Car Insurance Claim

[AmandaJR]

Any experts or advice. Car was reversed into and other driver fully admitted fault. Wasn't sure if insurance job or not but either way I raised the start of a claim with my insurer. Today their insurer (Direct Line) have been in touch to try and get me to close the claim with my insurer and deal direct with them.

"We write to confirm that we accept our customer is at fault for the above accident. We want to let you know that we can help you with regard to any damage caused to your vehicle as a result of that accident, which would save you claiming from your insurers and paying any excess." etc.

Is there any reason not to go this route? I won't have any excess to pay either way and my main criteria is it goes to a Mazda Approved Bodyshop - getting an estimate today. I assume if I go their preferred route they save some money and also I don't have a claim on my insurance (even no fault has to be declared on any future quotes I think).

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[SatchFan]

Had my parked car hit twice in the space of six weeks a few years ago. Both drivers admitted fault and gave me their insurance details. I just let my own insurers know my car had been hit and let the other insurers sort everything out, including use of my preferred bodyshop. Didn't cost me a penny and was quite a hassle free experience on both occasions.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Any experts or advice. Car was reversed into and other driver fully admitted fault. Wasn't sure if insurance job or not but either way I raised the start of a claim with my insurer. Today their insurer (Direct Line) have been in touch to try and get me to close the claim with my insurer and deal direct with them.

"We write to confirm that we accept our customer is at fault for the above accident. We want to let you know that we can help you with regard to any damage caused to your vehicle as a result of that accident, which would save you claiming from your insurers and paying any excess." etc.

Is there any reason not to go this route? I won't have any excess to pay either way and my main criteria is it goes to a Mazda Approved Bodyshop - getting an estimate today. I assume if I go their preferred route they save some money and also I don't have a claim on my insurance (even no fault has to be declared on any future quotes I think).

Any advice much appreciated.

They will be looking to save money by sending the car to one of their approved garages-

I would stick with dealing via your insurer - that’s what I have done anytime I have been involved in something similar- even if I had to pay any excess at first

 

[RichA]

In my experience, that written acceptance of fault is pretty unusual. They want to make it easy for you because their approved repairer will cost them less.
They are liable for your full repair, including any excess, wherever you choose it to be done, as long as the cost is reasonable.
You'll still have to declare it as a non-fault accident, even if you don't claim through your insurer.
I'd speak to them, but be firm as to where you want the work done.

 

[AmandaJR]

Thanks all. I am 100% on where I get it done as I know the match paint-wise is tricky. It may well be the whole rear bumper anyhow. I was uncomfortable at how pushy they were so hence asking for it in writing. I've read the letter and email and they mentioned a £200 saving and seems they're offering me that to let them sort it out...makes me even more suspicious!

I'll get the estimate and then contact them to see what they want to do. It's not going anywhere else and being done on the cheap that's for sure.

 

[jim8flog]

Their approved repairer argument is not valid. If you claim on your own insurance they will use their approved repairer. Direct Line are underwritten by UK insurance Plc as are a lot of insurers so the recommended repairer might be the same anyway. Recommended repairers are very good at their job in my experience they just charge insurance companies less due to the volume of work they get from them.

One thing to watch for is if you have the use of loan car with you insurance make sure you get the same if their recommended repairer carries out the repair.

You should still be notifying your insurers of the accident as part of the terms and conditions of the policy.

 

[PJ87]

Any experts or advice. Car was reversed into and other driver fully admitted fault. Wasn't sure if insurance job or not but either way I raised the start of a claim with my insurer. Today their insurer (Direct Line) have been in touch to try and get me to close the claim with my insurer and deal direct with them.

"We write to confirm that we accept our customer is at fault for the above accident. We want to let you know that we can help you with regard to any damage caused to your vehicle as a result of that accident, which would save you claiming from your insurers and paying any excess." etc.

Is there any reason not to go this route? I won't have any excess to pay either way and my main criteria is it goes to a Mazda Approved Bodyshop - getting an estimate today. I assume if I go their preferred route they save some money and also I don't have a claim on my insurance (even no fault has to be declared on any future quotes I think).

Any advice much appreciated.

I'd 100% get it done by them, say you want a replacement car throughout. Which they will no doubt provide via hire car

The body shop would be fine , they will do a good job they will be approved by the insurer

You could insist it's done by your shop. They might even go for it

 

[SocketRocket]

My wife had a bump on her Mazda a couple of years ago and it was repaired at a Direct Line approved body shop which happened to be a Vauxhall main dealer. They did do a great job with the repair and paintwork. Picked up the car at home, delivered it back and left a Loan car.

 

[AmandaJR]

Just back from body shop and he advised to go with the Direct Line option. Whilst they're not an approved repairer for Direct Line he's positive they'll get approval for their estimate. So hopefully all sorted for Monday and will be delivered a hire car to the garage.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Thanks all. I am 100% on where I get it done as I know the match paint-wise is tricky. It may well be the whole rear bumper anyhow. I was uncomfortable at how pushy they were so hence asking for it in writing. I've read the letter and email and they mentioned a £200 saving and seems they're offering me that to let them sort it out...makes me even more suspicious!

I'll get the estimate and then contact them to see what they want to do. It's not going anywhere else and being done on the cheap that's for sure.

I take it you have a £200 excess Amanda? If so the £200 that you are “saving” is the excess that you are not paying out to your insurance that they then have to pay you back; in other words no saving at all.

Axa tried pulling the same stunt on me a few years ago, and sheepishly backtracked when it was pointed out I knew exactly what they were doing.

 

[AmandaJR]

I take it you have a £200 excess Amanda? If so the £200 that you are “saving” is the excess that you are not paying out to your insurance that they then have to pay you back; in other words no saving at all.

Axa tried pulling the same stunt on me a few years ago, and sheepishly backtracked when it was pointed out I knew exactly what they were doing.

No I have zero excess - certainly voluntary at least so my insurer have said there won't be any excess charged. The £200 is to persuade me (thank me!) for putting the claim direct through them and not my insurer which saves them money. We'll see if it actually comes through. Would be nice if it did as today was mainly hassle sorting things out. Monday I have to drive to the garage and wait for the hire car and then repeat that a few days later. Not much in the big scheme of things but hassle all the same.

I am just hoping it all goes to plan and is as stress free as possible - and the car looks like it did before it got damaged.

 

[Blue in Munich]

No I have zero excess - certainly voluntary at least so my insurer have said there won't be any excess charged. The £200 is to persuade me (thank me!) for putting the claim direct through them and not my insurer which saves them money. We'll see if it actually comes through. Would be nice if it did as today was mainly hassle sorting things out. Monday I have to drive to the garage and wait for the hire car and then repeat that a few days later. Not much in the big scheme of things but hassle all the same.

I am just hoping it all goes to plan and is as stress free as possible - and the car looks like it did before it got damaged.

I am surprised; I have never come across an insurance policy with no excess on it at all. I hope they are true to their word.

 

[jim8flog]

I am surprised; I have never come across an insurance policy with no excess on it at all. I hope they are true to their word.

I used to have a policy with no excess. The joys of how the internet quoting system works. I just changed all the standards settings of 100 and 250 to zero and away I went. There was a little bit of a surprised exclaim from the insurers when putting in a claim over the phone.

 

[AmandaJR]

I used to have a policy with no excess. The joys of how the internet quoting system works. I just changed all the standards settings of 100 and 250 to zero and away I went. There was a little bit of a surprised exclaim from the insurers when putting in a claim over the phone.

I always do the same.

 

[PJ87]

I am surprised; I have never come across an insurance policy with no excess on it at all. I hope they are true to their word.

My car has zero excess now, I went to get a quote (with direct line) was a £50 access (same as I had last year) Nd came back really cheap for me so I made it zero and that was that

Think the wife's is £50 .. either that or zero aswell I'd have to check

 

[USER1999]

I guess they will still load your premium on renewal, you will have to list the claim on any quote, and statistically, you have had or been involved in an accident.

They always get their money back.

 

[rulefan]

Thanks all. I am 100% on where I get it done as I know the match paint-wise is tricky. It may well be the whole rear bumper anyhow. I was uncomfortable at how pushy they were so hence asking for it in writing. I've read the letter and email and they mentioned a £200 saving and seems they're offering me that to let them sort it out...makes me even more suspicious!

I'll get the estimate and then contact them to see what they want to do. It's not going anywhere else and being done on the cheap that's for sure.

Have you reported it to your insurer? It's almost certain DL will inform them and if you don't you may have trouble in the future.

 

[SocketRocket]

I guess they will still load your premium on renewal, you will have to list the claim on any quote, and statistically, you have had or been involved in an accident.

They always get their money back.

My daughter had her car stolen recently, She reported it stolen but never claimed on her insurance as She was compensated such that she was better off (I know it sounds odd but it's what happened). She bought a new car but her insurance went up because she had a car stolen.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Have you reported it to your insurer? It's almost certain DL will inform them and if you don't you may have trouble in the future.

Yes, you need to do that Amanda.
Two escapee bullocks damaged my wife's car on our forecourt and her insurance company had difficulty computing it was a no fault claim even though the farmer had claimed full responsibility.

 

[Neilds]

We recently tried to get home and contents insurance and it wouldn’t go through online. When I rang up it was because of a ‘claim’ I hadn’t declared. We had rung up about a leaky roof but couldn’t claim as the flat part of the roof wasn’t covered. As we had rung up, it was still logged and when I then declared it the quote went up by £75! Bloody cheek, and I didn’t use them this year?