Car crash - not my fault

mill09

On 2/2/2020 I had a car accident, the other person claimed full responsibility. My car was recovered and stored until the Monday by my insurance and then his insurance was supposed to collect it. His insurance didn’t collect until the Friday (nearly a week on). It then went to storage again. And didn’t get to the garage to be fixed until the 11/2/2020. I then chased this up on 12/2/2020 and they were still estimating damage and costs. The garage sent an estimation of cost to his insurance on Saturday 15th and they didn’t look at it until yesterday the 18th. So I’ve paid my PCP finance payment of £268 for this month for my car, yet I have used my car twice this month, the rest of it it has been in this guys insurances hands. I have been informed that repairs have been approved for my car and won’t be done until the 24th at the earliest. They gave me a hire car but it was a Renault captur petrol, yet I drive a bmw 1 series diesel so it’s not similar at all. I have emptied the tank in the hire car already and don’t want to refill and use again as I don’t have the money to then refill it to return it (I filled my bmw up on 1/2/2020 with £70.00 and used none of that). 

I’m seeking advice if it was a possibility to claim for 1 months finance payment of £268 seeing as I haven’t used my car at all and they’ve taken their time and screwed up a bit throughout the whole process. 

Also I’ve not been kept in touch at all, I’ve had to call the garage and the insurance company for updates.

thanks in advance. 

DrEskimo

mill09 said:

They gave me a hire car but it was a Renault captur petrol, yet I drive a bmw 1 series diesel so it’s not similar at all. 

Does your insurance policy stipulate you would get a similar car? If so, then raise a complaint.

mill09 said:

I’m seeking advice if it was a possibility to claim for 1 months finance payment of £268 seeing as I haven’t used my car at all and they’ve taken their time and screwed up a bit throughout the whole process. 

Very slim I would imagine.... The fact you opted to borrow money to pay for the car is inconsequential to the insurance company. Accidents are inconvenient. You have been given a hire car to reduce this inconvenience. If you think you are entitled to more compensation then make the case, but it has nothing to do with the finance agreement you happen to decide to use to buy the car. Had you bought the car outright, what amount would you be requesting?

Goudy

A word of warning, they'll bill you for the fuel used in the hire car if you don't return it like for like.

The price per litre is often way above normal pump price and they'll usually throw a refueling charge on top and perhaps an admin charge on top of that.
Check the paperwork you signed.

A similar thing happened to my Mrs, they threatened to take it to court.
It turned out to be the most expensive 30 litres of fuel she every paid for!

foxy-stoat

mill09 said:

I have emptied the tank in the hire car already and don’t want to refill and use again as I don’t have the money to then refill it to return it.

On that statement alone I would get your car repaired and get yourself a cheaper car when you can or get out of car ownership.

Dont forget that you will still have a full tank of fuel when you get your car back, so you seem not to be able to pay for unexpected costs or weather a small storm for a week or two.....what are you going to do when you have to hand back your car at the end of the PCP deal, you will need a few grand for the next deposit, or have you fallen of the "there will be equity in this at the end to get another new car on PCP" line.  Also, I would be looking at the quantity of the repair that they are doing, as if its not 100% then you will get charged when you do hand it back at the end.  

Good luck

Aylesbury_Duck

I agree with foxy-stoat.  Irrespective of the insurance shenanigans, you appear to have a car you are struggling to afford.  If you can't find the money to fill up a tank of fuel, how would you deal with a couple of blown tyres which could happen at any time?
I'd be looking to see how you can downgrade your car and save yourself some money. 

Mercdriver

Especially run flats.  Seriously expensive...

Dr_Crypto

Don’t see how you have a claim when they’ve provided you with an alternative car. 

mr_stripey

As mentioned by others, if the hire car came with a full tank then be sure to fill it back up or you WILL get billed for it.

BJV

You have had some very good advice.
I would also call your own motor insurance company. They may want to get involved.
Ref hire car as mentioned you must return it as you found it. Unless you stipulate on your own motor insurance that you will have an equivalent car then it is very much pot luck. 
Ref your monthly payment ? sorry that is nothing to do with the accident and please please do not miss a payment . 

Mutton_Geoff

Why are you letting the other party's insurance collect and repair your car? You have a choice who repairs it, often the "insurance approved" places don't do the best job as they aren't working for you.

Herzlos

You can't claim for lack of use of your car because they gave you a courtesy car, albeit it's bigger than yours.
If you're getting signficantly less mpg from the captur than the 1 series (possible, since it's petrol vs diesel), then you may be able to claim for the difference in fuel costs. Say you're usually weekly usage cost you £20 and the weeks with the courtesy car cost £40 you could try and claim for the £20 difference. You'd need to provide proof of the mileage, fuel cost and fuel economies.

If the courtesy car was provided with a full tank, you need to return it with a full tank (and get a receipt from a petrol station within 5 or 10 miles to prove it). If not, they'll bill you through the nose to refuel it (which is fair enough, one of their staff needs to take it back to a petrol station and fill it up).

Unpopular advice; It sounds like you can't really afford to run the BMW, so when you get it back it may be worth looking at cheaper options. £268/month in PCP repayments alone is pretty steep.