Accident management company trying to make me take a hire car?
I was recently hit from behind whilst static in a traffic jam (ironically trying to pass another accident). The other party admitted full fault and as a company car driver I informed my leasing company.
I was immediately passed on to an accident management company who promised to sort everything and as it wasn't my fault informed me that I would be given a courtesy car of the same make and model as my own (BMW 5 series).
Two days later I received a letter from the third party's insurance company informing me they would not pay for credit hire vehicles but would pay for a hire car of a similar size and spec (after offering me a MINI Clubman I have settled for a 3 series). As my car only needed a new bumper and minor cosmetic work, I didn't mind for a few days.
The issue has been the accident management company who have been trying to force me to take one of their cars claiming that the third party's insurers would have no option but to pay for one of their vehicles and that if I didn't take one, they couldn't authorise the work!
Since the insurers have authorised the work, I have taken this as a pathetic attempt to make money either from myself or the third party's insurers.
My question is who is right? If I had agreed to a credit hire vehicle, would I have had to pay or the third party insurers? And what part do accident management companies actually play in sorting/ authorising repairs.
I was immediately passed on to an accident management company who promised to sort everything and as it wasn't my fault informed me that I would be given a courtesy car of the same make and model as my own (BMW 5 series).
Two days later I received a letter from the third party's insurance company informing me they would not pay for credit hire vehicles but would pay for a hire car of a similar size and spec (after offering me a MINI Clubman I have settled for a 3 series). As my car only needed a new bumper and minor cosmetic work, I didn't mind for a few days.
The issue has been the accident management company who have been trying to force me to take one of their cars claiming that the third party's insurers would have no option but to pay for one of their vehicles and that if I didn't take one, they couldn't authorise the work!
Since the insurers have authorised the work, I have taken this as a pathetic attempt to make money either from myself or the third party's insurers.
My question is who is right? If I had agreed to a credit hire vehicle, would I have had to pay or the third party insurers? And what part do accident management companies actually play in sorting/ authorising repairs.
Asked on 4 September 2013 by Pete Horrocks
Answered by
Honest John
As always, my advice is as it always has been: do not get involved with these parasites whose only interest is to put you into a credit hire car at an inflated price that you will be liable for if the insurers refuse to pay.
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