is a 13 plate Skoda Octavia worth approx 6k. The damage to the car was structural (obvious when you looked in the boot). The elected garage has quoted the repair costs as £8k s! this is clearly a write off. I am waiting for Auxillis to confirm.

I have only had the hire car for 2 days so far.

I have a few concerns having reviewed trust pilot and here:

1. I don't get a fair value or equivalent car
2. Auxellis charge me for costs of hire (despite their free insurance policy for that)
3. I get stuck between Auxillis and 3rd party and end up with an expensive hire car bill after 1-3 months of waiting for total loss payout.

I now understand it may be easier to deal with the third party myself. If so how do I do this and what costs am I exposed to?

A further question,

Should Admiral have informed me of who the third party insurer was and that I can deal with them my self?

DUTR

The accident management will deal with your claim just as your insurer would, only that you don't pay excess and you don't have an unrecovered claim on your record for this incident.

debtdebt

You should have thought about all of that before you took a car on credit from Auxilis. Google them and Google Helphire who were their previous incarnation. They’re terrible.

You’d best hope and pray the third party pay the hire bill because if they dispute it and go to Court, every aspect of your finances will be under scrutiny.

System

That may be true but having read in line the experiences Auxillis have had, my concerns above are still valid.

Regards

System

debtdebt wrote: »

You should have thought about all of that before you took a car on credit from Auxilis. Google them and Google Helphire who were their previous incarnation. They’re terrible.

You’d best hope and pray the third party pay the hire bill because if they dispute it and go to Court, every aspect of your finances will be under scrutiny.

The agreement is generously worded that unless you lie or act in bad faith (I.e don't help them reclaim costs from 3rd party) you are not liable.

My reading online suggests that though the agreement I signed is fair the quality of support from Auxillis may not be.

Also to confirm I was acting as per my insurers actions and had reviewed the contracts.

I was not aware of the bad reputation they have.

System

Also @debtdebt,

I don't appreciate your tone. I was advised by my insurer to use them I reviewed the contracts and they seemed fair.

I don't believe it's fair to expect the insurer to push you on to a company with such a terrible reputation. Particularly, immediately after a nasty crash.

dacouch

PARKINGTICKETMAN wrote: »

Also @debtdebt,

I don't appreciate your tone. I was advised by my insurer to use them I reviewed the contracts and they seemed fair.

I don't believe it's fair to expect the insurer to push you on to a company with such a terrible reputation. Particularly, immediately after a nasty crash.

Admiral have a good reason $$$

dacouch

Their last name was Albany Assistance

loskie

Admiral "forgot" to inform you that you could claim directly from the 3rd party (who had admitted liability) insurer. They will have given you their insurance details at the scene, a phone call to their insurer and the claim would have started. No XS to pay and although you would have to declare the accident the claim would not need to be declared.

AdrianC

PARKINGTICKETMAN wrote: »

Admiral explained I have 2 options:
1. Claim from their insurance, pay excess and lose no claims
2. Use Auxillis who will deal with the claim for me and ensure everything gets sorted by the third party. My NCB would not be lost not would I pay excess.

Sounds a bit Chinese Whispers.

Once your claim was underway with Admiral, then - yes - those are your two options. However, option 1 would see your excess repaid and NCB reinstated when the other driver's insurer accepted liability and paid.


Option 2 would see you on the hook for the hire car cost if the other driver's insurance did not accept liability and pay.


The other option - claim direct from the third party's insurer - was available, but you chose to claim from your insurer instead.

The elected garage has quoted the repair costs as £8k s! this is clearly a write off.

Then your eligibility for a hire car ends when your car is declared a write-off.

1. I don't get a fair value or equivalent car

It's up to you to buy yourself a car, not them to provide one. If the payout offered is not what you think fair, then you can escalate it to the ombudsman.

I now understand it may be easier to deal with the third party myself. If so how do I do this and what costs am I exposed to?

That ship has sailed, now that your claim on your own policy is under way.

loskie

dont accept their first offer, you as a consumer buy cars at retail price, not trade price. So get some relevant dealer ads from Autotrader of similar cars and haggle, they will raise the offer without much trouble.