Financial ombudsman - car insurance

Car_driver999

Hi all,

My parked car was recently hit by a driver, who took full responsibility. I was told by my insurance company that I should claim from the driver's insurance, as we were insured by the same company. 

My car was eventually written off & I was offered far below the market value. After much negotiation the insurer budged up slightly but refused to pay the true value. 

I then took this case up with the Financial Ombudsman. However, they have recently responded to say that they cannot help me, as I'm not "eligible" for support as I'd claimed from the other drivers insurance rather than my own. 

Has anyone else had a similar issue or advice on next steps which I could take to recover the shortfall? Seems unfair that I cannot be supported after being hit by a third party and being told I should claim from their insurance by the provider.

Thank you 

DullGreyGuy

Car_driver999 said:

My parked car was recently hit by a driver, who took full responsibility. I was told by my insurance company that I should claim from the driver's insurance, as we were insured by the same company. 

My car was eventually written off & I was offered far below the market value. After much negotiation the insurer budged up slightly but refused to pay the true value. 

I then took this case up with the Financial Ombudsman. However, they have recently responded to say that they cannot help me, as I'm not "eligible" for support as I'd claimed from the other drivers insurance rather than my own. 

Has anyone else had a similar issue or advice on next steps which I could take to recover the shortfall? Seems unfair that I cannot be supported after being hit by a third party and being told I should claim from their insurance by the provider.

The ombudsman can only deal with complaints about your own insurer and not a third party's so your options are either:

1) Go back to your insurers and look to claim off of them, your likely to get the same valuation given its the same company but you then do have the right to go to the ombudsman. Are you in a hire car at the moment? Is your car drivable/road legal?

2) Obtain your own evidence, normally an engineers report, and send a letter before action to the other driver and if matters are still not resolved then issue proceedings against the driver... their insurers will respond but its simplest to keep it you -v- the driver