Hi I am hoping someone out there might be able to help me?
A women reversed into my Picasso on Weds morning causing some minor damage to the lower off side rear door and wing. There should be no problems with getting it fixed on her insurance as she has admitted liability and good job too as I was stationary at the time!
However when I am presented with the list of approved bodyshops from the accident management company (Angel Assist), how do I choose which one? I live on the Somerset / Devon border so they are likely to be in either Exeter or Taunton - does anyone happen to have any experience of a good 'shop in this area that might be on this list?
Also I know it was discussed in another thread recently but am I right in thinking I should be offered (or have the right to push for!) a similar courtesy car, ie a mid-MPV? Thanks in advance, DB
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Someone else who knows more will be along shortly I'm sure but, in my opinon, you're in a better position when it's someone else's fault and you claim through their insurance. You do have a duty not to cost them too much, but you're also entitled to be put back in the same position as you were before the bump.
So, if you need a Picasso sized courtesy car and the body shop doesn't have such a thing, the insurance co should hire you one. Or at least, that's what happened to me when the bodyshop only had a Ford Ka and I'd already diced with death once and didn't fancy six weeks in a tiny bean can! They hired me a Corsa which was marginally better!
Edited to add: www.honestjohn.co.uk/directories/good_garages/DirG...m is a list of recommended garages in your area, not sure if any of them are bodyshops though.
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Be aware that bodyshops may be approved by an insurer on the basis of a financial agreement and not necessarily on the basis of the quality of their work. I personally would look for a bodyshop which had a reputation for quality work and not dwell unduly on whether they were on an insurer's approved list. A lot of bodyshops will loan you a car off their own bat, particularly if they are part of a dealership which has a loan car scheme for service department customers. Also I think that bodyshops that are part of a dealership would be more likely to use genuine parts than an independent bodyship. Genuine body parts are usually rustproofed to the same standard (zinc plated for instance) as the original whereas pattern parts are more likely to be bare metal. All in all I would be more interested in getting a good repair job done than in getting my pound of flesh money-wise. If as you say it's minor damage, which would be quickly repaired, you may well be better off not being too picky about the loan car if accepting a smaller car got you a better repair.
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L\'escargot.
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Thanks for the advice PoloGril and L'escargot. A point to clarify from my original post that I didn't make very clear. Angel Assist (used to be Helphire) have been appointed on my behalf by my broker, not the other party's insurance co. I hope that they are acting on what is in my best interest, rather than any cost consideration. As an aside, guess who the lady was insured through? Hope she wasn't one of the 2600! DB
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Make sure, if your car is reasonably new, that the repairs are fully covered and do not invalidate your manufacturer's body warranty. i.e. Citroen approved repairer if not the Citroen Franchise itself.
My car was 2 weeks old and it was bashed - 5 years later rust appears on the back door and the Honda warranty was not valid as it was done by "Ins Co Preferred Repairer".
3rd party Ins Co said - 5 years is beyond our 3 yr warranty - I said I should have been put back in position as if no accident had happened.
i.e. No Accident then rust would not have happened or Honda would have paid if it had.
Their insured was to blame and I faced a bill for rust due to their insured and their repairer.
In the end they paid for a respray of the back door as I said that I would get the job done and then claim on them in Small Claims Court.
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