Things John said
Comments
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erm....
Question. "My car was worth 8800-9000 pounds pre accident. The garage has costed repairs at 4560 and I also need a car to drive while awaiting the repair. My concern is this. I have insurance and Gap insurance which means I should have the full cost of the pre accident value of the car, but the engineer has decided it is damaged repairable. I'm concerned with the valu then of the car should I decide to sell it on. Do I have any right to ask the engineer for a second opinion? I really feel that it may have been better to write it off?"
Answer. "You can question the likely cost of the hire car for the duration of the repair, making a case that the cost of the repair and of the hire car is likely to exceed the write off value of the car."
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/66428/repairs-versus-write-off0 -
Here speaks someone who does not understand Insurance and is mathematically challenged...
Question - "Why is it that car insurance companies operate dual pricing? Is this legal? I received my car insurance renewal papers today showing a quotation of £222.50. I looked on Compare the Market and a like for like quotation was £194.06. I contacted my insurers - who I've been with for years - and after ages on the telephone they matched the online figure. I find it appalling they charge loyal customers considerably more than new customers!"
Answer - "There used to be Insurance underwriters, Insurance companies and Insurance brokers. Over the past 10 years the difference between Insurance companies and Insurance brokers has become increasingly blurred to the extent that an 'Insurance company' acting as a broker may well be working on a 100% commission rate rather than the standard 10% broker commission. How much of that 100% they give to the customer varies."
If anyone is not aware, Honest John owns his own motoring website and also writes a motoring column for the Telegraph giving out motoring advice
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/66562/why-do-car-insurance-companies-operate-dual-pricing-0 -
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/68326/accident-management-companies-
Question
"My wife's car was hit, while parked, by another car. The other party accepted liability and the damage has been fixed with the help of a claims management company. She was given a courtesy car for a few days while the repairs were done.
All seemed to go well but yesterday she got a letter from the solicitors who act for the claims management company saying that in order to process her claim they need copies of all her financial transactions for the three months prior to the repair. They want evidence of her financial circumstances including "all bank/credit card/building society statements and wage slips" for the period.
This seems like a lot of personal information to disclose to potentially unknown third parties. The law firm says this has been required for "anyone hiring a replacement vehicle following an accident" following "a House of Lords case and subsequent cases" (no details given). Have you heard of anyone else being asked to disclose so much information in these circumstances?"
John's Answer
"Yes, this is common because the accident management company is trying to rip off the other party's insurer with excessively high rental charges for the credit hire car that you signed for. ]However, though you may have signed for this, they did not make the consequences clear to you and you can simply refuse to supply the documents or to pay the charges."0 -
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/68326/accident-management-companies-
Question
"My wife's car was hit, while parked, by another car. The other party accepted liability and the damage has been fixed with the help of a claims management company. She was given a courtesy car for a few days while the repairs were done.
All seemed to go well but yesterday she got a letter from the solicitors who act for the claims management company saying that in order to process her claim they need copies of all her financial transactions for the three months prior to the repair. They want evidence of her financial circumstances including "all bank/credit card/building society statements and wage slips" for the period.
This seems like a lot of personal information to disclose to potentially unknown third parties. The law firm says this has been required for "anyone hiring a replacement vehicle following an accident" following "a House of Lords case and subsequent cases" (no details given). Have you heard of anyone else being asked to disclose so much information in these circumstances?"
John's Answer
"Yes, this is common because the accident management company is trying to rip off the other party's insurer with excessively high rental charges for the credit hire car that you signed for. ]However, though you may have signed for this, they did not make the consequences clear to you and you can simply refuse to supply the documents or to pay the charges."
This guy really needs reeling in.
The advice is so duff if will get that person into trouble by breaching the terms of the hire agreement0 -
OnanTheBarbarian wrote: »This guy really needs reeling in.
The advice is so duff if will get that person into trouble by breaching the terms of the hire agreement
I agree.
Perhaps the person asking the question may have some come back on HJ if it went wrong.
I guess HJ is not registered to give advice by the FCA0 -
This guy gives "Advice" out via his own website and in the Telegraph's motoring section...
Question :
"Our car was written off last year when an elderly gent pulled out in front of me because 'he didn't see me'. Nine months later, we have received paperwork from a firm of solicitors who have stated they intend to sue the other driver in our name. The solicitors claim they are acting for our insurers who are suing the other driver because they say his insurance did not pay up enough for recovering and storing the car, & etc.
My concern is that we are asked to engage the lawyers and the paperwork makes it clear that we will be liable for the legal bill should our insurers withdraw legal funding.for any reason. Worse, we would be at fault if we did not comply with their demands and we could be refused insurance or subject to increased premiums. We personally lost no money and this does not seem to be our argument.
Is this just another way of squeezing money?"
Honest John's answer :
"Simply refuse to sign anything. This is an accident management company that may or may not be working on behalf of your insurers (something you should check), but it is not up to you to engage the solicitors or incur any liability for them. You should report the firm of solicitors to The Law Society, to The Financial Services Ombudsman and to The Information Commissioner."
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/70531/insurance-claim0 -
Question
"I own a 1996 Volkswagen Polo MK3 which has been in the family since new. Recently I had a small dent in the wing caused by a third party. The insurance engineer stated that it was not worth repairing and offered scrap value for it. How do I stand with the law on this one. Should my car be restored to its condition prior to the accident, regardless of value?"
John's erm answer...
"No. Consistent County Court judgements have been that you are entitled to be put back in the position before the damage was done, but that paying you 'market value' for your car meets that requirement. It stinks. Basically someone wants to rip off your car, fix it cheaply and re-sell it. So refuse to allow them to 'write off' your car and simply demand whatever figure their sums came up with that allow you to keep the car without it becoming a Cat D, a Cat C or a Cat B. Even if they pay you nothing, that would be better than being given £200 as 'market value' for your car."
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/72269/my-insurance-has-offered-scrap-value-for-my-car-after-an-accident---what-do-i-do-0 -
Couldn't hold back any longer and have shamed this guy on twitter. I even messsged him a few months back to offer technical input on the advice column.....0
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OnanTheBarbarian wrote: »Couldn't hold back any longer and have shamed this guy on twitter. I even messsged him a few months back to offer technical input on the advice column.....
I have the same username on MSE as on HJ's site, for some reason I seem to be banned on Honest John's website0 -
You bad man0
This discussion has been closed.
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