What to do when your car is hit and written off when parked

Ralphyb

Apologies if this problem has come up lots before but couldn't find it.
On Friday our Ford S-Max was hit by a milk truck. The passenger side wing was ripped apart and the bumper was detached. There was also some damage underneath to what looked like the coolant tank. 
Thankfully the driver knocked on our door and gave us a card with their insurance details. We called the company and they said that we had to go through our insurance. So we did this and today the car was taken away. One hour later we had a phone call from our insurance company to say that the car was a write off.
We only bought the car (used 2011 plate) in December so after some negotiation we were offered the price that we paid for the car. This doesn't really help me as we shopped hard for it in December and got a really good deal and if I was to get a like for like model now it would cost around £500 more. The engineer that called us was treating this like we had written the car off. He mentioned that the fact that we would end up with a worse car (unless we paid the difference) as an "uninsured loss". Surely our insurance should have nothing to do with this claim as all costs will be passed on to the company at fault. 
I have considered contacting the insurance of the company at fault to ask them to pay the difference. Would this be worth the effort or does anyone have experience of this type of problem? 

Incidentally, my neighbour has a nest video doorbell so I actually have footage of the incident. Was thinking of posting it to get some attention but not really keen on that kind of thing... 

AdrianC

Ralphyb said:

Thankfully the driver knocked on our door and gave us a card with their insurance details. We called the company and they said that we had to go through our insurance.

They were wrong. You could have gone direct to their insurer.

So we did this and today the car was taken away. One hour later we had a phone call from our insurance company to say that the car was a write off.
We only bought the car (used 2011 plate) in December so after some negotiation we were offered the price that we paid for the car.

Hardly unfair.

This doesn't really help me as we shopped hard for it in December and got a really good deal and if I was to get a like for like model now it would cost around £500 more.

Unlikely... Six months more depreciation plus whatever mileage you've put on it? Why can't you "shop hard" now?

Surely our insurance should have nothing to do with this claim as all costs will be passed on to the company at fault.

But you chose to claim through your insurer.

I have considered contacting the insurance of the company at fault to ask them to pay the difference.

No, if you genuinely can't agree a value with your insurer, then escalate it to the financial ombudsman.

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/businesses/complaints-deal/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-valuations-write-offs

Your insurer pay market value.
Their insurer would pay market value.
This is merely a disagreement over what market value is.

TBH, I don't see something fairly generic like a 9yo Ford sprogbus going up in value over a six month period. Especially not a relatively substantial proportion - £500 on a ~£6k car? You'd be hard pushed to argue the industry price guides were anything other than accurate.

Incidentally, my neighbour has a nest video doorbell so I actually have footage of the incident. Was thinking of posting it to get some attention but not really keen on that kind of thing...

This isn't an argument over liability.

shaun_from_Africa

AdrianC said:

Ralphyb said:

This doesn't really help me as we shopped hard for it in December and got a really good deal and if I was to get a like for like model now it would cost around £500 more

Unlikely... Six months more depreciation plus whatever mileage you've put on it? Why can't you "shop hard" now?

The lockdown which means that viewing and test driving a number of cars isn't really something that can be done at the moment.

MinuteNoodles

One way to look at it is that you've had a free car for 6 months. Most insurers would've tried to knock something off for depreciation.

AdrianC

shaun_from_Africa said:

AdrianC said:

Ralphyb said:

This doesn't really help me as we shopped hard for it in December and got a really good deal and if I was to get a like for like model now it would cost around £500 more

Unlikely... Six months more depreciation plus whatever mileage you've put on it? Why can't you "shop hard" now?

The lockdown which means that viewing and test driving a number of cars isn't really something that can be done at the moment.

The same lockdown which means that those traders who are open will be desperate to shift tin?

shaun_from_Africa

Yes, but compared to 5 months ago when the OP purchased their car, there will be far few dealers open and very few private individuals selling motors so the range and number of vehicles available will be less. 

AdrianC

Indeed. But there will also be far fewer buyers. Supply and demand...

B'sides, I assume the OP has a hire car until such time as the claim is settled.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Unless it's an 'agreed value' policy, I can't see what claim could be made against either insurer. The car was a complete write off and the insurer has paid the equivalent of its purchase price in settlement of the claim. The net loss would seem to be nil. This, then, appears to be a request for £500 more than the car was actually worth.