We had out spitfire drievn in to on the way home from the Silverstone Classic. (stuck in a queue of traffic, the lady forgot we were there!)
Anyway, we pulled into a service area and I called Peter James. They put me through to DAS (essentially ambulance chasers) who I got fed up with and told them so. After all, how the hell was I suposed to know how fast the other driver was going when they hit me, or if I was suffering any injury apart from a headache?) Anyway, they passed me onto ERS the avctual underwriters, whio ere insistent I had to have a hire car if I did not want to pay the excess. I told them that was nonsense, as it was the other drivers fault. O eventually told them to just log the claim, and I would consider my options. Overall not a great experience.
When we got home, I called the other drivers insurance, Esure. Who put me through to a team dedicated to looking after claims for people like me who were entitled to a "full costs recovered" type claim. Theye explained ERS were pushing a hire car so they could pass an inflated hire bill to them (ie charge £200 a day for a fiesta type of thing) and make the claim larger for their benefit, not mine. They suggested an independent assessor should heck the car over, which I was happy with (Hoopers are the assessors). Appt made for he Thursday at my home with clear instructions I had to be there and they could not inspect without me. I fibbed and told them the car was locked in a garage... I prepped for a battle, and did a check of the car working out what was needed. Basically a few panels, trims etc. I visited teh canley classics website, wrote a full parts list with part numbers and canleys prices. Added £250 for paint/consumables. And when the assessor arrived he was thoroughly decent. He had just been to see a ford model A, and was later off to check a herald.... Anyway, he agreed with my assessment, took the parts list and said as I was possibly looking for a cash settlement, he would be in touch.
2 days later he called me, said it was 22 hours work and it would be paid at £32/hr. Plus the parts costs as supplied by me. (I know labour would be more and he agreed I was entitled to go to wherever I wanted to get a firm quote) Anyway, I agreed to his figures for a settlement. Thurdsday last week got a call from Esure, asking if I was happy to settle the damage at the assessors amount. I agreed, and yesterday a cheque arrived. 2 weeks to the day after the accident. And as we arrived home after 1100 miles in the car doing the CT Border Raiders....
The moral is if somebody else is responsible, and takes responsibility, it is worth dealing with their insurers. It is beneficial to them to keep you happy and get things sorted quickly.
_________________ Clive Senior
Brighton
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