Long story shot - I was hit by a third party pulling out into the main road and my 2002 reg mondeo suffered damage to the passenger side but still drivable, i have had a telephone call from his insurers accepting liability (but nothing in writing)
His insurers arranged to have a Ford dealership collect the car to arrange repairs.
Since it has been collected I have been in contact with my insurers saying it would be better if my insurers had arranged the repairs (at their approved but non-ford repairers)
Since it has been collected people i have spoken to have suggested (much to my shock)that it might be written off!! The damage appeared to be to the passenger door,wing and bumper - all of which i assume would need to be replaced.
after speaking to the garage they say they are due to estimate onthe works at the beginning of this week coming. My question is if they decide that the costs of repairs result in the car being written off am I legally entitled to collect the car from the garage to take it elsewhere for repair assessment without effecting my claim?
I'm worried that I may have played into the hands of 'the enemy' by allowing them to take the car away
(I have been searching the forums - is it to late to involve someone like helphire or europaconsultants - his insurers have already provided me a hire car)
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In these circumstances, a 3rd party's insurer can only say that they consider the car beyond economic repair and offer you a compensatory sum instead - which you are at complete liberty to refuse. Unlike the deal with your own insurer; unless they specifically say that they are buying it off you [damages plus salvage] the car still belongs to you.
You are still free to abort the process and sue the other car's owner for damages up to the market value of your car - less it's salvage value. If they hadn't provided a hire car, you could also have claimed loss-of-use etc.
I'd be very loath to involve my own insurer - the risk of a subsequent knock-for-knock deal being done, over your head, is too high. A 3rd party claim [nothing to do with 3rd party insurance] gives you total control.
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Further to Screwloose's points:
Also probably better to have it done by a Ford dealer rather than an indy because the remainder of the corrosion warranty will be intact assuming it has been serviced at Ford dealers to keep the inspections up to date.
EDIT: Under the circumstances I would be happy that the 3rd party's insurer has sent it to a Ford dealer, i.e a reputable repairer.
Edited by cheddar on 27/01/2008 at 08:29
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To follow on from Mr Wensleydale, the ford dealers body shop is probably better than the usual cheap slap it together places most insurance companies try and get it done at.
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If the Ford dealers state that it's a write off, then it's a write off.
You don't really want to take the car to some cut price repairer who can do the job cheap enough to avoid making it beyond economical repair do you?
If you really do want your own car back then you are well within your rights to ask them to pay out for the write off of the car and then buy the salvage back and then use whats left of the payout and some of your own money to fix the car. But bear in mind that it' s then a write off and as such will have a lower resale value.
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To follow on from Mr Wensleydale >>
Cheek, it is not me with the numerous Altea Egos eh RF, er TVM , er whatever your name is !
To the OP, good advise from all here.
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To follow on from Mr Wensleydale the ford dealers body shop is probably better than the usual cheap slap it together places most insurance companies try and get it done at.
Not convinced about main dealer body shops being any better than a decent independant. My car was repaired by two different dealers, one Ford and the other another mass-market brand of similar prestige (avoiding naming and shaming).
The Ford lot did a decent job, but the spray line can be seen (only realised several months later in the 'right' light) and the tracking was overlooked, but quickly remedied. The other lot made an absolute shocker of a job, which they admitted too (to their credit) and put right.
Word of warning - the bodging can start at the insurance company end, they may insist that the body shop bodges a repair on existing panels rather than replacing with new. The second body shop hinted that this was the case, suggesting I checked the exact wording on my policy.
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I'm worried that I may have played into the hands of 'the enemy' by allowing them to take the car away
Your rights explained:
DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR: What are your rights if someone damages your car in an accident and their insurer attempts to write it off, compensating you with a derisory amount and refusing to keep you on the road in the meantime? Read more...
www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=58
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Thanks for the replies - No news from the garage yet (the waiting is frustrating).
I have called some ford accident repair centres who indicate that for replacement panels and doors with metallic paint would be approximately £2000 - not allowing for any damage to the 'frame' of the car.
I'm hoping the car can be repaired mainly to avoid recieving a low write off payment (and the stress associated with protracted arguments about value)
Pre accident the car was worth approx £4000, does anyone have any experience/views on at what point the insurers would consider the car uneconomic to repair? (e.g 50%? 70%?)
Edited by Ichibod on 28/01/2008 at 21:53
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I think the cut-off point is quite high percentage wise - higher than 50% for sure.
My Passat had quite major repairs at the front for a low speed swipe - front chassis bent to the left etc. I thought they might write it off but they didn't - it was a company vehicle mind. Nobody would tell me cost of repairs but I estimated at £3.5-4 for a 2002 Passat 1.8T.
Wife has had two incidents where run into... both far more costly than I thought repairs were but not written off either. And it's only a FIAT Seicento.
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I tried to edit but either my ISP or this site meant I could not reconnect....
anyway my Passat was a May 2000 Sport 1.8T (may 2000) and the accident was in (I think) late November 2002.
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