Car Insurance Claim - Reasonable time for repair

Claire022022

Hello,

My partner was involved in a car accident on 1st May, initially the insurance company said it was drivable and then switched it to non drivable.  So far we have been passed between 3 different garages to arrange the repairs and courtesy car with no date booked in for collection.  I've explained the the insurance company I live in an area with very poor public transport.  At what point do I raise an issue with the insurance company? I fully understand the car part supply issue I keep getting told about but what is a reasonable time frame for a repair? it's not even a massive job, bumper, bonnet catch and crash bar replacement. any advice??

DullGreyGuy

Your insurers cannot make car parts or force a garage to take you ahead of other customers and so what is reasonable has to factor in the current circumstances.

Normally the best way to resolve it is a bit of leg work for you to find a garage that you'd be happy with and can take the car in sooner and get a quote from them to your insurers for approval. Some insurers charge an additional excess if not using their own garage but this may be able to be argued away if the preferred suppliers are overworked and have long lead times.

Claire022022

Thank you but the insurance company will not allow us to find our own garage without a ridiculous excess, I've said I'm forgo the use of a courtesy car which was the only hold up with one garage but that was a week ago.  I pay my insurance to get a service I'm not receiving. The insurance company has agreed that we have priority status (for reasons that I don't want to share).  I'm just asking for any recent experience of wait times so I know whether I'm being reasonable to escalate the issue 

[Deleted User]

Can't you tell them you need the courtesy car now? If your looking entitles you to one you should get it.

Are you at fault for the accident? If not, you can claim the rental cost back from the third party.

DullGreyGuy

[Deleted User] said:

Can't you tell them you need the courtesy car now? If your looking entitles you to one you should get it.

Are you at fault for the accident? If not, you can claim the rental cost back from the third party.

Courtesy cars are provided by the garage at "no additional expense", in reality they may pay a slightly higher labour rate.

Courtesy cars are always stated as subject to availability and so if you want to have one you may have to wait until one is available before your car can go in.

There is no "rental" for a courtesy car so blame is irrelvant. If you are not at fault then there are a long list of companies willing to hire you a car on credit with the idea of claiming back the cost from the third party insurer

[Deleted User]

What I'm saying is that the third party might be liable for car hire if the OP needs it.