Thank-you,

I will sign and send the forms off. The hire was for two weeks and was a basic family car (Vauxhall Insignia) whilst my Mazda 6 was off the road. I don't think that the repairs could have been carried out much more quickly (replace two doors and respray car). I'm not really sure how I could have avoided all this, I can't really afford to hire a car myself for two weeks and I needed a car to get to and from work and ferry my children around.

Do insurance companies regularly contest claims like this?

It seems yes they do. We had a similar experience which has now been resolved after almost 12months. What surprised us was that taking up the offer of a replacement vehicle for the repair period, even though we tried in vain to decline, by signing the car-hire form we were entering into a Credit Agreement even though the instructions had come from the insurer's agent. A detail that was not pointed out to us nor is it all that clear on the hire documents. Deep in the small print on the reverse of the form, would you believe. That is one issue which I doubt many are aware of. Aother is the number of different bodies involved in the chain all taking their cut. The insurers, their claim agents, the hire-car company and two legal teams. All over a damage claim of less than £300 but with a hire charge of £1900! And who pays for all these costs? No prizes. Hopefully, you will find that the offending party's insurers will cough up at the last minute.

I'm as far from informed or knowledgeable on this subject as anyone on the planet, but isn't there a disclaimer/exclusion on many insurance policies about riot/civil disturbance etc.

What would worry me, seeing as it's apparently you

''sign a Form of Authority and Acceptance (to allow a solicitor to act on 'my' behalf).''

that is claiming against the other party, but if the other party's insurer washes their hands of their client due to riot/civil clause, and the third party is potless (or dead?), could you be in the unfortunate position of the innocent party who wins but no way of getting them to pay up.

Not trying to be the harbinger of bad news, sorry and all that, but i think i'd be inclined to take a bit of legal advice (unless some expert here knows the answer) as to what could happen, though you may have no choice but to comply.

Generally, i'd go nowhere near any ambulance chasing style mobs whether referred to by my insurer or not, i'm surprised there isn't a huge sticky at the top of the website advising people to do exactly that, maybe there is and i haven't seen it.