Car insurance offionados - a little advice please

[LIG]

On the way to work this morning and someone pulled out of a side road and ......KERRRRRRUMMPPP!!

Anyway,reported to insurance co as usual then later on, whilst at work, received the following text:

"We are sorry to hear you have been involved in an accident with our insured. Please contact us as soon as possible on *********** to see if we can help with your damage caused and supply a free replacement vehicle to save you claiming through your own policy, affecting your NCB and paying an excess. Please visit www.********* to find out more."

Can anyone in the field of car insurance tell me what this is all about and if there are any hidden drawbacks of using the other party's insurer to get mine fixed.

On the surface it seems to be a way for them to reduce their costs ( no letters to my insurer no querying the bill etc., ) but they seem to offer the same warranty for the repairs that my insurer does.

Any insight much appreciated.
(I have until tomorrow morning to decide who to go with)

 

[DCB]

Don't deal with them, make sure everything goes through your insurer. Check the small print on your own insurance and their 'in the event of an accident' instructions.

 

[anotherdouble]

Stay well clear. My mate had his car fixed by other cars insurance. Not done properly and that invalidated any claim on his own insurance. He is now having to go through the courts. No fault accident, STICK with your own insurance company and only deal with them

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

Be very careful...

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/a...nt-company-trying-to-make-me-take-a-hire-car-

I wouldn't go near them.

 

[williamalex1]

Check your policy , they usually say not to admit anything to anyone. Sounds dodgy to me.

See your driving hasn't improved since St Andrews. :rofl:

 

[Hacker Khan]

I used to be a motor underwriter many moons ago and in them days it was relatively straight forwards. Now many more people try to get involved, all trying to make some money, and in the end the policy holder ends up paying more for their premium. As others have said do it all through your own company.

You'll also no doubt get texts informing you you can claim £1000s because of whiplash. If you genuinely do have it then deal with your own insurance company. If you don't but people are trying to make you claim for it to get a fast buck then try and resist. It is tempting, indeed I've heard tales of very dubious doctors happy to sign a form to say you have it. But if you are found out to have screwed an insurance company you will find it extremely difficult to get insurance again.

 

[Piece]

As others say, go through your own insurance for ALL aspects. There should be no contact with their insurance or third party people, unless the third parties are approved or authorised by your insurance.

 

[LIG]

Thanks everyone :thup: you've confirmed my initial reaction on receipt of the text was correct.
I will be calling my insurer again tomorrow to confirm I want to proceed with my claim in the usual way.

Wonder what car I will be given? A stick shift probably.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Having consulted with an actual expert (my wife dealt with motor claims for 25 years prior to her recent retirement) rather than golfers I am advised that it is quite common practice these days for Third Party's insurers to contact in these circumstances when they may that their insured is responsible for the accident.

It is actually a way of containing costs and cutting out Claims Management and Credit Hire companies.

It is not a scam and does not jeopardise your ability to make a claim through your own insurers other than if you are dissatisfied with the repairs you would initially need to contact the Third Party insurers as they would have paid for the repairs.

 

[daymond]

I notice the communication says 'our insured' so it may be legit. Whatever happens I bet your premium will go up.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Having consulted with an actual expert (my wife dealt with motor claims for 25 years prior to her recent retirement) rather than golfers I am advised that it is quite common practice these days for Third Party's insurers to contact in these circumstances when they may that their insured is responsible for the accident.

It is actually a way of containing costs and cutting out Claims Management and Credit Hire companies.

It is not a scam and does not jeopardise your ability to make a claim through your own insurers other than if you are dissatisfied with the repairs you would initially need to contact the Third Party insurers as they would have paid for the repairs.

I don't doubt any of that MetalMickie, but having trawled through the small print of a few legal documents in my time, it is normally the case that if you do anything other than go through your own insurance company then you're on your own. At the very least I'd suggest LIG goes through his own insurance company; if they say it is the way to go then fine.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I don't doubt any of that MetalMickie, but having trawled through the small print of a few legal documents in my time, it is normally the case that if you do anything other than go through your own insurance company then you're on your own. At the very least I'd suggest LIG goes through his own insurance company; if they say it is the way to go then fine.

He has, according to his original post, fulfilled his obligation by reporting the incident and the details to his insurers.

If he now proceeds with the option offered by the Third Party insurers he has not invalidated any of the conditions imposed by his own insurers and would still be able to progress a claim on his own policy if that proved necessary.

Don't wish to start a row but I rather think that my source on this matter is better informed than some of the other comments, including the reference to "Honest John" who,in his article, is talking about dealing with Claims Management companies as opposed to dealing direct with the TP insurers.

 

[LIG]

He has, according to his original post, fulfilled his obligation by reporting the incident and the details to his insurers.

If he now proceeds with the option offered by the Third Party insurers he has not invalidated any of the conditions imposed by his own insurers and would still be able to progress a claim on his own policy if that proved necessary.

Don't wish to start a row but I rather think that my source on this matter is better informed than some of the other comments, including the reference to "Honest John" who,in his article, is talking about dealing with Claims Management companies as opposed to dealing direct with the TP insurers.

That's very useful information MM. Thanks.:thup: Unfortunately my Insurer (if you can call them that?) have referred me to a claims management company as well. I've spent the afternoon on the phone to them so that they can read out their script. To say that I'm annoyed with all this additional hassle is a very very mild understatement.
Anyone who has gone through this process will be aware of all the additional forms and agreements you must sign (I don't sign without reading) just so that they will start to take action to fix my car.

So.... I find more advice is needed. I don't particularly want to get involved with this company (which I feel is only there to take a cut) not to mention at least three other companies dealing with a) replacement vehicle hire, b) repairs finance and c) insurance on the repairs finance. That last one is for the possibility of the other party's Insurance company refusing to pay my costs.

Do I have to go through all this with this claims management co. Please say NO!

The above is a bit garbled due me brain being overloaded with convoluted terms and conditions. So I'm grateful for anyone who takes time and trouble to reply.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

You are not obliged to deal with the Claims Management Co; and you should beware as, in the event of the TP insurers ultimately disputing liability you would find yourself responsible for the costs of the Credit Hire replacement.

You should be able to insist upon your insurers dealing with you without the involvement of Claims Management but it does not appear that your insurers are particularly strong on "customer service".

From what you have said it seems your best option would be to accept the offer from the other driver's insurers. As I said they are making this offer in an effort to control costs so it is in their interests that you are satisfied.

 

[LIG]

Hmmm. Looks like I'll being spending even more of my valuable time on the phone to my Insurer tomorrow morning. Grrrr!

Total time on phone (including on hold) is already about 4 hours! Fortunately I used saynoto0870.com to find a landline number for them. If I had used their 0844 number, at 5p/min.....!!! :rant: