Insurance write offs

danrv

Hi
My brother’s 2015 Nissan Qashqai suffered off side front wheel damage and a puncture yesterday from two poles that came off a passing lorry. The fog light was also pushed out from the bumper. There’s dashcam footage from the vehicle behind the Nissan which the insurance company has. Vehicle collection was nearly £400 through the AA.
Insurance company said it’s a write off but haven’t inspected it so not sure what category it is or if it can be repaired.
Any help appreciated.

Brie

Insurance companies say "write off" if the repairs are going to cost more to them than what they perceive to be the cost of the vehicle.  To prepare I suggest going online to autotrader or similar and see what it would cost to buy about the same vehicle.  So the insurers may come back and say "write off, here's £1k." but bro will see on autotrader that it would cost him £2k (or whatever) to buy the same vehicle and should push for that amount.  Next step is to get someone to check if the car can actually be repaired for a reasonable amount.  Could be that he'll get £1.5k (or whatever) and get to keep the car and then go out and spend £200 to repair it at the local garage.

Brie

Not sure there's anything for your bro to do about AA collecting - I would have expected the insurance company to cover that.  If he was made to pay then he needs to include that in his claim to them.  

DullGreyGuy

Brie said:

Not sure there's anything for your bro to do about AA collecting - I would have expected the insurance company to cover that.  If he was made to pay then he needs to include that in his claim to them.  

Breakdown cover doesn't normally cover recovery following an accident. Motor insurance however normally does

Bigphil1474

I've had a couple of cars written off over the years, and it's usually due to the pricing of repairs from the insurers rather than the actual cost if you use a local independent. If you know someone, get them to take a look and it might be worth claiming the car back minus the salvage value. As Brie says you might end up with more money than the repairs cost, then run the car until it's scrapped. You will lose some resale value.

danrv

Thanks for the replies.
Just have to wait and see what they offer. A spare wheel might have made things easier.
Any vehicle checking if keeping it will have to be done at home.

danrv

Insurance offer is £3030 with the excess deducted. Car is taken too.

Bigphil1474

Maybe check out somewhere like honest john website for market value. I just had a quick look and that price seems low. I didn't look in detail though. Having said that, I've just assisted in a sale of a Peugeot 5008 16 plate for just over £3k through Motorway, so maybe about right. (Could have got more going privately but it wasn't my car or my decision to use them). If you are keen on getting it back, ask the insurers what you would get in addition to keeping the car.

DullGreyGuy

Bigphil1474 said:
I just had a quick look and that price seems low.

How much was the excess they've deducted @Bigphil1474? Not sure how you can comment on the valuation net of excess without knowing it? If they have a £3,000 excess then the vehicles been valued at £6,030 which would certainly not seem low to me

danrv

The excess is being returned so it will be £3300 for the Nissan.