How much longer...?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Fri 14 Jan 2005 20:54
How much longer...? - P.Mason {P}
What's the Backroom record for an outstanding insurance claim?
Nine months ago, in April last year, my son was stationary at traffic lights in central London when he was sideswiped from the right by a French tour coach. The passenger door was pushed in about 6". The coach driver admitted liability and gave insurance details.
Our insurance company sent an assessor to our address, looked at the car(a G reg.3-door Civic in excellent condition, apart from the damage)and said that he'd arrange with our local garage for repairs to be carried out.
Later that day I received a call from a salvage company to say that the car had been written off, and would I remove all personal belongings before it was collected.
I got back to the insurers and said I wanted to retain the car and have it repaired at my expense, and asked them to send the write off value, which they estimated at £350.
However, the car was subject to an excess of £200, so a cheque for £150 would be posted to us, and the £200 would follow when they'd got it from the coach's insurance company.
The car was fitted with a door from a breaker's yard for a cost of £100 including spraying.
Despite about a dozen phone calls and 4 letters, we're still waiting. How long do I give them before I consider the small claims court? Any advice much appreciated.
P.
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Fri 14 Jan 2005 21:32
How much longer...? - Altea Ego
Got it writing?
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Fri 14 Jan 2005 22:41
How much longer...? - P.Mason {P}
The most recent letter from our insurers(Nov)said that they were still waiting for the other company to reply. Seems a handy cop-out clause..I can't see why they can't just pay up and pursue the other firm in their own time.
P.
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Fri 14 Jan 2005 22:47
How much longer...? - john deacon
if u have fully comp, send registered delivery letter to chief exec of the insurance company giving them 10 days to pay otherwise you'll issue a summons
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Sat 15 Jan 2005 10:05
How much longer...? - martint123
It doesn't work like that though does it.
You are claiming from your insurance so yes, the excess is in effect. You have to get the excess back from the other party and thats who you would have to sue. Did you pay for the 'legal cover' these are the ones best suited to get your excess back.
I think you also suffer with NCD problems until you get your excess back as well.

Martin
p.s. I know someone who was knocked of their m/bike and still awaiting a payout after 18 months.
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Sat 15 Jan 2005 10:57
How much longer...? - Robbie
Back in the eighties, a friend of mine asked if I could help her as her 18 year old son could not recover his excess etc. through the AA, with whom he was insured and had legal cover.

His car had been "rear ended" at traffic lights the previous September, and it had been repaired but he had not received his excess of £100 plus other associated expenses. It was now June and he needed the money. I 'phone the AA in Cheshire and got nowhere. I gave them ten days to sort it out or I would take further action. Nothing happened so I 'phoned, and actually managed to speak to, the Chief Executive. Within ten minutes I got a call from a snotty clerk in Cheshire, to whom I gave short shrift.

The claim, in full, was paid within five days.
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Mon 17 Jan 2005 22:24
How much longer...? - BrianW
SHMBO was knocked off her scooter on 14/02/2003, so it's now 23 months and still not settled.
They did make an interim payment though.

I got knocked off on 12/10/2004 and haven't received a penny yet, despite funding bike repairs, clothing and three weeks' train fares so far: about £600 out of pocket.
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Mon 17 Jan 2005 20:25
How much longer...? - cockle {P}
SWMBO had her Metro written off after being rear ended at a red light in 1988, was finally settled in 1992 with the recovery of her excess from the other driver, one week short of FOUR YEARS.

I could add another few months to that if I wanted to be pedantic as we then had to go round the two intervening insurance companies getting her NCD reinstated. To be fair to the pair of them they reinstated her NCD and also refunded the difference it had cost her in premiums due to the lower NCD for the periods when she had been insured with them with very little fuss, just took a while.

Cockle
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