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Motor insurance, solicitors handling the legal expenses add-on claim
gropinginthedark
Posts: 123 Forumite
in Motoring
Claims handling is an important aspect of choice of provider, MSE only helps find the cheapest but cheap is the enemy of good.
We are advised to take out legal expenses cover, it's usually offered as an add-on toi motor insurance. It's one of those things you hope you'll never need but it's reassuring to have it there - or is it? I was unfortunate enough to be involved in a head-on collision (June 2022). The other driver accepted complete responsibility and has been charged by the police. My car was replaced in a timely manner. So far so good. However myself and two passengers were badly injured and led to believe there would be some compensation. The insurers had delegated that task to a firm of specialist solicitors carpenters-law.co.uk who appeared to have the task in hand for several months but then stopped communicating or responding to email, phone or post (apart from an undertaking to respond "as soon as practicable" 3 months ago).
So I sent a complaint to the insurer as it is they with whom I had the contract. After 2 months they responded by telling me they'd passed the matter to Inspiremotor.com the underwriters (who should respond within 8 weeks). I'm not counting on that, I'd written to them myself in January and got a prompt response by email stating: "We have received your message and will be in touch within 3 working days." I'm still waiting...
Where does one turn next?
We are advised to take out legal expenses cover, it's usually offered as an add-on toi motor insurance. It's one of those things you hope you'll never need but it's reassuring to have it there - or is it? I was unfortunate enough to be involved in a head-on collision (June 2022). The other driver accepted complete responsibility and has been charged by the police. My car was replaced in a timely manner. So far so good. However myself and two passengers were badly injured and led to believe there would be some compensation. The insurers had delegated that task to a firm of specialist solicitors carpenters-law.co.uk who appeared to have the task in hand for several months but then stopped communicating or responding to email, phone or post (apart from an undertaking to respond "as soon as practicable" 3 months ago).
So I sent a complaint to the insurer as it is they with whom I had the contract. After 2 months they responded by telling me they'd passed the matter to Inspiremotor.com the underwriters (who should respond within 8 weeks). I'm not counting on that, I'd written to them myself in January and got a prompt response by email stating: "We have received your message and will be in touch within 3 working days." I'm still waiting...
Where does one turn next?
0
Comments
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You should follow the complaints process as outlined in your policy book, it's not uncommon for LE cover to be provided by a separate insurer and so the complaints process be difficult for that addon/section. You can only escalate matters to the Financial Ombudsman once either you have received a final response letter or 8 weeks have passed, whichever happens first.
LE cover is a bit of an odd one for complaints, given your complaint is really about the service of the law firm then you should simultaneously follow the lawyers complaints process which will you can find Client Complaint Handling Policy and Procedure and likewise if you aren't happy with their response you can go to the Legal Ombudsman0
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