Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Diamond Black Geezer on 24 November 2015, 10:38:31
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Right, further to my little incident a number of weeks ago (Insignia drove into me) I'm just trying to get a half decent amount of cash out of the insurance company which will at least cover the cost of the paint and labour for the repairs, let alone the cost of panels. (they're now sorted from a donor Omega)
I've been advised my my Insurance to put together a 'pack' of similar vehicles to show the true value of my car. Not easy, there's haven't been any similar omegas for sale in the last 6 weeks, plenty of facelifts, but nothing PFL that isn't just a ropey old dog that hasn't seen an oil change for 5 years. I've made this point and so been advised I need one of the following....
-A PFL Omega with plenty of maintenance to appear for sale
-someone to be able to offer me a 'what we would sell this car for when repaired/before the shunt' kind of valuation.
I've just a minute ago received a pestering text telling me to accept the offer they've made. So, if anyone can help with either of the above request it would be wonderful if I could have a car again for Christmas! :'(
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Is it worth trying to contact joshwyatt ?? He ran a car business as well as being a member of the forum and is a very nice guy as well. Even if he can't help you directly he might know someone in the trade who can ??
He's not on often so you might have to ask for someone to let him know you're trying to reach him, I believe several members are still in contact with him on a regular basis.
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=3352
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Cheers. There's a link to his car business on his profile, checked out the site, will give him a bell in my dinner
Getting a bit of pressure from family to just accept the claim, now. I'm in two minds. :(
Received this...
"Many thanks for your reply.
We received a PAV from our Engineers, when I was told you were not happy with it, I got a second opinion from another Engineer. I then escalated this higher to the Engineer Operations Manager, and they all agree on the PAV that we offered you.
The Engineer Operations Manager has in fact found some examples, which are younger and with lower mileage, they are up for £550,£490 and £295.
Thank you for offering to send in examples, but we don’t need these as the PAV we have offered you, is as high as we can go. If you are not happy with this, this will have to go to our Complaints Department.
Kind regards"
I suspect this is the end of the road. Or is there any point pursuing further? :'(
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Chiseling scumbags >:(
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Fact of life with Omega's is you can now pick them up for £1.50 with a free Snickers Bar.
I think I'd count myself lucky if I was offered £550 if my 2.2 was written off :'(
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Well, as per above, I think best bet is to just go with it; on the philosophy that 'it could be worse'
I've looked into the 'complaints dept' and it basically sounds like a drumhead trial. It's already decided before you go in. The only example where a claim was upheld was someone paying £18k for a car, a couple of weeks later it got nicked, the insurance offered £15k. After a moan, the owner was offered the full amount they paid for the car in the first place. 'small claims' like mine, or indeed anyone arguing that their car is worth more than the book price, for whatever reason is effectively Mr Joe Bloggs saying he knows more about car values than Mr Glass's Guide. SO they're going to side with Mr Glass's.
OH edit: Just got an email back as I was typing this. I'm getting....
£90 and then claim the (£500) excess back 'at a later date' so long as the Third Party Insurer accepts liability!!! So after all this at least there's a cheque coming my way for £590..wrong!... £90, and more legal pissarsing about for the bulk of it! :'( :'(
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I really don't understand why the third party haven't already settled directly... :-\
Unless you haven't approached them... no excess or anything... simply 'Sorry our client cannot drive, here's X amount for your trouble'
At least that's how I have found it to be... as long as there's no injury issues ;)
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Rang the third party's Insurance, they said because it's already being handled with/via my insurance ( ??? ) they can't comment on, or do anything about it.
No idea if that was some bizarre fobbing off thing, or not.
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Rang the third party's Insurance, they said because it's already being handled with/via my insurance ( ??? ) they can't comment on, or do anything about it.
No idea if that was some bizarre fobbing off thing, or not.
Name both insurers, but sounds like excuses...
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He's with Swinton, and I'm on The Insurance Line which is a partnership between Swinton and Aviva. Not entirely sure whether I'm with the 'swinton' or the 'aviva' side, or if indeed there's a third 'The Insurance Line' building with staff with phones who deal with things, as it were.
I've been told a mix of things from 'sorry, we [Aviva/Swinton] can't help you, you need to speak to The Insurance Line, as they're your broker' to.. .'sorry, we [TIL] are just the broker, you need to speak to Swinton/Aviva' and everywhere in between. :(
Might give Swinton another ring, and ask them again. Might have been fobbed off, as you say.
I think, theoretically, I can cancel my claim with 'my' insurers (whoever they actually are, they don't even seem to know!) and make a new claim with Swinton... downside is... what if Swinton offer me £300, I was better off with the other offer. Christ, this is unbelievably and unnecessarily complicated. No-one apart from OOF seem to give a straight answer!
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Aaaaand finally the oh so very useful...
"I am no longer dealing with this. All the notes clearly state that the engineer had told you about the excess.
When you took out the policy it clearly states on the documentation about the policy excess, and is something you should read before accepting the policy.
However in your case, you don’t have to pay this, because your vehicle is a total loss, because it will be deducted from your PAV. As I stated before, should the third party insurance company accept liability, this can easily be recovered either through legal cover if you have this with your Broker, and if not, you can contact the third party insurance company direct yourself. They are Covea Insurance.
I am sorry but I can be of no further assistance to you, and as previously advised if you are not happy this would have to go to complaints.
Kind regards"
I am perhaps being very thick, but I have literally no clue what to do or where I am now. I've been told 'accept this, now, it's your last offer' I relent, and say 'ok, tell me what I am accepting and I'll accept'. I seem to not get any real answer and get told to sod off. ???
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They have given you free choice to contact the third party direct, so I would suggest doing so...
https://www.coveainsurance.co.uk/claims/personal_product_claims/Motorist-and-MotorSure.aspx
This is only as complicated as you make it... but moral of the story being this: Only deal with your insurer if you might be at fault.
I would be changing insurers though as anything related to Swinton is going to end in tears.
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Trust me, I will be moving!
In fact as of next renewal (Apriltime, iirc) I was going to be sorting an agreed valuation, possibly on classic insurance, anyway. All I had to do was sort the back arches, and not get driven into for the next 6 months... ::)
My head's cleared a bit now. :)
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I,ve had both and bad service regarding Swinton, the last one being the bad. As we all know insurance is fine, until you need to claim, then it can become a bit of a nightmare, especially if you have older , lower value car. The guy who wrote mine off (left his handbrake off), had a newish Astra and his claim was dealt with speedily. Mine, I ended up jumping through various sizes of hoops. The payout on mine was £830 with me keeping it. Hope you get it sorted asap as it seems that the world is conspiring against you at times. DLTBGYD. :y
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Thanks ronnyd :y
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If you do require assistance, do PM me or give me a call :y
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Just remember .. Swinton are NOT, and never have been Insurers... they are brokers .. nothing more, nothing less, and they refer you to their "claims line" which is actually a third party claims handler who makes money by charging the insurers a fortune for hire cars IF you are entitled to one. If you are not they are simply not interested and will close the case as fast as they can, often telling the third party to write the vehicle off without your permission, as once the vehicle is written off you have far fewer options ... read the clause "total loss" in your policy :(
Also .. as brokers and NOT insurers .. Swinton - and their third party claims handlers - do not come under the umbrella of the Insurance Ombudsman - believe you me .. I know having spent 12 months fighting them.
I would not touch Swinton with a 50 foot bargepole, in fact, if they were the only way of getting insurance I would go without a car first.
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You claim excesses with your uninsured loss cover, if you do not have this, you need to get a claims management company,
Also at the bottom of your policy, is the name of the insurance company who covered you e.g., avviva,prudential,ageas, etc contact them. Don't give in. No is not the answer,.
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In fairness to them I've been insured through Swinton for quite a few years now,and when my Senator was wrecked in 2010 they couldn't have been more helpful!
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Swinton are simply brokers. In the event of any claims, nobody should be talking to them, beyond the initial reporting??
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Swinton are simply brokers. In the event of any claims, nobody should be talking to them, beyond the initial reporting??
There is no need to even tell Swinton .. as long as you inform your actual insurers.
Swinton WANT you to go through their claims handlers as they make more money that way. In the case of Chris's car .. the claims handler instantly started trying to get money out of the third party insurers and never even informed her insurers .. it wasn't until the "write off" entered the insurers database that her insurers even knew about the accident !!
In theory she was, potentially, driving uninsured as she was in breach of the insurers conditions ... ie to inform them of any accident or claim .. we assumed - bad thing to do - that Swintons Claims Line (claims handlers) had done so .. wrongly as it happens.
The Insurance Ombudsman totally agreed with us but Swinton are outside the scheme as they are Brokers NOT insurers.
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Well, page 2 looks optimistic reading! My only choice may be whether to get out the razor blades or the rope. :o
Just as another update, just had a call from Aviva (so it seems I'm insured by the Aviva side of The Insurance Line, then) who have said this i basically an introductory call, as they've been informed I'm not happy with the settlement, so they're going to pass it on to an engineer for review, which may be today, but within 5 working days. I imagine he will promptly refuse any increase in the offer, however it does keep things 'moving' and now being able to speak to a reasonable person I have now been able to made it clear I simply want...
a to keep the car
b to have a sum of money to help me repair her
c to know that the 3rd party is accepting liability, as I am in limbo at present with a theoretical £90 in my pocket, should I not get my excess back
I've said I'm not after thousands, I'm not after the total repair bill (£1900) I just want to be given a sum, and I'll repair her myself, shut up and leave them alone, simple. I'm really not asking for much. :)
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Where did the £1900 come from :-\
You'll be bloody lucky to get close to my suggested figure tbh...
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Being honest that £1900 was an artificially high quote from the guy who did my roof, using all brand new parts etc. (approx £900 in parts :o) and for the whole NS to be stripped down and resprayed with brand new door and wing, indicators lenses, rubbing strips etc.
Of course in the real world you could buy a whole Omega donor in the right colour for £450 (...which I have, of course! ;D)
I've been on to them again, they've got back to me, as they were looking at wanting to see my car as a total loss/scrapped >:(.
If I can produce a quote for £590 for the repairs, using second hand parts etc. send them a copy of that, then they'll send me a check for the £590. To be honest I'm happy at that. Being philosophical maybe it could have been more, but it could have been a lot less. That's a genuine cheque, no faffing about with excess to claim back at a later date etc.
I've got a donor car, which I can get a few other bits off, swap the worst bits of my car over with the best bits of that, alls I need to sort is the back arch/arches a PFL outer door trim/rubbing strip and a CDX badge.
It's not over until that checque is cashed but I feel a bit of relief. And also distaste for insurers!
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Being honest that £1900 was an artificially high quote from the guy who did my roof, using all brand new parts etc. (approx £900 in parts :o ) and for the whole NS to be stripped down and resprayed with brand new door and wing, indicators lenses, rubbing strips etc.
Using all brand new parts is what your insurance policy contracts for. Of course, that does still allow for repairs to things like doors, bumpers etc.
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Being honest that £1900 was an artificially high quote from the guy who did my roof, using all brand new parts etc. (approx £900 in parts :o ) and for the whole NS to be stripped down and resprayed with brand new door and wing, indicators lenses, rubbing strips etc.
Using all brand new parts is what your insurance policy contracts for. Of course, that does still allow for repairs to things like doors, bumpers etc.
As did my estimate using industry agreed repair times, £850 or thereabouts off the top of my head, including parts iirc :-\
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Ok, the repair times for your damage as you proposed are as follows:
Total repair time of 24.6 decimal hours presuming that neither wing or door was the correct colour and required prep/paint.
This consists of the following:
12 decimal hours to remove, refit and paint NS front wing and NS front door. 12.6 decimal hours to repaint NS rear door and NS wing.
However, if you replace the front wing and BOTH doors with Diamond Black items, then paint just the rear wing then the total repair time would be reduced to 14.1 decimal hours.
This consists of the following:
6.7 decimal hours to remove and refit the NS front wing, NS front door and NS rear door. 7.4 decimal hours to repaint NS rear wing.
In short, assuming an insurance body shop labour rate of £25+vat, so £30 inc per hour...
Option 1. 24.6 hours @ £25 gives a total cost of £615 + vat or £738 inc.
Option 2. 14.1 hours @ £25 gives a total of £352.50 + vat or £423 inc.
Obviously these are the Thatcham TTS times, not a fixed amount, and don't include the cost of parts or materials.
It should however allow you to build a reasoned estimate if you can price the wing/doors and add £75 for paint/materials.
Hth
Edit to add following image...
(http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y486/05omegav6/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151027_192226_zpsfwwce3pu.jpg)
This is where the timings came from
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Entwood, Swintons "claims line" is run by Quindell. Google them, some of it makes uneasy reading but my claim went through reasonably. The other guys insurer and broker weren,t so keen on their charges though. :o
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Just a word of thanks, again, chaps :y
Let you know what happens next in the saga :)
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Option 2 in my post probably falls within the scope of your £590 assuming you paid buttons for the donor...
I wouldn't be holding out for much more tbh :-\
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Entwood, Swintons "claims line" is run by Quindell. Google them, some of it makes uneasy reading but my claim went through reasonably. The other guys insurer and broker weren,t so keen on their charges though. :o
Yeah .. don't we know about "swindell" ... bunch of lying tossers.... and again .. outside the remit of the Insurance Ombudsman ... :(