 | Home > Off Topic > Insurance claim - any experience? |
 
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crashed into my RRS back in the summer on the M5 which caused fairly minor damage to the rear end. The car drives fine and ive been using it daily since. The other drivers insurance company have accepted 100% liability and ive sent them a quote from a LR bodyshop for the repair. They then asked for pictures for review which I sent over. They have now come back and offered to pay me for the repair and let me sort it out myself. The bodyshop hasnt seen the car, only pictures but I asked them for belt and braces given the liability. The car functions fine including electric towbar and I cant see any other defects although ive not pulled the bumper off or anything etc.
| kmac Member Since: 07 Oct 2009 Location: Middlesex Posts: 1294   
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Sorry no experience of this - but based on the quote of 6.5K the other insurance company may well reconsider
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23rd Nov 2022 3:27pm |
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| mikeh501 Member Since: 07 Jan 2013 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1142
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Maybe I wasnt clear, but the other drivers insurance company wants to pay me 6.5k in cash and leave me to repair it myself.
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23rd Nov 2022 4:58pm |
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| kmac Member Since: 07 Oct 2009 Location: Middlesex Posts: 1294
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Wow, sorry I thought that was the quote you got from your repairer.
Seems like a lot based on the photo. |
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23rd Nov 2022 5:56pm |
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| markb110 Member Since: 22 May 2010 Location: Guildford Posts: 2520  
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If the Land Rover body shop stands by their repair figure then you may as well take their offer and the money. If anything it will keep their noses out of it from then on.
With many modern vehicles the outer body work is surprising supple and will spring back, it’s what the average consumer can’t see warranty both the cost of repair and the validity of getting sorted correctly. Especially so if the vehicle is on any form of lease agreement and the owners has no intention of keeping it. A friend of mine took what looked like a tap from the rear and from the outside it looked like a paint job to fix. As I worked in the industry at the time I opened the boot, took the spare out and you could see a crease in the metal work. If it was the kid or the family offering money then that’s a massive no no. Good luck |
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23rd Nov 2022 6:32pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2545 
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The risk for you is that it costs more than £6.5k to repair due to some unforeseen extra damage and you are left out of pocket. I’d get the repair done and get the body shop to invoice the other party’s insurer directly when done. That way even if it comes in at double that you are not affected.
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23rd Nov 2022 7:51pm |
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| mikeh501 Member Since: 07 Jan 2013 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1142
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Yeah that’s what I’d guessed. The Bodyshop want to replace the entire boot with a new one and there’s not even a dent in it. I’m worried about getting a decent match on the paint given the colour. The whole thing could turn into a mare. Alternatively I just do the minimum and pocket the difference!
I’ve asked them to put in wiring what the offer is as the lady on the phone tried to close me down without much detail in the hopes I’d just say yes to a pocket full of cash - it’s an insurance company they don’t do things out of the goodness of their own hearts! |
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23rd Nov 2022 8:12pm |
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| mikeh501 Member Since: 07 Jan 2013 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1142
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So the plot thickens.... the insurance co want to pay me the full quote of 6.5k minus the VAT. They will pay me the VAT only when they get the invoice from the repairer. I dont think this is actually legit according to some googling and might challenge it.
https://www.motorclaimguru.co.uk/cash-in-l...ance-claim https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-input-tax/vit13500 They have also said that if theres further damage once the repair has commenced they will pay any further costs etc which is very reaonsable. Seems if I can get the VAT paid up front its win win! Hopefully this is of some use somebody down the line even if nobody has any ideas on the VAT bit.  |
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2nd Dec 2022 10:46am |
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| jpboost Member Since: 13 Apr 2021 Location: Gatwick Posts: 374 
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If they pay for the (genuine) repair, then they don't pay the VAT (as in they claim it back). So they're offering you the 'same' deal from their perspective. If they pay you the money including the VAT, then they are worse off.
They are willing to pay you the money (and save them selves some hassle of processing the claim) and let you benefit from the cost of a potentially cheaper repair. They're working on the basis that you'll probably take it elsewhere (or reduce the quality of the repair) and get it repaired cheaper. They know, that if you personally were paying, that you'd probably not replace the boot floor. And the repair would be cheaper. but they are obligated to make it perfect, so they can't argue 'it's not really worth the money'. If the boot floor is really unmarked, then you really can take the money, get a cheaper (possibly more suited to what you want) repair and make some money. I wouldn't want the boot floor chopping out if it wasn't needed. I'd rather it was all factory. Have they clarified if there will be anything recorded on the database? |
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2nd Dec 2022 12:18pm |
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| mikeh501 Member Since: 07 Jan 2013 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1142
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That bit on the VAT reclaim isnt accurate as the link says; insurance companies arent vat registered and cant reclaim vat on repairs. You will see on the other link that insurance ombudsman have previously said this isnt right too, so i was a bit surprised they still do it.
Interestingly in their email to me (no letter which is weird and got me thinking they didnt want it in writing) says "The reason the first payment is without VAT is because we are paying the financial amount of the damage we have caused to your vehicle, not everybody would use the funds to repair their vehicle as they are able to pocket the money if they are happy to drive their vehicle with the damage still on there, as long as your vehicle is able to pass a valid MOT then it is ok to be driven on the road." That just sounds like its a straight 20% reduction because im being offered cash, as ultimately this is a 'settlement' and therefore they can offer what they want, or i can have it repaired by them. You will note it never mentions in their response anything about reclaiming VAT. My guess is 99% pocket the cash, and they consider it good business to a) get rid of liability b) its a 20% discount c) saves on admin to process it |
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2nd Dec 2022 12:31pm |
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| TexasRover Member Since: 24 Nov 2022 Location: Paris Posts: 790  
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Having some experience with insurance companies in the UK, I think is a ploy to make you sign away any other claims you might make like whip-lash! Dangle some money and make it look attractive.
I had a little incident once (in the UK) where my S3 mirror knocked a (lesser) mirror of an oncoming car on a very narrow road. All slow speed, but for some reason my insurance company agreed to pay the other party GBP 10k, because that person claimed 'stress' and had a small child in the car, while I did not. I protested and they said that they just wanted to settle. It was a separate classic car insurance and there was no impact on my no-claim, so in the end whatever. I think if you make a stink you can probably get more - if you are willing to let go of the ethics of it all. UK is a bit of an insurance rip off. In France I pay EURO 275 a year for a Td5 110 no mileage limitation and 40k agreed value, and my 20 year old son can drive it. Lot more civilized here, no silly claim culture. |
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2nd Dec 2022 2:38pm |
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| Cragster69 Member Since: 15 Jun 2021 Location: Scotland Posts: 166 
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Not got a lot of experience of this but I had a collision with an uncontrolled dog and phoned G4 Claims, who are local to me They gave me some excellent advice, weren't able to help in my situation but gave me a local bodyshop who they highly recommend and they were also very helpful. They also had recent experience of claiming Pet Insurance for a car repair, not a route I needed to go down.
https://notatfaultclaim.com/ The advice was free and as this is their area of expertise might be worth asking or finding an equivalent style firm closer to you. Craig. “Don't believe everything you read on the internet.” ― Abraham Lincoln www.scotgrc.co.uk |
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2nd Dec 2022 2:46pm |
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2287 
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Hello mikeh501
Take NO personal risk. The other driver and their insurance company have accepted full liability, (in writing). The JLR Quote will probably be 'provisional and based on the inspection undertaken but exclude any unforeseen (unseen) issues' (or similar wording). All you want (I suspect) is a 100% satisfactory repair, fully documented as part of the history of the vehicle (which I assume you own) as any unowned vehicle will be subject to the financing terms that goes with it and you wouldn't be considering these options. So (if it were me) I'd agree with the other party's insurance that they accept the JLR Quote as an accurate guide price and proceed on this basis. If JLR find and want to charge more this is agreed before the work is undertaken and the insurance company is welcome to inspect at any point. What you want to avoid is their loss adjuster visiting you and or requesting having the vehicle subjected to another quote at 'bodge it, spray it, bill it' Good luck... SKIP https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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2nd Dec 2022 5:53pm |
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