Pesky idiot driver pulled out in front of me!!!

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An update on this saga.....

I have been speaking writing and emailing my insurance company and the claims company. The claims company promised to 'remove all the hassle and liase with all parties on your behalf'...what a joke that has proved to be. They've been next to useless.
My insurance company are now trying to RE-contact yet again the 'witness', because his story does conflict just about everyone's version of events. I have been told that apparently the third party & witness version has changed three times now....I'm guessing in order to try to 'fit' with the photographic evidence I submitted!
Another department of my insurance company are dealing with everything else NOT related to the liability battle of my claim. I've just got off the phone to the woman, who cheerfully said that they will be able to offer a settlement of £500 for the claim!!!! I told her not to be silly, and how would I buy a replacement vehicle of same spec for such a rediculous low offer.
She then said that she wanted to arrange for the removal of the car from the bodyshop to be placed in 'safe storage' I said this was ok, and the call ended.
A few minutes later the bodyshop, who I've struck up a relationship with (and he has passed on to me the details of a specialist LR bodyshop in High Peak), phoned me and advised me that there was a request for my car to be removed from their premises and taken to a salvage yard!!! The guy there knows I want to get the car fixed, and in his view it is too good to scrap, and knew the place it was going to scrapped cars, not store them, hense his phone call to me. I have to thank him for that.
I phoned the woman back at my insurance, and asked why they had requested the car be removed to a salvage yard. "oh no, it will be put in safe storage until we resolve the claim, its a car storage company"....At which point I lost m cool!... Apparently, if I want my car back they are not prepared to apy the storage fee at the bodyshop and could I drive it to my home. No, was my reply, yes the car drives but theres no lights one side and body panel damage, "oh it will be ok to drive back during the day then"..."err, no it wont, if I get stopped by the police shall I say it was my insurance company who told me it was ok to drive?!" The conversation even ended with her saying "ok, I shall cancel the salvage request on this claim for you", ie completely contradicting what she had said not a few minutes earlier.
Not only have I be driven into by some idiot, now my insurance company is tryin to turn me over. The lying bastards

the saga continues

Do not let them take possession of your car. it's yours not theirs, they have absolutely no rights to the vehicle without your explicit consent no matter what they tell you. You have a contract with them to insure your vehicle against any losses, they should compensate you for your loss as per the terms of the contract, not nick your car.

They, not you, should take measures to reclaim their costs from the other party if it was their fault, not your problem.

When you talk to them do not lose your cool, if you're not getting satisfaction ask the jobsworth for their name and then insist on speaking to their manager. immediately get the managers name and start again, stick with it and you will win, be cool and stick to your guns, don't accept anything you're not happy with and if you end up talking with some one who is not dealing with the situation to your satisfaction go over their head, it can be done and the minions hate it.
 
The RRC chassis would quite comfortable slice that monoCOCK gaylander of yours in two. and if it didn't I'd quite happily ram your head through it to make sure it did.

Now, if you haven't got anything constructive to add, kindly **** OFF

Thanks for the offer but I don't even have a gaylander but if I did, I'd certainly take you up on the offer. You can try it on my disco if you like but might not be a great idea as it would probs put a bigger dent in your rangie than what that pug did!
 
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Do not let them take possession of your car. it's yours not theirs, they have absolutely no rights to the vehicle without your explicit consent no matter what they tell you. You have a contract with them to insure your vehicle against any losses, they should compensate you for your loss as per the terms of the contract, not nick your car.

They, not you, should take measures to reclaim their costs from the other party if it was their fault, not your problem.

When you talk to them do not lose your cool, if you're not getting satisfaction ask the jobsworth for their name and then insist on speaking to their manager. immediately get the managers name and start again, stick with it and you will win, be cool and stick to your guns, don't accept anything you're not happy with and if you end up talking with some one who is not dealing with the situation to your satisfaction go over their head, it can be done and the minions hate it.


cheers waldershelf, yeah a work mates brother works as an insurance fraud investigator, so he's been giving me tips too, which pretty much confirm what youve posted here.
I rang the bodyshop up today. To be honest, they've been very good, but I bet they're use to it from insurance companies. They're happy to bring the car back to my home. Didn't have a driver free when I rang this afternoon, but they're saying it'll most likely be delivered back tommorrow. We shall see
No contact from insurance company, even though they promised yesterday. Can't say I am suprised tho.

On a slight bonus note, I got a complete week off work next week to crack on and get the engine swapped in the bobtail:)
 
Friend of mine has a gavanized RR Chassis if you need one. :)

Thanks for the offer Tomcat. Ya should be able to sell that one pretty easy. Already got a galvanised chassis on this silver one. Which doesn't have any damage fortunately (just inner n outer wing, bumper and a few brackets. Theres a receipt in with the history of the vehicle....apparently it cost the former owner £9800 + vat!!!:eek: The chassis was changed shortly before another reciept for the LPG system...that one was £1600 + vat!!!:eek::eek:...just how much this car has cost the former owners is simply staggering!!:doh:

Update regarding the insurance saga;

A rather cheerful chap rang me up this morning to offer a settlement figure for the car....£640. Naturally my first reaction was the laugh:rolleyes:. My second response was to remind him that he should not even start to begin discussing settlements until the liability case has been officially resolved (which I have been told then untold twice now!). I suggested he contact the department dealing with that side of things.....

Approximately 30 minutes later, another person rang from my insurance. She could not have been more apologetic, almost to the point where I thought I was havin m arse licked! Apparently in the future I shall only be contacted by people who have studied the case notes and (in her words) "know what they are talking about"
She is now handling the liability side of things, and everything else has now been put on hold until that it sorted! :doh:

...I'm beyond gettin wound up now. I have to laugh at this fiasco really. I couldn't make it up!
 
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Incidentally, my insurance has told me the car has been written off as a CAT C. However, liability has not been sorted?
I wasn't aware an insurance company could 'write off' a vehicle until, as I understood it, if liability falls on the third party then the third party insurance HAS to pay for repairs regardless of the cost, assuming I insist??
Is that true?
 
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Thanks for the offer but I don't even have a gaylander but if I did, I'd certainly take you up on the offer. You can try it on my disco if you like but might not be a great idea as it would probs put a bigger dent in your rangie than what that pug did!
yep witht same chassis you'll defo come off better. You dont breathe hard enough do you?
 
Incidentally, my insurance has told me the car has been written off as a CAT C. However, liability has not been sorted?
I wasn't aware an insurance company could 'write off' a vehicle until, as I understood it, if liability falls on the third party then the third party insurance HAS to pay for repairs regardless of the cost, assuming I insist??
Is that true?


Can anyone help me by giving their constructive advise and possible own experiences on this, please?
 
Can anyone help me by giving their constructive advise and possible own experiences on this, please?


I can't offer any personal experience of this, but it doesn't sound right :confused:

There's a lot of insurance 'brands' that are subsidiaries of larger groups, and this has made me wonder about the relationship between your's and the numpty's insurance companies.

Even though they're supposed to be acting for you, their underlying agenda is always self-interest.

.
 
Thanks Paul.

Yes, doesn't ring true to me either.
I've been told all sorts over the phone, basically lying to me. Though strangely when I ask they can't put what they say on the phone in writing.
 
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Some of the weird things I've been told by my insurance company;

"You'll be able to drive your vehicle back from the bodyshop to your home" (They say it is CAT C written off, and ya can see the photo of the damage above)

" The settlement offer is based upon the fact you have been paying insurance by instalments and you've only been insured with us for 3 months"

"We can offer a settlement and write the vehicle off, then establish liability at a later date"

"You'll have to settle the full year premium, even though there is effectively no car to insure "

"The ClaimFast company have handed all proceedings to us, your insurer, because they don't deal with cases where liability needs to be established"

needless to say, these, and other gems, have all been said over the phone, and none of it has been sent by post :rolleyes:
 
thought they were supposed to be good.

personally if you want to keep the car forever (and she looks nice even with the damage) I would let them write it off as a car c. but make sure you keep hold of it. fix it yourself and keep the left over cash. how much they offered you for it?
 
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what do you reckon then , new bumper new wing new lights? that brooklands or brooklands style? does it fit over the old steel one?
 
I got a new wing off ebay still in LR box £30
Got the inner wing/headlamp frame assembly £200
Need to get the front GRP Brooklands bumper (Rimmers have them) £280...no, they have brackets to fasten direct.
Plus lights and clips etc
...then there's the painting (anyone know where to get LR Aspen Silver by the Litre? all I can find are touch up pens and aerosols)

I can see that I'm probably gonna be out of pocket on this one :(

but obviuosly not starting anything until the insurance issues are resolved
 
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