Car written off and payment without agreement

Livikings · 16 November 2019 at 3:07PM

Hi, this is my first post so bear with me!

My elderly father had a prang with a bollard when reversing out a space in a multi storey car park that bashed the rear driver side door.

He got in touch with his insurance company who arranged for a local bodywork company to assess it and they gave him a courtesy car. After a few days he was contacted by the bodywork company saying they were coming back for the courtesy car. They hadn’t had any communication from the insurance company so when my dad got in touch with them he was told it written off (uneconomical write off), DVLA had been advised and a paltry sum of money (naturally minus their £200 excess) had been paid straight into his account.

They said they had tried to get in touch but doubtful as parents rarely go out and even then they could have left a message to get in touch surely?

Unfortunately I only found out about this a week later so bit late in the day now but it all sounds very dodgy. Wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar and if I could take any action. My dad’s v p***ed of naturally and they’re needless to say left carless with a derisory sum of money.

FutureGirl · 16 November 2019 at 4:25PM

Does he think his car was worth more money? If so, he needs to complain to the insurer ASAP, with the evidence of why he thinks it was worth more.

DCFC79 · 16 November 2019 at 10:22PM

I take it the insurer had the correct contact details ?

csgohan4 · 17 November 2019 at 10:22AM

What car did your father drive? what is the market worth? is it spot on? if not as above give the insurers evidence as to why you find it should more

If a car is only worth x that is all your going to get. The fact your carless is not the insurers problem, brutal reality.

Though you could find a reliable old banger for under 1k I know I did previously

Aretnap · 18 November 2019 at 8:40AM

Have a read at this, in particulr the sections on valuing the vehicle, and cars being scrapped without the customer's agreement. Your dad may well have grounds for a complaint, at least on the latter point (obviously without knowing what type of car it was or how much the insurer paid nobody can offer a useful opinion on whether the valuation was fair).

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-valuations-write-offs

Livikings · 19 November 2019 at 1:33PM

Thanks for all replies. It was the fact that it was a done deal and it had been sent for scrapping and he hadn't been informed. Their valuation of the car probably wasn't far off but given it was perfectly drivable (and not written off as it was unsafe) i would have got it back off them and looked at getting it fixed myself possibly. Just appalled at the the shabby way he was treated really. I'll take a look at what Aretnap has suggested with regard to writing off without first consulting

Car written off and payment without agreement

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