Insurance non fault claim

josi09

I had my car MOT’d and 3 weeks later went on holiday. While I was away somebody crashed into my parked car left outside my home and shunted me 4 feet down the road. I reported the incident to my own insurance company. Other person admitted liability. Neighbours had taken details and photos.
My car was taken to the repair shop and when it was returned 3 months later the airbag flap was lifted by half an inch. I rang the garage he said it was like it when the car arrived to him. (It wasn’t)
I booked my car in for an inspection with testing station that had carried out my MOT 3 weeks prior to collision.
They advised me that not only has your airbag been disturbed someone has disabled your Airbag Warning Light. The engineer of my own insurance company are saying the airbag issue is due to a cat D insurance write off in 2009 where it’s had a poor repair after the incident. I’ve said that 10 years of MOT testing where they’ve all passed it as working and operational. Insurance company refuse to pay for my damage airbag system and just keep saying it was a poor repair from 10 years ago.

AdrianC

It could well be a bit of both.

What was the damage from this collision? Airbags wouldn't have gone off if it was switched off and parked, so no need for them to go near the airbags or their wiring or control unit.

TBH, unless it's something pretty special, I'm surprised the insurer didn't just write a decade-plus-old car off, especially given it was a CatD to start with. So the damage can't have been extensive - which raises the question of why they'd have done anything in the interior at all.

Nobbie1967

What model of car is it?

josi09

It’s A Toyota Previa 2005 deisal. Just 94000 genuine miles. Fantastic engine.
Their original decision was to write it off with an offer of 2700 but reduced to 2100 because it had a cat D which he said would be on my log book. There’s nothing on my log book.
Then he realised his assessment was wrong because he didn’t know it is a wheelchair conversion with 6 foot ramp and electric hoists/winches in the rear. (Changed from 7 seater to 5 seater) They opted to repair it. I’ve had it independently tested by the mot station. They’ve said it’s poorly repaired and the support frame up underneath is mangled. Should be changed really. But not allowed to criticise another garages work. But they would fail it it I MOT’d because of airbag. They confirm airbag and warning light was definitely ok when Mot’d 3 weeks before collision

DoaM

josi09 wrote: »

They confirm airbag and warning light was definitely ok when Mot’d 3 weeks before collision

Will they give you that in writing, either on company-headed paper or via email from the company address?

caprikid1

josi09 wrote: »

I had my car MOT’d and 3 weeks later went on holiday. While I was away somebody crashed into my parked car left outside my home and shunted me 4 feet down the road. I reported the incident to my own insurance company. Other person admitted liability. Neighbours had taken details and photos.
My car was taken to the repair shop and when it was returned 3 months later the airbag flap was lifted by half an inch. I rang the garage he said it was like it when the car arrived to him. (It wasn’t)
I booked my car in for an inspection with testing station that had carried out my MOT 3 weeks prior to collision.
They advised me that not only has your airbag been disturbed someone has disabled your Airbag Warning Light. The engineer of my own insurance company are saying the airbag issue is due to a cat D insurance write off in 2009 where it’s had a poor repair after the incident. I’ve said that 10 years of MOT testing where they’ve all passed it as working and operational. Insurance company refuse to pay for my damage airbag system and just keep saying it was a poor repair from 10 years ago.

Out of interest who is the insurance company ?

AdrianC

josi09 wrote: »

It’s A Toyota Previa 2005 deisal. Just 94000 genuine miles. Fantastic engine.
Their original decision was to write it off with an offer of 2700 but reduced to 2100 because it had a cat D which he said would be on my log book. There’s nothing on my log book.
Then he realised his assessment was wrong because he didn’t know it is a wheelchair conversion with 6 foot ramp and electric hoists/winches in the rear.

Yes, that'll explain why it wasn't written off. I assume you had declared those mods to the insurer when you took the policy out...?

CatD isn't noted on the V5C - CatC was. But did you HPI it when you bought it?

They opted to repair it. I’ve had it independently tested by the mot station. They’ve said it’s poorly repaired and the support frame up underneath is mangled. Should be changed really.

So it was rear-ended? I really can't see why they'd have touched the airbag side at all... Anyway, take it back to the repairer. If they don't want to know, escalate it to the insurer who paid.

But not allowed to criticise another garages work.

Of course they are! There's absolutely no reason why they can't say in writing "This was definitely not like this three weeks before the collision".

But they would fail it it I MOT’d because of airbag. They confirm airbag and warning light was definitely ok when Mot’d 3 weeks before collision

DoaM wrote: »

Will they give you that in writing, either on company-headed paper or via email from the company address?

They already did... it would have failed the MOT if they weren't.

m0bov

Gather the evidence of the past MOT passes and claim for the cost of the airbag repair. LBS your insurance company. Give them 7 days.

josi09

Esure is the insurance company. Collision was front off side but car was shunted into the pavement 4ft down the road in 1st gear and with handbrake on. Black soot residue on left on pavement where my wheels were more than 2 weeks later even after it had been raining. Just frustrating that my own insurance co (the engineer) is saying the airbag was a result of a poor repair in 2009. And the cost of replacing it all is down to me. I had a brand new MOT. Either is a working airbag or it isn’t. 10 years of MOT’s and not one of them mention an issue with the airbag.

josi09

Yes thank you, i do have a piece of paper with a list of issues with the testing stations stamp on it
For eg Nearside front abs sensor not in all the way. Shield out of alignment.
The insurance engineer said “invalid because that’s n/side you were hit off side” but the repair shop had replaced the knuckle on the n/s and apparently they would have had to remove/disturb the n/side abs sensor to have replaced the n/s knuckle.
I just don’t understand why the engineer of my own insurance company aren’t being more supportive as the other party has admitted liability.

AdrianC

josi09 wrote: »

Collision was front off side but car was shunted into the pavement 4ft down the road in 1st gear and with handbrake on.

So when you say the "support frame up underneath is mangled", in the same sentence as the wheelchair conversion, I was assuming you mean part of the conversion work at the back. Do you mean the front subframe, which carries the engine/box/suspension?

If you aren't getting anywhere with your insurer, then the simple solution is to escalate it.
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/businesses/complaints-deal/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-repairs

But, conversion notwithstanding, it sounds as if you're sailing close to having it written off.

Here's similar, but without the Cat D marker, for £6,500
https://automotivegroup.co.uk/car/toyota-previa-t-spirit-d4d-2-0-wheelchair-accessible-vehicle/