The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

A visitor who we said could park on our drive hit one of our dolomites and the garage door which then folder in and hit one of the dolomites that was in the garage and damaged that car. The drivers insurance company, SAGA, was very helpful until I pointed out that they were classic cars. I was then told it would be better for me to claim of my classic car policy as SAGA would most likely write off the cars and not give me the agreed values that I have agreed with Footman James. I was impressed that an assessor is coming today so I find out more today. The company find it had to cope with two cars being damaged at the same time and are telling me that I have to make two claims. The garage door is yet another claim that I have to make but that will be with SAGA.

What a nightmare, how on earth did they manage to do so much damage to 2 cars.

I had a car hit me from behind many years ago at about 15mph & the damage wasn't that bad.

Anyway I hope you get it sorted out with the insurance companies, good luck.

Ouch, they must have taken quite a run-up to do that damage...

Wow thats awful Richard, I hope all can be resolved with minimal hassle. Good luck

Tony

That is not good, I hope you get it all sorted out to your complete satisfaction Richard.
I'm sure the club will help out with bits required.

That is some damage Did your visitors not like Dolomites
I would have thought your insurance will claim the costs back from Saga
Good luck with it all.
Tony.

I'm lost for words.

Hope you get it all sorted without cost to yourself.

The response time wise from Footman James has been good as an assessor came this morning. It looks as if the blue car will be a right off as I had only valued it at £1500 but the Brown one should be repaired as the damage is not so bad and the agreed value is £4000. The afternoon I had the owner of Tomorrow's classics at Rudgeway call around and is raising a quote. The quotes for the garage door are just over £2000.

That's shocking - why am I not surprised your visitor was insured with Saga?! you need to get yourself some new friends!
A great shame if either car is written off; do you have a clause in your policy so you can buy back the salvage on the blue one?
Late spec rear bumper centre sections were recently available NOS from Rimmer's. If they no longer have any I picked one up from their stall at the Standard Triumph Marque Day a couple of years ago and it looks as if your need is greater than mine, so you're welcome to it!

First I would like so say thank you to Markas for offering me the rear bumper that he has but luckily I do have one that I kept when I scrapped another dolomite. The owner of the company that I may use to repair the brown car as looked at it and stated he would get it re chromed along with the corner pieces.

I currently do not know if I will be able to bye back the blue car but the assessor is looking into that and I am wondering what the cost is likely to be. There are a lot of very good bits on the car so I may be open to offers.

First, DO NOT give your insurance company the v5c for any of the cars until you have an offer that you are happy with in writing.

Secondly, the 'buy back' rate is I believe an industry standard of 9% of settled value, though some classic policies give the owner automatic salvage FOC; check your policy.

Third, no matter how convenient their offer may seem, do not allow the cars to be taken away and stored. A friend did this several years ago, and after the settlement had been agreed the insurance company's agents tried to charge them for transport costs both ways and storage costs!

Fourth, a timely reminder for all to review agreed values and make sure they stay ahead of market values.

Lastly, but by no means least, sorry to hear of this Richard, I hope it all ends well for you.

As the damage is not your fault, is it worth talking to your insurer about the value of the blue car with any short fall of the agreed value being an uninsured loss? If you have legal protection on the policy, they should fight your corner for you...

Wow!

Really sorry to read of your woes Richard..

Ironic that one was tucked away in the garage and supposedly out of harms way!

Rotten luck Sir.

This is indeed a bad day. I hope it can be sorted with the minimum of fuss.