Car Crash Insurance Repair

[gyzmo]

I really do not understand why people dela direct with third party insurers anyway when they are paying their own insurer to do it. Bit like paying for a van and man for a delivery but then using your own car instead.

 

I'm with JonCris with this. I had a (very) short stint in a TP claims department, and all I can say is that they did the bear minimum required. I heard comments such as "don't tell the claimant what they can get, just give teh basics and it's down to them to claim for the rest". A contention was basically standard as well. Seems Woolfe and th government again grossly overestimated the conscience of the insurance industry....

[JonCris]

gyzmo the straw that broke the camels back for me & which caused me to change sides when I was asked to ratify a settlement for £750 in which the claimant was unrepresented when their claim actually had a final settlement reserve set at £35,000!!

 

This guy was just a 50 year old single person living in a crummy bedsit who could never work again because he had lost the use of a leg & I felt sick that such a derisory offer was being made. I complained as such but to no avail

 

Oh almost forgot the claims handler kept telling the guy "not to worry we'll look after you".......yeah right

[gyzmo]

That's disgusting. Good on you for sticking to principles.

[JonCris]

I know.........I just wished I could have told the guy.......If he had been represented this wouldn't have happened.........At one point I did suggest he get representation but the claims handler talked him out of it

 

Obviously I couldn't discipline the handler just for doing his job

[gyzmo]

Hmmm - going a bit off topic but my straw at Direct Line involved a small repairer chasing money (about £40 grand) for the umpteenth time in a year. He was giving us a last chance before court action and I got the call.

 

Tea leader didn't want to know. Engineering dept manager said "I don't want to speak to him". I went to every single manager in the building and not ONE would do anything. I got back to the guy (who held because of the number of returned calls he didn't get) and hour later and told him what I was told - word for word and people's names. It caused me to leave out of disgust.

 

Incidentally, I though it really ironic that team leaders (sitting on their backsides doing nothing except monitoring call times) came over to ask why I was on hold for so long. Amazing how quickly they disappeared and didn't want to know when I told them the problem. Even shouted at one of them "yeah that's right you sit on your fat a*** and give me a bollocking later for me running my a*** off trying to do what 50 other people in here should have done but haven't". That's half the problem with insurers. Crap staff, crap middle and lower management (promoted crap staff).

 

I don't know what happened later - I walked out and never returned.

 

But that's insurance companies for you.

[LemonTwist]

gyzmo the straw that broke the camels back for me & which caused me to change sides when I was asked to ratify a settlement for £750 in which the claimant was unrepresented when their claim actually had a final settlement reserve set at £35,000!!

 

This guy was just a 50 year old single person living in a crummy bedsit who could never work again because he had lost the use of a leg & I felt sick that such a derisory offer was being made. I complained as such but to no avail

 

Oh almost forgot the claims handler kept telling the guy "not to worry we'll look after you".......yeah right

 

That case does sound really bad. I sure hope this sort of thing isn't widespread. I think one way forward would be to make the FSA "Treating Customers Fairly" rule apply to third parties as well - at the moment it doesn't.

I do work for an insurance company, but not in the claims department, so I wouldn't see this sort of thing happening anyway (although of course I hope it doesn't happen where I work as it's really unfair). All I know is from what I read in the industry journals etc.

[gadgetgirl79]

Thanks everyone for your posts!!

 

I am dealing with everything through my insurance company, and they told me that I should deal with them rather than the other guy's insurance, as his insurance would prioritise his/their interests. Still not got car back, but hopefully I'll have it by the middle of next week!!

 

 

I would be VERY careful who you use with regards to injuries. If a company are ringing you, they may not be getting business walking in freely. if the company's initials are A E, M L, A A, then stay well clear

 

No, it's not them! It was a company appointed by my insurance company who phoned me up, and they'd paid £250 to my insurance company for my details as I'd been injured. I'll read their documents before I go ahead with it. It just depends how long this pain is going to last for! I won't be after £££££s! Just enough to cover my expenses, and enough to go out for some fun when it stops hurting, as I'm missing out on so much at the moment, and it's starting to get me down.

 

 

There are some exercises for your neck if you are in some pain which if you ask me i will try and describe or email a sheet if you send me your address. I was told the best thing to take is ibuprofen, try and get you GP to send you for physio even if it is just an assesment any costs can be claimed back.

Hope you feel better soon.

 

I was given a whiplash booklet at A&E, but find most of them make the pain worse not better. I have a permanently aching back at the moment which is really starting to annoy me now, as it's making my job difficult as I keep having to get up every 15 mins to walk round and stretch! Am going to go back to docs and ask about getting some physio if the pain doesn't go away. It's only been 2 weeks, and my booklet says it can take upto 4 weeks for the pain to go.

 

Can't take ibuprofen as I'm asthmatic!

 

Does anyone know how to stop the thumping heart at junctions, as every time I stop for traffic lights, I look in the rear view mirror thinking the car behind is going to smash into me!?! I'm normally such a calm and confident person, and have been driving for 10 years, but I can't stop feeling paranoid now that it's going to happen again. I saw an old W reg V (1981?) Vauxhall on the road today, and tried telling myself that it obviously hasn't been crashed into badly in the 27 years on the road, so it's a rare thing, but that hasn't helped much!

[TAY]

Thanks everyone for your posts!!

 

I am dealing with everything through my insurance company, and they told me that I should deal with them rather than the other guy's insurance, as his insurance would prioritise his/their interests. Still not got car back, but hopefully I'll have it by the middle of next week!!

 

 

 

 

No, it's not them! It was a company appointed by my insurance company who phoned me up, and they'd paid £250 to my insurance company for my details as I'd been injured. I'll read their documents before I go ahead with it. It just depends how long this pain is going to last for! I won't be after £££££s! Just enough to cover my expenses, and enough to go out for some fun when it stops hurting, as I'm missing out on so much at the moment, and it's starting to get me down.

 

 

 

 

I was given a whiplash booklet at A&E, but find most of them make the pain worse not better. I have a permanently aching back at the moment which is really starting to annoy me now, as it's making my job difficult as I keep having to get up every 15 mins to walk round and stretch! Am going to go back to docs and ask about getting some physio if the pain doesn't go away. It's only been 2 weeks, and my booklet says it can take upto 4 weeks for the pain to go.

 

My accident was 6 months ago and i am still in pain and being having physio since Jan. Even if it does give you more pain try and do the exercises even if it is trying to get your ear to touch your shoulder i was advised to try this 5 times per hour. You will find you can hardly do this to start with but it does get easier. At least you had a book from A&E i got nothing, they were no help even though i also complained about my ribs. (found out they were cracked).

 

Does anyone know how to stop the thumping heart at junctions, as every time I stop for traffic lights, I look in the rear view mirror thinking the car behind is going to smash into me!?! I'm normally such a calm and confident person, and have been driving for 10 years, but I can't stop feeling paranoid now that it's going to happen again. I saw an old W reg V (1981?) Vauxhall on the road today, and tried telling myself that it obviously hasn't been crashed into badly in the 27 years on the road, so it's a rare thing, but that hasn't helped much!

 

I still feel this everytime i come to a junction it is not as bad now though but as i work out of town have decided i may have to give up work.

This again will get better with time. I'm really sorry i cannot give you any better news, at least you know there is someone else going through the same thing, it helps to know you are not alone. (well it does me)

Take care and do go for physio as whiplash can lead to problems later on.

[Reclaimant]

"Reclaim I'm sorry but your talking rubbish"- thanks"The victim may be passed to an AMC but in the case of personal injury they will pass the claimant onto a qualified lawyer as only a qualified lawyer can deal with a claim involving personal injury or in the case of special damages once it is issued"-So you're trying to say that AMC's dont have 'file handlers' who deal with the client as oppose to sols? I would say the chances of using an AMC and speaking to a lawyer directly are very thin- they have messengers in call centre's for that"I'm sorry reclaimant I don't wish to be unkind or confrontational but if you do work in the insurance then you knowledge about it's workings is distinctly lacking"-in your opinion"You accept what you feel from the third party insurer. What sort of advice is that? How on earth does a lay person determine what their damages should be."the OP's response-"No, it's not them! It was a company appointed by my insurance company who phoned me up, and they'd paid £250 to my insurance company for my details as I'd been injured. I'll read their documents before I go ahead with it. It just depends how long this pain is going to last for! I won't be after £££££s! Just enough to cover my expenses, and enough to go out for some fun when it stops hurting, as I'm missing out on so much at the moment, and it's starting to get me down"Enough to cover my expenses, and enough to go out for some fun... I think I could decide an amount for that?They'd paid £250 to my ins co for my details?!! I can see people freely walk to there office? busy solicitorsSo JonCris, the legal fee's will increase the cost of the claim, and as the number of claims is increasing, as well as the value, and the amount of claims involving PI, I would say that this claim will, in part, contribute toward the ever increasing premiums.Sorry all, cant do anything with the font or quoting tonight!!

[JonCris]

Theres one very easy way for the legal fees to be lowered & that's for........the insurer in these cases instead of prevaricating is to admit liability promptly & after admitting liability to admit causation.....then to agree to an examination by a joint expert asap ...........then to agree treatment followed by a sensible financial offer that is realistic to the victims needs

 

If the Insurer does all those things then legal costs will be drastically reduced. If they continue, as they are now, to argue even the most hopeless of cases then costs will rise

 

& anyone who thinks an unqualified claims handler can issue on behalf of a PI claimant hasn't got as clue what they are talking about

 

Also I don't know which AMC you refer to but most that I know will after collating the documentation pass the PI claim to one of their panel of solicitors who will take over from that point & if they don't they may see themselves removed from the register.........Only a qualified lawyer can sign the POC on behalf of a client whether it be for special or general damages or for both

[gadgetgirl79]

I would say that this claim will, in part, contribute toward the ever increasing premiums.

 

Well the accident was 100% the fault of the other guy, which he has admitted, so I don't see why I should be out of pocket, or miss out on things all because of his careless driving, and it's HIS insurance premium that will be increased.

 

Ideally, I'd rewind time and make that guy late for work so my car was never even hit in the first place, and then I wouldn't be walking round with pain in my shoulders and back, and having to take icky pain killers, and ending up with a car that will no doubt lose alot of its value due to it being in an accident and having been repaired.

 

Sadly I can't rewind time.

 

Hopefully he'll have learnt his lesson, and whatever made him not pay attention, he won't do it again and make someone else have to go through all this.

 

Surely it's all the uninsured drivers that increase the premiums?

 

Another thing, the address on the guy's insurance was 100 miles away from where I live, and I know he works locally, and I'm quite sure he lives locally, indicating that he had the wrong address on his insurance. I presume it would be better for me not to mention this, just incase it makes his insurance invalid???

[JonCris]

It make make it invalid for any of his damage but not yours........you are a 3rd party

 

"Surely it's all the uninsured drivers that increase the premiums?" Another myth perpetrated by the insurance industry in order to increase premiums I'm afraid.........& why are there so many uninsured drivers as the insurers claim.?? Are they all burgulars, bandits & muggers? No they are not & I'll explain later

[LemonTwist]

Surely it's all the uninsured drivers that increase the premiums?

 

I agree with you there!

[gyzmo]

An uninsured driver who doesn't have an accident does not increase premiums. It is people who have accidents, insured or not, who increase premiums, as well as the rising cost of litigation and corporate complexity.

 

This may sound off, btu I don't know - there was a point made. An old colleague drove without insurance quite deliberately. He had been driving for god knows how long (he was at least 70 when I knew him) and was comfortably off. He pointed to his driving record and said that, if he had paid insurance, it would have cost him £x for the privilege of driving. He said that if he did have an accident that was his fault, he could afford to pay the third party. But he was damned if he was going to pay some company who would rob their granny to ean a few extra quid (his words). He also said this:

 

If everyone took the care that was necessary, realised that there are consequences to their actions, and used their brains, dignity and morality, there would hardly be a need for insurance in the first place. The cost of a few accidents that did occur could easily be met by the State.

 

I don't know whether he is still driving or even alive, but he certainly had a good moral point to make - one that I hve re-iterated elsewhere on these forums.

[rdm2006]

going back to your original question - Dont forget anyone can do a HPI check which will tell them if your car has been in an accident

[JonCris]

I agree with you there!

 

Ok then if you agree.......Prove it........& before you go there quoting the ABI ain't 'proving' it.......that's just repeating the propaganda used buy the insurance industry to push up premiums

[LemonTwist]

Ok then if you agree.......Prove it........& before you go there quoting the ABI ain't 'proving' it.......that's just repeating the propaganda used buy the insurance industry to push up premiums

 

I don't see the point in this discussion if you are simply going to reject anything I say as "insurance industry propaganda". Surely if you think the industry is lying, the onus is on *you* to prove that they are guilty?

 

Gyzmo - I know you don't necessarily agree with your old colleague, but that quote from him where he said that if he did have an accident that was his fault, he could afford to pay the third party himself made me want to laugh out loud! Does he realise that some personal injury claims can run into several millions of pounds - it is an unlimited liability. Would he really be able to pay a multi-million pound out of his own pocket?!

 

I personally think that if someone drives without insurance, they increase premiums for other drivers even if that person doesn't have an accident themselves. This is simply because there is less money in the "common pool" from which claims are paid. I haven't quoted that from anywhere, it is just what I believe to be true. I guess it is similar in some ways to the UK TV licence - if lots of people don't want to pay, then the fee has to be higher for those who do pay in order for all the costs to be covered.

[JonCris]

Lemon Twist Why would you think that not having a TV licence raises the costs for those that do.........what's the effect of not having TV licence in that it increases costs for those that do?.....If the BBC have less revenue they make programmes to fit their budget..........unless you think the quality of programmes is effected

 

If you want to believe the propaganda of your industry sobeit However it's you who claimed that uninsured drivers pushed up premiums & I asked you to prove it.............without resorting to the ABI's well rehearsed propaganda

[JonCris]

Lemon Twist Why would you think that not having a TV licence raises the costs for those that do.........what's the effect of not having TV licence in that it increases costs?.....If the BBC have less revenue they make programmes to fit their budget..........unless you think the quality of programmes is effected

If you want to believe the propaganda of your industry sobeit However it's you who claimed that uninsured drivers pushed up premiums & I asked you to prove it.............without resorting to the ABI's well rehearsed propaganda

[patdavies]

going back to your original question - Dont forget anyone can do a HPI check which will tell them if your car has been in an accident

 

An HPI check does not detail every accident that a vehicle has been involved in. AFAIK, it only details total loss payout

[rdm2006]

An HPI check does not detail every accident that a vehicle has been involved in. AFAIK, it only details total loss payout

 

 

I have a friend who owns a garage and he very kindly checked a car once for me as i was thinking of purchasing it. He was able to tell me it had been in a smash so i decided not to buy it. That was some time ago so things could have changed.

[gadgetgirl79]

I have a friend who owns a garage and he very kindly checked a car once for me as i was thinking of purchasing it. He was able to tell me it had been in a smash so i decided not to buy it. That was some time ago so things could have changed.

 

This is what concerns me, as I was planning on selling the car in about 12 - 18 months, and am worried that it will be difficult to sell, or I'll get much less money for it, all through no fault of my own.

 

The repairs are all to the rear (from being shunted), so the important bits (the engine!!) are still 100% fine at least, and I suppose at least I'll have a new exhaust, back panel, bumper, spare wheel, brackets etc...

 

I did say to the garage that I wanted it repaired so you wouldn't be able to see any damage, including inside the boot where all the metal had been pushed upwards.

 

Another myth perpetrated by the insurance industry in order to increase premiums I'm afraid.........& why are there so many uninsured drivers as the insurers claim.?? Are they all burgulars, bandits & muggers? No they are not & I'll explain later

 

Not overly convinced by this. Say you have 2 million drivers on the road, and all are insured, then when an accident occurs, the insurance company pays, and those bad drivers having more accidents will get higher premiums, and those drivers who don't cause accidents will get lower premiums.

 

Let's say that only 50% of those 2 million drivers now have insurance. The same amount of accidents will occur, and statistically an accident is now likely to involve one insured driver, and one uninsured. Unless the uninsured driver can always pay for the damage out of his/her pocket (or doesn't drive off as they're uninsured), then surely insurance premiums across the board will eventually double, to cover the amount of uninsured drivers too??

[JonCris]

They do not

[gyzmo]

It is the occurence of accidents that causes costs to rise - regardless of whether insurance is taken out or not. If every single person was insured and everyone had an accident, premiums would rocket.

[JonCris]

Correct Gyzmo what seems to escape peoples minds (& thats unsurprising bearing in mind the propaganda) that the uninsured drivers don't claim anything at anytime or that the majority of accidents are not their fault.....most often it's the insured driver who's the more careless driver