DVLA lost my V5C form but now I need to make an insurance claim

redbabe

Another photo

AdrianC

Is the bumper still solid? If so, it's certainly driveable. Shedload of gaffer tape to keep the boot down, if it's not already secure.

But there's no question that that's a write-off. Do not underestimate the cost to repair that. Bootlid, bumper, slam panel, almost certainly boot floor. Wings bent? Did the front get bounced into the car in front? Exhaust bent? Insurance will slap that straight to CatS - and it's only a few hundred quid's worth to start with. I doubt they'd even bother with sending an assessor, just go by the photos.

redbabe

No it didn't go into the car in front.
God that's annoying if its written off.  I paid peanuts for it but like I said it was in excellent condition and 20,000 miles on clock. Grrr
My insurance company is pushing me towards Auxillis.  I've read all the issues with them but I have to admit its pretty tempting to use them if I sort it here in London.   Do you think they will be just as likely to write it off?

AdrianC

redbabe said:

No it didn't go into the car in front.
God that's annoying if its written off.  I paid peanuts for it but like I said it was in excellent condition and 20,000 miles on clock. Grrr
My insurance company is pushing me towards Auxillis.  I've read all the issues with them but I have to admit its pretty tempting to use them if I sort it here in London.   Do you think they will be just as likely to write it off?

There is no way on the face of this planet that any insurer is ever going to repair a 20yo Fabia saloon with likely-structural rear end damage. Especially if there's a whiff of a hire-car cost.

Even if it was just cosmetic damage to the bumper skin, the chances of them bothering are minimal. It is simply FAR cheaper for them to pay the pre-collision value. And that's what the write-off decision is about... Is it cheaper to pay you and bin it, or to repair it? No-brainer.

The extremely low mileage is irrelevant. It adds very little, if anything, to the value. 1k/yr average mileage on something like this screams "Owned by granny who never took it far enough to get the engine warm and probably burnt the clutch to within an inch of its life before giving up driving after one too many parking bumps".

Yes, you may be able to then buy the car back off them for the salvage value.
So let's say you talk them into £750 pay-out, less £100 salvage. You keep the car. £200 for used panels, and get them fitted plus the floor/slam panel pulled out by your dad's mate for another few hundred quid. You drive away in a car that looks straight, and have a couple of hundred quid in your pocket. But your premium is going up over the next five years because of this incident, because you are statistically a higher risk of costing your insurer money in the future...

Looking at the firemen pic raises another question... You got hit by the parked car behind, not by numpty who managed to roll it? So you're claiming off THEIR insurance, and they're claiming off him...

redbabe

Yes I got hit by the car parked behind me.  The car who caused the accident hit the car parked behind me shunting it into mine.
My insurance company and Auxillis was more interested in the car who caused the initial accident although they did take the other car's reg. 
I knew about the - you claim off the one who hit you (even though not their fault either) - but thought that nowadays they often just go for the one who caused the accident.  Is that not right??

Jumblebumble

AdrianC said:

. But your premium is going up over the next five years because of this incident, because you are statistically a higher risk of costing your insurer money in the future...

Perhaps the OP should look for insurers who are only interested in the last 3 years claim history  eg  AXA/Swiftcover