Dealer Issue with Insurance

[apj0524]

A bit of Rant about being Dealers again!

Unfortunately I have had a rear end shunt in my C Class, totally my fault but fortunately not too much damage to my car just the plastic bumper , but more damage to the 3rd party so is an insurance claim.

Off I pop to my local Dealer thinking I need to go this route to preserve the anti rust guarantee. They look over the damage and confirm my view no structural damage just cosmetic and “ As I am a valued customer we can repair that for £250 +VAT “ Ok thank you but think I need to go through insurance as I will still need to pay the excesses on top of this if I go through this route.

Well after a number of calls chasing them up I finally get the dealer to submit the claim and the £250 is now £572-50 + VAT!! Not surprising the Insurance assessor metaphorically told them to go forth and multiply, so I am left in the middle of this just wanting the damage fixed.
Phone the dealer at least 5 times before I can get to speak with the Body Shop Manager, to ask where we go from here, as you quoted me £250 and it is now £572, silence and you can sense the thinking process of what bull can I use here. All I get is that we can move on the quote but not too far I’ll speak with the insurance company.

I leave a couple of days then try ringing to see what progress has been made, my calls not returned so I walk in the showroom and as I walk I see the manager see me and pick up the phone, I remember thinking at the time I wonder if he is trying the insurance company?
Well after two coffees he is ready to talk and low and behold has phoned the insurance company many times but they have not phoned back and he has left a message.

My turn to phone the insurance assessor to ask why the delay is and low and behold their tracking system only has the call made on the day I walked into the dealer asking for an update, so I am left thinking who has lied to me, cause someone has.

In the end the insurance company refused to pay their inflated cost to repair and the dealer will not repair for a price they quoted me originally so I am now having it repaired by a Merc approved and Insurance Co approved specialist rather than the dealer.

So when your next insurance quote comes through 30% up on this year it’s probably because dealers repair costs fantasy!

 

[ChrisKnottIns]

Name and shame the dealer! Clearly trying to make a buck out of the insurer. One price for you as a private individual. An inflated price when there's the insurer's bottomless pit to be exploited.

 

[snail]

Off I pop to my local Dealer thinking I need to go this route to preserve the anti rust guarantee. They look over the damage and confirm my view no structural damage just cosmetic and “ As I am a valued customer we can repair that for £250 +VAT “ Ok thank you but think I need to go through insurance as I will still need to pay the excesses on top of this if I go through this route.

Why? The third party claim will be dealt with by your insurer and isn't subject to any excess. Only repairs to your car will have an excess, even if this is below £250 you still have loss of no-claims discount to consider. Most insurance companies should be ok with you getting the repair done yourself to save these costs.

 

[eihtur]

Why? The third party claim will be dealt with by your insurer and isn't subject to any excess. Only repairs to your car will have an excess, even if this is below £250 you still have loss of no-claims discount to consider. Most insurance companies should be ok with you getting the repair done yourself to save these costs.

Exactly...I had two small accidents this year which did not damage my car but did damage two third party cars. I was not charged an excess in either case. Excess applies to the repairs to your own car only. And, incidently, my insurance premiums have decreased.

 

[jp williams]

Exactly...I had two small accidents this year which did not damage my car but did damage two third party cars. I was not charged an excess in either case. Excess applies to the repairs to your own car only. And, incidently, my insurance premiums have decreased.

My insurance premium has decreased too ! I`m with LV.
Regards
John

 

[apj0524]

Didn't realise I wouldn't be charged, I assumed that if I paid for the repair to my car myself they would come to me for the policy excess for the 3rd party repairs.