Assist Legal and Kudos Legal Limited - Help have I just been scammed???

Dentoned

I was in a minor collision this morning and have been dealing with the other parties insurer (AX - Assist legal) all morning regarding getting my hire car etc and I received a call from them and they quoted my password I had set up. They discussed the collection of my car for repair and then asked if anything had happened physically to me. I said I had hip ache and had taken the day off (true) he then stated they set aside money for this and to prevent further claims do this at the point of the accident for their company. There would be no repercussions for the other driver and no implications for my insurance etc.

He then passed me through to the other department (and I have no idea why I didn't flag this up as worrying) but I completed a form and then when the short call ws over I noticed it said Kudos legal Limited. The call handler said there were no fees for me but I am no extremely worried I've been 'got' and there there will financial implications for me!!! Im feeling a bit out of sorted today after the bang and I'm worried I've been taken advantage of.

is there any way I can check please any advice??

Dentoned

The company dealing with the insurance for Marks and Spencer for the person who hit me is AX (accident exchange) who I thought was calling me. They have been sorting out the hire car for me.

Dentoned

I am currently trying to speak to someone at AX to see if this is something they are aware of or my details ahem been sold. Im so annoyed at myself and feel scared

DullGreyGuy

AX are an accident management company and certainly not the other party's insurance company. They will deal with your car repairs and give you a hire car on credit and then attempt to recover the monies from the third party insurers. They add a slug to the repair costs and credit hire is really expensive rates (compared to corporate) and thats how they make their money.

There will be no additional reprocussions for the third party, assuming their insurance is in order, as a fault claim is a fault claim whether its for £2,000 of property damage or £2,000 of property damage and £2,000 of personal injury. 

Assuming the law firm stick to the 0% commission they appear to have offered then there is unlikely to be financial implications for you but you are bound to see this through no matter how long they decide to fight it... if you stop supporting them or try and withdraw the claim then the costs switch from the TP Insurer to you.

How did you get hold of AX in the first place? Some accident management companies do put google ads against large insurers names so if you google Axa Claims etc then companies like AX, Accident Assist etc appear above the insurer as adverts. 

Dentoned

I didn't get ahold of AX they contacted me directly on behalf of the other driver this morning as soon as it had happened and I sent all the details of my vehicles damage over on their portal. Are thy not legit?? Do I still need to contact the other drivers insurance company or my own. I am completely confused.

Dentoned

I have just called the person who hit my car and she said she called it in to her insurer as soon as she got home and wasn't aware of AX - she is with Marks and Spancer as she originally told me. I am now trying to contact Marks and Spencer to see if they use AX legitimately.

DullGreyGuy

Dentoned said:

I didn't get ahold of AX they contacted me directly on behalf of the other driver this morning as soon as it had happened and I sent all the details of my vehicles damage over on their portal. Are thy not legit?? Do I still need to contact the other drivers insurance company or my own. I am completely confused.

Accident management companies buy leads from a wide range of sources... garages, brokers, insurers etc... hell some used to give GP surgeries free appointment cards to use that had accident and medical mal practice management company details on the reverse. 

M&S Insurance for Car is a white label of Budget Insurance Brokers so they are her brokers not her insurers. It is very possible that BISL did sell your details to AX because its her insurers not them that pay the inflated claims cost and Brokers have to generate alternative revenue streams as commissions on Motor is tiny and rarely even cover the cost of sale. 

Dentoned

I am not sure if I should call AX and cancel all the hire car agreement I have agreed to as I am not sure if it is legit now. Iv have looked through the documents they have sent and the daily hire charge is £166 and Im concerned they would push this onto me and not the person who hit me??

HampshireH

Have you spoken to your insurance company? 

They should be dealing with the other parties insurance company.

What advice have they given you? And what do the documents you have received from this company say.

DullGreyGuy

Dentoned said:

I am not sure if I should call AX and cancel all the hire car agreement I have agreed to as I am not sure if it is legit now. Iv have looked through the documents they have sent and the daily hire charge is £166 and Im concerned they would push this onto me and not the person who hit me??

Read the contract fully... a dark room and cold towel may be necessary for later because the wording tends to be fairly complex to deal with previous high profile cases that accident management companies in general lost. Most will say your liability is capped to the liability of the third party as long as you continue to support them in their recovery efforts. IE no short fall will be passed to you and the third part insurers naturally pay the third party's liability

Secondly, they will absolutely have offered a like for like vehicle replacement as it maximizes their rental charge but be honest about if you really need the same type of vehicle or could you get away with something smaller/less powerful etc whilst the repairs are being dealt with therefore showing you are mitigating your losses.

You've been more savvy than most... many have their BMW X3 hire car for 2 months thinking its courtesy car from their insurers and only afterwards realise they've run up a £21,000 bill and start getting asked to provide evidence that they needed such a car, that they couldnt afford to hire a car themselves etc. Obviously by this point its too late as its support them or pay the £21k themselves.

I have to admit I dont know if BISL do claims handling on behalf of the insurers or if the insurer does it themselves. If you are still in friendly dialogue with the TP you could ask them who the underwriter is named on their policy schedule and if they have been passed to them to deal with their claim or if its "M&S" dealing with their own damage 

Dentoned

Ive called my own Insurer LVwho had not received any notification of this and advised me to cancel everything with AX/Legal Assist immediately. I have legal cover with them and she was aware of both comanpaies and advised me to state I wish to terminate all services immediately.

I have called AX and cancelled my hire car and car repair as they are not Marks and Spencer /BISL.
I have called Legal Assist and notified them that I wish any claims put thought them to be stopped immediately and to cancel them . I have asked both companies in writing to confirm their services will be terminated with immediate effect and my insurer LV will be dealing with this.