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Claims management company

Looking for some advice please, a car crashed in to my front wall and damaged it as well as the fence and lifting the resin drive.  The driver was insured and has totally written off my neighbours car!  My question is I do not want to use my house insurance as will have the joy of increased premiums next year! And in fairness why should I when he is the one who has caused the damage?  So what are peoples experiences of using a claims management company and is there any you would suggest? Thanks all.  

Comments

  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 13,923 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Never come across a claims management company for property damage claims. They exist for cars because they put you in credit hire at an extortionate rate and possibly sell your details to a solicitor for any injury. Technically they make 10% on repairs but no accident management company will take on a repairs only case as there's not enough money in it for them. 

    There is no requirement to use anyone, can claim directly from the third party insurers directly if you dont want to involve your own insurers. Note that there is a material difference of claiming from your own insurance which is likely to be "new for old" and claiming from the third party (directly or via an AMC) which will be on an indemnity basis (ie "old for old"). Lots who claim directly get irritated that the insurer will only pay for the damaged section of wall to be rebuilt rather than the whole wall so some looks "new"
  • Thank you @DullGreyGuy thats some good advice!  I feel like I'm going into unknown territory claiming directly from there insurer?  Would you have any input for that or is it just a case of submitting the paper work to his insurance company before the work or after? :smile:
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 13,923 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    In the first instance, pick up the phone and speak to them. Some companies have a published "third party" telephone number to ring for people like you, if they dont just be clear your the third party and would like to be put through to someone in the relevant team for direct third party claimants. 


    When I started doing motor claims we'd ask you to send us 2-3 estimates for the work and photos of the damage. We'd compare the photos to the description from our customer and to the estimate to make sure it all matches, assuming it does we'd then send a cheque for the cheaper estimate less the VAT (if applicable) with instruction to submit the invoice after the repairs are done and we'd pay the VAT up to the amount on the estimate.  Often they dont match up, eg photo shows 3 damaged fence panels but estimate is for replacing all 6 along the front then we'd write offering 50% of the net estimate and enclose a cheque (it was a while ago)

    Just before I left motor claims they decided it was better to cross train us on how to use the Home Claims system and for anything that was estimated over £1,000 of losses we could use the Home system to appoint one of our loss adjustors to visit. With that we could appoint them without you having any estimates or share the estimates if you already had some. It was then much more like claiming from your own insurance in terms that the Adjustor could appoint the insurers repairers to do the work etc rather than you having to find trades. 


    The one thing to remember is that as a third party you have no rights of complaint or ability to go to the Financial Ombudsman. If you say the repairs will cost £10k but they say its only £1k of damage your only option is the courts, would be the same if you were going via an AMC
  • @DullGreyGuy wow thank you so much that is fantastic information! Going to get on to them today!
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 13,923 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Claims is typically split into two or more departments... your have the FNOL (first notification of loss) that answer the phone to most the published telephone numbers you see. They would see themselves as call centre staff and often they're 6-7 days a week 8am - 8pm or longer in many companies 

    The second half is the technical teams, many wouldn't call themselves call centre staff (though management may disagree) but they do tend to be open much shorter hours. I started in the Third Party team and we were officially 8-6 mon-sat but few did outbound calls beyond these hours. I then moved on to Fast Track which was disputed liability and moderate injuries and then we were 9-5 mon-fri. Hopefully calling now you'll get someone but it may be late in the day for them and they may say to call back during office hours. 
  • Ah ok may leave until the morning then, he has just sent over his policy document and looks like he is insured with the AA so a reputable company, looking at his policy he has SD&P and to a PERMANENT place of work, the guy is a decorator and was working at a house down the road to us, pretty sure that's not classed as permanent?  Would this affect our claim? 

      I had to put business use on my policy as I work at a bank but often go on training courses or branch cover, they made us put it on our policies and do a safe driving programme.  He has probably done it for a cheaper policy but I suppose that's not our problem!
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 13,923 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    AA is an intermediary, should say who the underwriter is who is the actual insurer. Dont know if AA has claims handling authority or if the insurer does it.

    If he is using his vehicle to get between jobs then he should have at least business class 1, possibly 3. That isn't your problem really though I wouldn't be mentioning it to his insurers. Legally they will be the RTA insurers of the vehicle even if they are breaching the terms of their policy. Its up to them if they deal with the claim as normal or make you follow the strict letter of the law which would require you to get a court judgement against their driver before they are required to act. Either way, if they find out they won't cover his vehicle's damage and he'll be liable to repay whatever they pay out to you and the other car owner. 

    In many cases there is minimal difference between SDP&C and Business 1 in price if done at the time of buying the policy, in my personal experience its been absolutely no difference. The likes of Direct Line have now dropped SDP&C as an option so you either get SD&P or Business 1
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