Hi All
I would like some opinions/comments if possible...
The details.........
My car (a clio) was damaged 1 month ago. The repairs to be done by the garage (my insurance companys choice)
replace the nearside rear quater panel
replace stub axel and bearings
I get a message today telling me its ready for pick up. Then another message telling me to ring them.
They then tell me that my car has been damaged by a car delivery wagon...
The new damage and proposed repairs
new rear bumper
Fill to small dent in rear tailgate
new n/s rear light unit
new front bumper
repair to small scratch to front n/s wing
I am obviously not at all happy about this (particulary the dent to be filled in the tailgate)
But the damage has been done.... (spilt milk etc etc)
Should I contact my insurance again and tell them what has happened and ask for the final repairs top be inspected by an independant assessor??
Any other comments or advice would be gratefully recieved....
Tony
Edited by antd on 02/06/2008 at 19:13
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How old is the car? Clio spans about 15 years.
If it's an old car, it could come back in better condition, if nearly new, I would be rather unhappy.
If it was me, I would commission my own independent assessor from the yellow pages. I did this a few years ago after a terrible repair by the late Dixons Car Clinic. It was about £25+VAT, but the man who did it was very professional and thorough and spotted things even I hadn't and was happy to lie under the car in his suit on a tarpaulin. You may be able to claim the £25 back if it was a third-party-fault claim.
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Hi
Thanks for the reply
The car is a 2001 clio, but was in excellent condition before all this..
I am tempted to ask to inspect the damage tomorrow so I can see for myself.
I did make the comment that I would expect the tailgate to be replaced..not filled.. but the guys comment was that the dent was so small that no insurance company would pass the repair....
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Yes, you should look and then you will know where to pay attention when you get it back. If they make a proper job of the filling, that maybe better than them getting a new tailgate, and painting it inside and out properly, glazing it and transferring all the trim and mechanisms over, so much room for hidden cockups there. Maybe you could tell them you are worried about missing screws and clips afterwards, that is my main gripe with previous repairs, wheelarch liners having missing screws and bumpers missing plastic clips etc... some of which you don't see until too late to complain. Hopefully mentioning will make them more careful. What about asking for them to fit rear parking sensors as recompense (seeing as it will be on the lorry's insurance)
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I was considering asking for compensation...
But somehow I just cant see it...
I have had their curtasy car for about 4-5 weeks now..
And I'm on holiday abroad in 2 weeks time..
It will be interesting if they want to return the car while I am away (I have told them the dates) Their delivery details with the curtasy car mentioned a £31 a day hire cost if the car is not picked up within 2 days.....
Edited by antd on 02/06/2008 at 19:57
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Anyone else got any helpful comments???
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If I was you and it was at all possible I'd be round there asap to see it for myself. If not possible you should demand a set of photo's of the damage. As the car needs a front and rear bumper it's clearly had a shunt and become the middle of a sandwich; was it in gear? was it shunted any distance? brakes on off? was it being driven etc etc. I'd be looking for a full explanation from a senior guy in the company and as for you going on holiday that's their tough luck. Your car was damaged while in their care so if you were going on a driving holiday they should pay the extra hire charges or make arrangements to collect the courtesy car from the airport or wherever and drop yours off for when you get back.
Maybe your local Citizen's Advice could advise further?
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Good reply...
I will try to see the car tomorrow and take some photos.
I will also get in touch with my insurance (they arranged for the 1st repair there) and insist that the assessor has a look before they start work (although I believe they have already started)
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It was an accident. They have told you about it and not tried to cover it up.
You are entitled to a repair to bring it back to the condition it was in beforehand. You are entitled to alternative transport (or to be recompensed for it). You are entitled to inspect damage before and after repair. You are entitled to an independant assesor (they might happily pay for this too).
You have not suffered any injury so are not entitled to compensation; but if its a quality outfit (and they sound honest) they may well be prepared to make or do something as an extra "sweetner" for you; ask them?
As regards car use whilst away. Ensure you inform them in writing so they cannot deny knowledge and let them sort out what is the best course of action for you both; especially if considering driving abroad!
Drama and crisis (not needed) seem to be the words to think about?
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Hamsafar wrote: 'What about asking for them to fit rear parking sensors as recompense (seeing as it will be on the lorry's insurance).'
Seems to me they should be fitting parking sensors on the lorry, not the Clio.
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While the bumper is off, and there is paint in the gun.....
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Seems to me they should be fitting parking sensors on the lorry not the Clio.
Glad i don't deliver renaults, thats me out of the frame-;)
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Good reply yorki bar
A lot of sensible advise.....
.*******
Does anyone think its worthwile speaking to my insurance... They did afterall sort this garage to do the original repair...
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If you inform your insurers it may well be classed as an additional incident and may affect your risk rating.
If you dont, then you have less control over any warranty should it be needed.
If it was mine I would not inform them. I would merely want my car back from the repairers in an acceptable condition; regardless of what happened to it in there!
However, your insurers may well know about it anyway. The repairers are quite likely to know the assesor and just keep him informed so that no problems come back to them.
Your car, your call. But by rights you should inform them !
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I wouldn't worry about having a dent in the tailgate filled in the grand scheme of things. How do you think they fit a new rear quarter panel? I'll tell you now that they are fitted by welding & filling the joins of the two panels (the old and the new) across the 'B' post the 'C' post and also the sill section.
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If you inform your insurers it may well be classed as an additional incident and may affect your risk rating.
Incidents are personal, not vehicle related.
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Incidents are personal, not vehicle related.
? ? Can you expand. I don't know what you mean by that.
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I think insurers insure people not cars.
If I make an insurance claim (incident) for my vehicle for damage to car/occupants/3rd party its through me. My vehicle doesnt do it - its an in-animate object. The contract of insurance is personal between and the insurance co.
A car just sat there is a car just sat there. There may be a policy which includes its details (reg no etc which the police use to check) but its the owner that has the insurance and the car details only serve to set the risk.
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Incidents are personal, not vehicle related. >>
Thats true, but not the whole truth. Your vehicle is also part of the risk. If it incurrs extra expense (via claims) it will have an impact on your risk assesment (which is how your policy is calculated).
Don't believe me? Ok, consider this? You park your car in a dangerous place, repeatedly, and it is involved in lots of incidents when you are not in the car. You do not think your policy cost will be affected?
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 03/06/2008 at 19:54
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yorkie, I take it you either didn't read the emails I previously sent, or have forgotten again.
For reference, if you put the words inside 'less than' and 'greater than' symbols, the
words become invisible. Easier to stick to the quote symbols that are already provided when you press the 'quote original message button' (goes without saying to obviously summarise beforehand)
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Wouldnt want you to have nothing to do DD :)
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Quoth Billpayer:Incidents are personal not vehicle related.
Intriguing. I insure my car, not me.
(Actually, that's not true, as I insure my car in order that I have DOC on other cars and TPO on my own, so effectively I insure only me. Actually, that's not true either, as adding a girl to the policy reduces the cost by £50 per annum, so I insure a girl on my car too. Goodness knows where she's taken the car at the moment, but that's another issue.)
Edited by Webmaster on 04/06/2008 at 14:14
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