extra damage while awaiting insurance repairs

johntbudge

hi any advise please,
my motorhome had a engine fire last July in Spain, my insurance company said I was not insured and refused to bring it back to the UK, I arranged it to be repatriated back to my village, it arrived back on the 6th August the insurance agreed to send out a engineer to inspect it, this took them 6 weeks to do, they then agreed I was insured and refunded my cost of storage in Spain and the repartition fees it then took them till the 16th December to give the garage the go a head to repair, after many phone calls from me.

In February this year we was able to get inside and found the motorhome stinks of rat urine and a lot of damage done to insulation, mattress's and over soft furniture that just what we can see, the insurance first blamed the garage, but the garage points out that until they was given the go a head to do the work they can't do anything to the motorhome and as rats and mice only move in door as the weather get cooler, that the rat must of entered before mid December when they was allowed to enter the motorhome and it be comes their responsibility, now the insurance is saying it not covered as my policy don't cover vermin infestation.   
We placed traps around the motorhome but not found anything so we may of disturbed them or by February they had moved out.
 
I would agree if the motorhome was in my care but as they excepted the claim and left it at the garage for 5 months before instructing the garage to do the work I would think  it's down to them. 
11 months have now past and the motorhome is still not repaired with no idea when it will be as Fiat not got the parts in stock the insurance have said they are fully aware of the problem as they have other motorhome in the same situation with Fiat parts, as you imagine after 11 months sitting what other damage my be resulting. 
Any advise would be helpful I'm I responsible for the rats or the insurance company or garage.
Have the insurance company had more than long enough to repair it and should write it off as this is a £77,000 motorhome. 

QrizB

Who had custody of the motorhome from the date it was repatriated to your village until the 16th of December?

Was it on your driveway, in the garage's yard or somewhere else?

paul_c123

Unless it was on your own driveway (and thus the "insurance job" hadn't started), the insurance company are liable because they have a duty of care while the vehicle is with them or a company they engage. That duty of care is defined by law, not by the insurance policy restrictions.

Make a complaint to the insurance company, I'd make it twofold: 1) the rat damage, 2) the ongoing delay. I believe there is a clause somewhere in the contract which reads, if parts aren't readily available, they can settle in cash in lieu. So its their problem, not yours. The complaint may time out (8 weeks?) or reach deadlock, at that point you can escalate it to the Ombudsman.

lincroft1710

I doubt they would write off a £77,000 motorhome, because of an engine fire and some habitation damage. £20,000 MH possibly.

paul_c123

They would receive quite a large amount for its salvage, if indeed it was £77,000 pre-fire.

QrizB

For background info, OPs original thread about the fire and recovery is here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6543637/motorhome-engine-fire-not-covered-by-insurance/p1

Hoenir

johntbudge said:

Have the insurance company had more than long enough to repair it and should write it off as this is a £77,000 motorhome. 

Not what you said in your earlier post.

"the motorhome cost us £60,000 two years ago"

johntbudge

Hoenir said:

johntbudge said:

Have the insurance company had more than long enough to repair it and should write it off as this is a £77,000 motorhome. 

Not what you said in your earlier post.

"the motorhome cost us £60,000 two years ago"

Hi the £77,000 is what the insurance value it at for replacing it

cw8825

johntbudge said:

Hoenir said:

johntbudge said:

Have the insurance company had more than long enough to repair it and should write it off as this is a £77,000 motorhome. 

Not what you said in your earlier post.

"the motorhome cost us £60,000 two years ago"

Hi the £77,000 is what the insurance value it at for replacing it

Do you mean the repairs have come to £77k and the motorhome is worth less
Or the motorhome is worth 77k and the repairs are coming in at less

Hoenir

johntbudge said:

Hoenir said:

johntbudge said:

Have the insurance company had more than long enough to repair it and should write it off as this is a £77,000 motorhome. 

Not what you said in your earlier post.

"the motorhome cost us £60,000 two years ago"

Hi the £77,000 is what the insurance value it at for replacing it

Then no great surprise that repair is the option they'll wish to take.