First Insurance Claim

Helpmeplease333333

Third party car insurance saying my car may be a total loss. This is the first accident I've been in so I'm not sure how it works. Fully the other drivers fault. Any advice would be much appreciated! 

I was quoted 750 - 1k to fix the damage from a local garage. All body work stuff, it drives fine, it was a very low impact accident.

The thing I don't understand is why my car is being said to be a possible total loss, when I've just bought the car not even two weeks ago for 3700 so how can they say the market value is less than 2300 max. If I were to sell it privately I would price it at 2500-2800.

Can I contest this? Would I be able to negotiate taking the car to their garage myself and forgoing the hire car to get the price down. Devastated to be honest.

Mildly_Miffed

What's the damage?
Are the local garage using second-hand parts or repairing parts that the insurer would replace?

It doesn't take a high risk of unseen damage, plus hire car costs, to make an insurer decide that spending £1k or so on a £2.5k car will work out more expensive than just paying the £2.5k now. That's all the insurer care about - the cheapest option for them.

Will they allow you to buy the written-off car back, in exchange for a portion of the settlement? Let's say they charge you £500 - 20%. You end up with the car plus £2k cash, so pay the £1k to repair it, and drive around with a grand in your pocket.

daveyjp

If you can get the repair done for £1,000 the third party insurance should be happy to pay the bill.  Get their agreement and get it fixed.

They write off because they see £2,000 repair, £1,000 hire car for a couple of weeks, plus other costs they add.

Helpmeplease333333

Mildly_Miffed said:

What's the damage?
Are the local garage using second-hand parts or repairing parts that the insurer would replace?

It doesn't take a high risk of unseen damage, plus hire car costs, to make an insurer decide that spending £1k or so on a £2.5k car will work out more expensive than just paying the £2.5k now. That's all the insurer care about - the cheapest option for them.

Will they allow you to buy the written-off car back, in exchange for a portion of the settlement? Let's say they charge you £500 - 20%. You end up with the car plus £2k cash, so pay the £1k to repair it, and drive around with a grand in your pocket.

I did think about that option but thinking the fact it will be put in a CAT then it will put my insurance up, which I will have to renew when I buy it back and I think it will a new MOT too and it's just had one done when I bought it. Ideally I think it would be best if I didn't get it written off.

There's not a lot of damage, I think its just body work. A parked car just pulled into the side of me when I was driving so its damaged the left wheel arch, headlight and day light and some of the bumper

DullGreyGuy

Helpmeplease333333 said:

Mildly_Miffed said:

What's the damage?
Are the local garage using second-hand parts or repairing parts that the insurer would replace?

It doesn't take a high risk of unseen damage, plus hire car costs, to make an insurer decide that spending £1k or so on a £2.5k car will work out more expensive than just paying the £2.5k now. That's all the insurer care about - the cheapest option for them.

Will they allow you to buy the written-off car back, in exchange for a portion of the settlement? Let's say they charge you £500 - 20%. You end up with the car plus £2k cash, so pay the £1k to repair it, and drive around with a grand in your pocket.

I did think about that option but thinking the fact it will be put in a CAT then it will put my insurance up, which I will have to renew when I buy it back and I think it will a new MOT too and it's just had one done when I bought it. Ideally I think it would be best if I didn't get it written off.

There's not a lot of damage, I think its just body work. A parked car just pulled into the side of me when I was driving so its damaged the left wheel arch, headlight and day light and some of the bumper

Insurers dont ask about the cat of a car and never known one to query MIAFTR/DVLA at quote stage. In principle it should lower your insurance not increase it because the car is worth less after a total loss. 

Your own insurance will just continue as you're not claiming off your own policy. Assuming its a cat N total loss then nothing is needed to do to return it to the road as long as its safe (ie working lights, no sharp edges etc).

If you really want to avoid a write off then get a quote from your garage in writing and ask them for a cash in lieu of repairs instead. Assuming it's under the total loss value they'll jump at it. 

chrisw

The existing MOT will still be valid.