Car accident - advice on dealing with insurance Co

[jacinabox]

Seems we're still getting any bad luck going around!

Friday picked up wife and FiL from hospital. Driving away (dark) a car exited a car park on our right hand side, no lights on their car and smashed into the driver side front and forced us up onto a steep grass bank.

Apologies and admission of fault from third party - he didn't see us. Got his details and he drove off. No witness to actual impact.
Our car is goosed, seems most of the impact was absorbed by my front o/s wheel. Cars steering is trashed and front wheels pointing in different directions. Doubtless unseen suspension, steering and drive train damage

My insurers have indicated car is a write off from my description of damage also accident in their view is non-fault.
I'm also told 'copart' will contact me shortly to remove the car to their premises and advise me of what they consider my car is worth in 5 days time. Not sure that I feel happy with this.

Copart is a national car salvage company, once they have the car I feel I'll have little to none input over what they'll value the car.

WBAC etc buy in values and what dealers (Autotrader etc) are selling similar cars for are miles apart.

Should expect my settlement figure to be similar to what I'd have to spend to get a similar car? Not looking for any betterment, simply to be in the same position as I was before the clown knocked me off the road.

I assume it will be the 3rd parties insurer who'll be covering the cost. I haven't taken the option of a courtesy car ( other cars owned) would not taking the courtesy car - reducing the claim cost, work in my favour for insisting my settlement should put me back in pre-accident position?

Any advice on how get the best outcome would be appreciated. First time in 50 years of driving I'm having to deal with car insurers for a write off.

Thanks :)

[Ed875]

From my experience car has gone to a body shop not a salvage company and they have then determined if its a write off and you don't have to take the bodyshop of the insurers choice either, unless things have changed recently.

Oh forgot to add damage to steering and suspension is not necessarily a write-off similar happed to one of our cars 15 years back and it was repaired successfully.

Would also gather evidence of what it would cost to replace your car with like for like, age, mileage, condition, and any silly offers from the insurer should be rejected, basically you may need to haggle. Worth remembering too used car purchase prices are on a high at the moment, so some prices from WBAC etc. may not reflect this.

Best of luck.

[mk2driver]

Where is the car now?

Your bargaining power is much better if the car remains with you until a value is agreed

Insist on the assessor coming to the current car location and the car to only be sent to bodyshop/breakers when it’s agreed on the pay out

[MCFastybloke]

As above, argue out the numbers while you still have the vehicle.

Prepare for the negotiations by going thru the classifieds and have adverts for same vehicle at hand.

[Dave+63]

In 2020, my van was written off by a third party whilst I was parked and sitting in it.

My insurance company dealt with it but when it came to a valuation, I spent about half an hour on the phone with the loss adjuster, both of us looking at similar vehicles on Autotrader. From there we agreed a replacement value.

The van had gone to an accident repair garage and on to Copart before this conversation took place so it’s not necessary to keep the car until it’s settled.

[JonRA]

Sorry to hear this jacinabox. I think WBAC is a red herring. It's not what you could have sold your car for, but what it will cost you to get a similar car as a replacement. As other have said, be prepared to haggle and forearm yourself with the price similar cars are being offered for. Good luck.

[gingerboy]

Have you checked it there are any security cameras at all? If there are I'd be bring them to the attention of the insurer and requesting they request footage asap!

Insurance is a joke, my daughter had someone pull out in front of her on a roundabout and damage the front of her car...... that was September, still awaiting a response from the other parties insurers.

[mitch1956]

hi
keeping the car is not a disadvantage the insurer has decided the damage constitutes a total loss, it will now move to settle the claim asap, its likely a engineer assessment will be done via images of your vehicle that's why they want it moved to co part who will supply the images to your insurer ( not allowing removal may delay the claim also) so unless you intend to try and negotiate to retain salvage no advantage to keep it with you .
your input will be down to negotiating a fair "market value " to do this you need to prepare supporting evidence IF THE OFFER FROM THE INSURERS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE i say this because i have settled claim first time by a fair first offer !! , which includes cars of same , age, mileage , condition, spec, or as near as you can find, this incs all sale sites, any publication /on line sales ( not any part exchange deals) this could inc trade sources such as parkers.
your insurer will settle your claim and reclaim the expenditure from the third party insurers , subject to the t/p insurers accepting liability ( not the same as the driver saying it was my fault!)until its reclaimed its a claim on your policy.
not taking a courtesy car will not increase the valuation of your car.
the insurance is to put you back in the position as if the loss had not occurred.
happy to advise further

p.s to put this in context i have been a motor vehicle insurance engineer for 39 years .

[Christian]

A couple of years ago, someone changed lanes into the side of me. They admitted fault straight away. I reported it to my insurer but within 24 hours, their insurer took over. They wrote the car off as a total loss (it was an old Micra so probably inevitable with that value!) and I’d say we were got slightly more than the current market value and well above WBAC valuations. We also elected to have our payout reduced and keep the car. My original intention was to repair the door but in the end we sold it for scrap which netted us slightly more than the original offer. Looking at the reg it’s still on the road so I should have got the door replaced.

Overall I’d say we were put in the same financial place before the accident. Probably worked out even considering I have to report the accident to my insurers each year. I did a couple of quotes and it seems to add about £30-50 each year because of it.

[Dave+63]

In 2020, my van was written off by a third party whilst I was parked and sitting in it.

My insurance company dealt with it but when it came to a valuation, I spent about half an hour on the phone with the loss adjuster, both of us looking at similar vehicles on Autotrader. From there we agreed a replacement value.

The van had gone to an accident repair garage and on to Copart before this conversation took place so it’s not necessary to keep the car until it’s settled.

hi
keeping the car is not a disadvantage the insurer has decided the damage constitutes a total loss, it will now move to settle the claim asap, its likely a engineer assessment will be done via images of your vehicle that's why they want it moved to co part who will supply the images to your insurer ( not allowing removal may delay the claim also) so unless you intend to try and negotiate to retain salvage no advantage to keep it with you .
your input will be down to negotiating a fair "market value " to do this you need to prepare supporting evidence IF THE OFFER FROM THE INSURERS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE i say this because i have settled claim first time by a fair first offer !! , which includes cars of same , age, mileage , condition, spec, or as near as you can find, this incs all sale sites, any publication /on line sales ( not any part exchange deals) this could inc trade sources such as parkers.
your insurer will settle your claim and reclaim the expenditure from the third party insurers , subject to the t/p insurers accepting liability ( not the same as the driver saying it was my fault!)until its reclaimed its a claim on your policy.
not taking a courtesy car will not increase the valuation of your car.
the insurance is to put you back in the position as if the loss had not occurred.
happy to advise further

p.s to put this in context i have been a motor vehicle insurance engineer for 39 years .

Nothing to worry about then!

[mitch1956]

Nothing to worry about then!

lots to worry about as not all insurers are created equal ! or engineers come to that!LOL

[adrianw]

hi
keeping the car is not a disadvantage the insurer has decided the damage constitutes a total loss, it will now move to settle the claim asap, its likely a engineer assessment will be done via images of your vehicle that's why they want it moved to co part who will supply the images to your insurer ( not allowing removal may delay the claim also) so unless you intend to try and negotiate to retain salvage no advantage to keep it with you .
your input will be down to negotiating a fair "market value " to do this you need to prepare supporting evidence IF THE OFFER FROM THE INSURERS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE i say this because i have settled claim first time by a fair first offer !! , which includes cars of same , age, mileage , condition, spec, or as near as you can find, this incs all sale sites, any publication /on line sales ( not any part exchange deals) this could inc trade sources such as parkers.
your insurer will settle your claim and reclaim the expenditure from the third party insurers , subject to the t/p insurers accepting liability ( not the same as the driver saying it was my fault!)until its reclaimed its a claim on your policy.
not taking a courtesy car will not increase the valuation of your car.
the insurance is to put you back in the position as if the loss had not occurred.
happy to advise further

p.s to put this in context i have been a motor vehicle insurance engineer for 39 years .

But whatever the outcome the OP's insurance is going up next year, and the next four years as somehow he will be considered more of a risk. so not entirely the same position as prior to the accident.

[DibbleCorse]

But whatever the outcome the OP's insurance is going up next year, and the next four years as somehow he will be considered more of a risk. so not entirely the same position as prior to the accident.

Thats an old wives tale as well ...... and has been disproved over and over, yes it can happen, but no it's not a given, there are literally hundreds of data points used to generate a quote.

[adrianw]

Thats an old wives tale as well ...... and has been disproved over and over, yes it can happen, but no it's not a given, there are literally hundreds of data points used to generate a quote.

The biggest data point by far is the question, have you had an accident or claim in the last five years.

I saw this first hand, a woman backed into his car while it was parked on a private drive in a cull de sack, and guess what.

[mitch1956]

Thats an old wives tale as well ...... and has been disproved over and over, yes it can happen, but no it's not a given, there are literally hundreds of data points used to generate a quote.

this is quite correct

But whatever the outcome the OP's insurance is going up next year, and the next four years as somehow he will be considered more of a risk. so not entirely the same position as prior to the accident.

my insurance will go up next year and i have not had a claim but i am a old git and the chairman will want a bigger bonus !, if there is no recovery from the t/p insurers then risk may and its a may effect the op insurance costs.

[Ed875]

Thats an old wives tale as well ...... and has been disproved over and over, yes it can happen, but no it's not a given, there are literally hundreds of data points used to generate a quote.

Not so sure, ran over something in mid 2017 which damaged the car to where the cost to repair needed an insurance claim, and strangely the insurance renewal has come back £120 less this year then previous renewal quotes since the claim.

[mitch1956]

Not so sure, ran over something in mid 2017 which damaged the car to where the cost to repair needed an insurance claim, and strangely the insurance renewal has come back £120 less this year then previous renewal quotes since the claim.

it actually supports the theory, more than just claims experience effects your premium , you would have been another year older !, it could also be nothing to do with you or your claims record good or bad,a insurer may simply decide they don't or do want you ( good or bad risk) in a change of business direction, however your current insurer can not refuse you insurance so they give you a £ 5000 quote so you will go else were , as said lots of datum influence a quote not just you.

[Saint-Just]

Not so sure, ran over something in mid 2017 which damaged the car to where the cost to repair needed an insurance claim, and strangely the insurance renewal has come back £120 less this year then previous renewal quotes since the claim.

But in this case, you were responsible for the damage is as much as you drove over something without anyone involved, weren't you?.

[Christian]

It all goes into the mix when they make their risk calculation. I don't know why people are grumbling that a non-accident fault should have an effect. Irrespective of where you live, you could routinely drive in a higher risk area for accidents or thefts and that would be reflected in a higher likelihood of a claim even if it wasn't your fault. And previous history of non-fault accident becomes the indicator. My non-fault accident was in West London on at A40...the standard of driving there is attrocious. Going round Hangar Lane roundabout daily, its no wonder I was a riskier driver in terms of potential claims even though I might not be responsible for the accident.

[jacinabox]

hi
keeping the car is not a disadvantage the insurer has decided the damage constitutes a total loss, it will now move to settle the claim asap, its likely a engineer assessment will be done via images of your vehicle that's why they want it moved to co part who will supply the images to your insurer ( not allowing removal may delay the claim also) so unless you intend to try and negotiate to retain salvage no advantage to keep it with you .
your input will be down to negotiating a fair "market value " to do this you need to prepare supporting evidence IF THE OFFER FROM THE INSURERS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE i say this because i have settled claim first time by a fair first offer !! , which includes cars of same , age, mileage , condition, spec, or as near as you can find, this incs all sale sites, any publication /on line sales ( not any part exchange deals) this could inc trade sources such as parkers.
your insurer will settle your claim and reclaim the expenditure from the third party insurers , subject to the t/p insurers accepting liability ( not the same as the driver saying it was my fault!)until its reclaimed its a claim on your policy.
not taking a courtesy car will not increase the valuation of your car.
the insurance is to put you back in the position as if the loss had not occurred.
happy to advise further skull:

p.s to put this in context i have been a motor vehicle insurance engineer for 39 years .

That's a great and reassuring reply, thanks Mitch.
I feel a lot more confident moving forward.

I've identified 5 similar cars, none are as low miles as mine, so I'm going take the average of costs, plus a bit, as a basis for the value of my settlement and be done with it.

Insurers already have plenty of pictures of the damage and accident location - seems they've used that to determine the car is a write off and I have no issue with that.

Hopefully it'll get sorted without too much grief.

For everyone else who chipped in I appreciate your contributions too.

Thanks all :)



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