Van insurance - write off 3 months ago NOTHING done by Adrian Flux

CanVan

Hello all
I don't know what to do! I have never made a claim before and now I have 2 at once! 
Oct 20th 2020 - my van's backdoor got hit by a passing van. We exchange details. I inform Adrian Flux -it is a No Fault claim. They refer me to Coplan to get a hire van. I then get ill with Covid! I chase Coplan for an accessor but unless I take a hire van, which I don't need atm, they fob me off. 
Nov 7th 2020 - my van gets broken into; doors, window smashed and contents stolen. I inform Adrian Flux. They refer me to ERS. I am now chasing 3 companies for someone to assess damage and give me an evaluation. I insist Adrian Flux deal with the claim and Coplan are dropped. They don't believe I can claim loss of earnings, and I don't want to hire a vehicle that will later be claimed back on the No Fault claim. 
Jan 2021 - No assessment. No evaluation. No answers. Adrian Flux tell me that they haven't made contact with the 3rd Party insurers Aviva for the No Fault claim! They advise me to claim on MY Fully Comp insurance and claim back on the 3rd Party's insurance (which they've failed to make contact with! Aviva!) 
My van is undrivable and the MOT has now run out. I have paid £100 a month to store it whilst this is sorted. This week I have been told there's no longer the room available to store the van. Last week Adrian Flux told me my documents and info "are on the relevant desks" ERS just emailed to say they haven't had the accident photos - which they have! 
I've never made a claim before, I was told to wait so I did but now I will have to scrap my van at this rate! Then what??? 
What can I do???
CAB told me they don't answer specific cases and to speak to the Ombudsman. Which I have written to. 
I'm at my wits end. 

Sandtree

So Adrian Flux are your brokers, ERS are your insurers and the first claim has been referred to a credit hire company Coplan and Aviva is the TP Insurer for the first incident.

As you dont want hire Coplan will be of no help and so your choices are either to pursue the claim with ERS who will then counterclaim from the TPI Aviva or attempt to claim directly from Aviva. Ordinarily you wouldn't expect your broker to get massively involved in a claim, they act as a messenger and get nice referral fees for passing non-fault claims to credit hire companies etc. They credit hire company or your insurers would be the ones that deal with the TPI.

The doors damaged in the theft, are they the same ones as damaged in the RTC or different doors?

CanVan

Thanks for your response, that's of help
It was different doors and the window in the 2nd incident, different to the 1st.
I have just spoken to the solicitors for the 3rd Party insurers and they have had no report from Adrian Flux! 

Sandtree

Ordinarily it isnt the broker's role to deal with TPs or their representatives and most don't, unless there is an option of making a fee with a referral.

Insurer's approaches vary but generally material efforts with dealing with the TP won't commence until repairs are at least underway; some will send some token stock "we hold your insured liable" type letters from the outset but until there is an outlay to recover its effort that may be for naught if the insured decides actually they'll live with the damage or such.

Its up to you if you leave it in the hands of ERS, in which case you need to talk to them about the photos they seem to have misplaced, or deal directly with Aviva or their representatives.

CanVan

ERS said I should get repair quotes for my van... (I've been a bit busy with Covid so I haven't) but I would've thought the insurers would deal with that??? And no offer of an actual assessment except by photo - which are on relevant desks   
No Liability assessment done either according to Aviva's solicitors. And if I now scrap the van I lose both claims. 
I've emailed all CEO to complain and written to CAB for advice who told me to go to Ombudsman. 

Sandtree

The ombudsman only considers complaints after the organization you are complaining about has issued a final response to your complaint (or 8 weeks have passed since you made the formal complaint). As its a business vehicle you'd also need to check that you are a small enough business to qualify for Ombudsman support, they only deal with private customers and micro businesses. 

Most insurers operate a network of approved repairers and will normally try to "sell" you them... if you use them then it tends to be a smoother process but people get worried about not going to a BMW garage or some backstreet coachworks they've never heard of.  Many people therefore fight for your position of being able to submit quote(s) from their preferred garage instead... ERS insure a real mix bag of motor vehicles so maybe they don't have a network or the network is unreliable because of Covid etc but goes to show you cannot please everyone

CanVan

Adrian Flux are the cheapest but seemingly the worst when you need to make a claim. My van is a camper in conversion not business. ahh good to know about Ombudsman. I think writing a complaint to Adrian Flux and ccing in the CEO of the companies was a good move. Just rang ERS again and they've agreed to collect the van this week! AT LAST!  
The van is a 2008 so they deem it a write off because of the age alone. 
Worrying thing is... they plan to put the write off on my insurance and then recover from the 3rd Party. Which sounds like it'll be expensive and more drawn out...
They also said that had the 1st incident been picked up and sorted by Coplan the accident management company I might not have had to deal with the break in the following fortnight so who knows what lays ahead in terms of payouts! 

Sandtree

If the first incident makes the vehicle a total loss then at the point the second incident occurred the vehicle was only worth salvage which would then be settled net of the excess and so could be a very small or nil payout. If you want to keep the van then the salvage is also deducted meaning probability even greater of no settlement on the 2nd incident.

Many insurers have inter company agreements to reduce paperwork and make life easier etc so generally if liability isnt an issue and no fraud concerns have been raised then settlement of ERS's outlay could be a very straightforward process. I say could as a) its been a while and things inevitably have moved on, b) whilst I know Aviva were party to such agreements I cannot remember about ERS and c) the fact Aviva may have outsourced claims handling can impact, though less commonly in this direction. 

CanVan

I had a similar thought; getting a payout Sandtree said:

If the first incident makes the vehicle a total loss then at the point the second incident occurred the vehicle was only worth salvage which would then be settled net of the excess and so could be a very small or nil payout. If you want to keep the van then the salvage is also deducted meaning probability even greater of no settlement on the 2nd incident.

They will have to retrospectively say it's a write off on the 3rd Party as they didn't inspect it before it was broken into in the 2nd incident. I thought that would be better as I won't have a total write off on my claim? ...although I will still have a claim
I don't know if the amount you claim for or what you claim for makes a difference when getting insurance quotes? I've had a clean NCB for years. 
2nd incident I had all the remaining exterior doors damaged and the interior broken eg oven etc as well as my things stolen. There's £2k coverage for contents. 
Sorry you lost me a little on your last point. I do really appreciate your input on this matter It's a tad bewildering having to deal with so many companies amidst Covid!