Really, how difficult can it be? Potential Cat C write off

[panadero]

My brother in law had a knock during the winter snow in an R reg BMW coupe in good
nick. Insurance company said repair would cost £1800 and demanded a write off. "No way would
it cost that much" argued br-in-law (who has been 30 years in the car trade). They offered
the car back to him for £450 which after a lot of argy bargy came down to £250.
He then got the body work repair done (and very well) for £600.

[sirwiggum]

claims are why our insurance policys have risen 20% this year

No, I have to attribute this to "money-grabbing bastard insurance companies who make the rules up as they go along".

And the ambulance-chasing lawyers that these money-grabbing bastard insurance companies sell YOUR personal details to, once you've had any kind of accident, as well.

I agree. Fair enough getting whatever it is for the car / damage, but would never fake whiplash or all of a sudden report 4 passengers with the same.
THAT is one of the reasons why premiums are up.

[sirwiggum]

My brother in law had a knock during the winter snow in an R reg BMW coupe in good
nick. Insurance company said repair would cost £1800 and demanded a write off. "No way would
it cost that much" argued br-in-law (who has been 30 years in the car trade). They offered
the car back to him for £450 which after a lot of argy bargy came down to £250.
He then got the body work repair done (and very well) for £600.

He told the insurance company that he had a knock in the snow, they then demanded to write it off. They would have given him what the car was worth, up to £1800.

Instead he bought it back for £250 and spent £600 fixing it. Does that mean he is £850 down? up to £2650 down on what the insurance company would have paid out?

Or am I missing something? How does it work?

I have TPFT, so unless it was a joyrider drove mine into a ditch, I'd be paying out for my own anyway.

[Welly]

Getting the car back normally sees you in profit as they pay YOU an amount instead of it going for repairs. That example above reads like the guy had to but his own car back and still get it fixed

[dom07968]

Thank you all for the relies,

I've been a bit busy so this has delayed me reposting. Seems like this thread has allowed people to vent with dealings with their insurance companies and drive always. I must say that the insurance company i am with is a very different beast from the last time i had an accident and claimed through them.

I was lucky, the guy that did the damage came to find me as it all happened in a company car park, signed in so they could find me.
They did apologise, my 406 collateral damage at the beginning of the afternoon getaway AKA home time.

I really had to go through the insurance for the hire car as i'd be without a car for work while it was inspected, i do a lot of miles you see. Once i had the hire car there was no turning back as balls had been set in motion, so to speak. Anyway, the up shot is I get the car back for £50, I have to have a VIC and an MOT. This leaves a couple of hundred quid to sort the damage and go towards some new rubber all around and the exhaust which decided to blow 2 weeks ago. I'm thinking of a whole new door from a scrap yard, so should I go for a contrasting green door? This route is cheaper than getting a car with no known history, I've had this 406 since 2004 so know what’s been done and when. I'm ashamed to say that as much as i do talk about it being a work horse i've realised i'm rather sentimental about it. I still think the 45-47mpg is pretty good even by today's standards for a family car.

By the way i have protected no claims bonus. The insurance route i agree does knock a lot off the value of the car, possibly not be able to get comprehensive cover anymore but i'll be the one driving it...until the wheels fall off. This work horse is a keeper

Thanks again to everyone for your advice and experiences.

Dom

[lozz]

Thank you all for the relies,

I've been a bit busy so this has delayed me reposting. Seems like this thread has allowed people to vent with dealings with their insurance companies and drive always. I must say that the insurance company i am with is a very different beast from the last time i had an accident and claimed through them.

I was lucky, the guy that did the damage came to find me as it all happened in a company car park, signed in so they could find me.
They did apologise, my 406 collateral damage at the beginning of the afternoon getaway AKA home time.

I really had to go through the insurance for the hire car as i'd be without a car for work while it was inspected, i do a lot of miles you see. Once i had the hire car there was no turning back as balls had been set in motion, so to speak. Anyway, the up shot is I get the car back for £50, I have to have a VIC and an MOT. This leaves a couple of hundred quid to sort the damage and go towards some new rubber all around and the exhaust which decided to blow 2 weeks ago. I'm thinking of a whole new door from a scrap yard, so should I go for a contrasting green door? This route is cheaper than getting a car with no known history, I've had this 406 since 2004 so know what’s been done and when. I'm ashamed to say that as much as i do talk about it being a work horse i've realised i'm rather sentimental about it. I still think the 45-47mpg is pretty good even by today's standards for a family car.

By the way i have protected no claims bonus. The insurance route i agree does knock a lot off the value of the car, possibly not be able to get comprehensive cover anymore but i'll be the one driving it...until the wheels fall off. This work horse is a keeper

Thanks again to everyone for your advice and experiences.

Dom

hi mate

Q: as your insurers asked for the following documents, V5 log book mot ?
if not it might of escaped going on the insurers Hit list,

ive had accident cars in the past theyve been Cat :c but came with a v5 when ichecked on the internet they wasnt enterd on the Knock list,

in somecases insurers will just pay out the value of the car and call it a day,
those that are recoverd and stay at a storage yard normaly go straight on the hit list and are sold back to the owner or go to salvage/auction at a loss,

[dom07968]

Hello Loz,

The car did spend about a week in a depot before i collected it. They've only asked for me to destroy the fully comp insurance certificate. They've sent me a new insurance cert of only 3rd party. They not asked for the MOT, they've just stated that i must send a new MOT to prove road worthiness to get fully comp reinstated. When asking for the V5 i said i'd lost it, sad but true, i spent 4hrs looking for it over the weekend but in their letter they'd stated they'd informed the DVLA. I would be driving it now as it still has a valid MOT and insurance according to the data bases i've tried. It's just the risk of driving a vehicale without a registered keeper and no VIC as when driving around if the police detect me in those automated traffic checks they may decide to take exception to the car. I can't afford to get stopped as if the car was taken away carry I can't easily carry the equipment stored in the boot.

BTW after a few taps the central locking was workign again, side imapct bar looks unaffected, just need to sort the door handle then i'll send it in for an MOT.

[lozz]

Hello Loz,

The car did spend about a week in a depot before i collected it. They've only asked for me to destroy the fully comp insurance certificate. They've sent me a new insurance cert of only 3rd party. They not asked for the MOT, they've just stated that i must send a new MOT to prove road worthiness to get fully comp reinstated. When asking for the V5 i said i'd lost it, sad but true, i spent 4hrs looking for it over the weekend but in their letter they'd stated they'd informed the DVLA. I would be driving it now as it still has a valid MOT and insurance according to the data bases i've tried. It's just the risk of driving a vehicale without a registered keeper and no VIC as when driving around if the police detect me in those automated traffic checks they may decide to take exception to the car. I can't afford to get stopped as if the car was taken away carry I can't easily carry the equipment stored in the boot.

BTW after a few taps the central locking was workign again, side imapct bar looks unaffected, just need to sort the door handle then i'll send it in for an MOT.

they always say that mate,
apply to the dvla for a replacement logbook dont say anything about the bump and dont mention the vic test
if they issue you a new v5 then its happy days,
if they wont send you a v5 they send you the vic test forms and aplication and info etc,


also you wouid of been notified by dvla that the car needs to be kept off road as a 3rd party individual as notified them car as been recorded as aloss,
Even if they have notified the dvla You still are the Registerd keeper they will keep all your info on file,
withought sighning or filling in the v5 the owners name wont be taken off there records

[lozz]

ive done some digging,

Your insurer may of faxed the dvla and put a Vic Marker on the car,
As your car is still motd and taxed you will be able too take it to a vic testing station costs around £35 for the check
if it passes they will issue you with a certificate to forward to dvla or they will notify them.
if it fails they normaly take off the front number plate and keep it or they used to and it as to be taken away by recovery if it fails,
last time ihad a Vic check done on a car it was around 3 and half years ago so things change slightly,

Keep all receipts for parts etc to show them of the repairs you have done
taking a few pictures of before and after repairs carried out might be handy too,

its more of a vehicle identity check rather than repairs checking they do - so there not harsh like mot inspectors
its all set up for cutting out ringers,

id apply for a v5 first tho dvla will guide you through the process and send you the relevant paperwork if needed