Gutted

[klauster]

scum of the earth, get a proper job and earn the right to have bucket seats!

[cherub72]

Update : just had an extremely impersonal letter from the insurance telling me that they want to write the car off as it is "beyond economic repair".

Lets wait to see what pittance they want to offer me for it, I see an arguement in the near future....

[PJC]

What's the repair cost?.

What year and mileage is the car?.

[cherub72]

car is on a 06 plate with around 70K on it. Recently had a service and a few other bits done to it too leaving me just over a grand lighter. They haven't come back with the cost. I'm going to take a guess and say that they can't get the seats

[PJC]

Still worth around 20K

[cherub72]

I've been looking online and getting one with the buckets and a nice interior is coming in at more than that

[spikeyboy101]

Insurance companies can be a right PIT for this type of action - what they are saying is that is a constructive total loss.

As in the cost to repair will be more than the Salvage they will get for the car.

Cost to repair:

Say £2,500 a seat plus other repairs - total insurance pays out £5,500

Constructive Total Loss:

Book Price for the car (this is the book price not the market price and doesnt take into account extras extra): £20,000
Salvage they will get for the car: £15,000
Total paid by insurance company: £5,000


As such they save £500 by writing the car off.

I do believe you can argue this with them and insist on the repairing if you can give good reason.

[PJC]

I was being conservative for a car without the exclusive interior, might be worth getting repair quotes yourself.

Really can't see how they can be saying its beyond economic repair.

Or get these people to quote to replace the whole interior

http://www.plush-automotive.co.uk/

[PJC]

Insurance companies can be a right PIT for this type of action - what they are saying is that is a constructive total loss.

As in the cost to repair will be more than the Salvage they will get for the car.

Cost to repair:

Say £2,500 a seat plus other repairs - total insurance pays out £5,500

Constructive Total Loss:

Book Price for the car (this is the book price not the market price and doesnt take into account extras extra): £20,000
Salvage they will get for the car: £15,000
Total paid by insurance company: £5,000


As such they save £500 by writing the car off.

I do believe you can argue this with them and insist on the repairing if you can give good reason.

I was under the impression the cost of repair had to be at least more than 50% of the cars value before it was written off.

[spikeyboy101]

Dont believe so - Insurance company will look to see what option they pay out the least amount on.

Its called constructive total loss or economic total loss:

The insurance companies look at what it would cost to buy your car at its pre-accident value and then sell the damaged car for salvage. Next, they compare this figure to the cost of repair, potential supplements, projected lowered resale value, and rental reimbursement costs. If it doesn’t make economic sense to repair the car, they will declare it a total loss and pay you the actual cash value of the car at its pre-accident state.

[cherub72]

It turns something that I used to get a lot of enjoment out of into a hassle and an arguement, all because of some thieving scumbag.

I can get a close replacemenet here http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

It has the same colour interior and a lot of the same options, doesn't have the TV option but that's moot since the digital switchover anyway

[spikeyboy101]

Best thing to do is to research the cost to replace YOUR car, you need to be able to argue the book price they are comming up with.

Its it going to be a hassle, if they try to total loss it, yes. But there are things that can work in your favour, gather as much info as you can (that advert is a good start), then if necessary go to the financial ombudsman.

One thing to bear in mind, if they do write your car off, you can ask to by the car from them as salvage, if they say they have already sold the car before you have agreed to a settlement price they have been very naughty as they cant do that until you have agreed to their settlement, until they have paid you, YOU still own the car.

This may help a bit: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/p ... ation.html

[cherub72]

Thanks for this, it's a really useful guide, I wonder if the insurance people will agree

[spikeyboy101]

No problem - the good thing is it doesnt matter if the insurance company agrees - the Financial Ombudsman can tell them what they have to do and they have to do it.

They are very helpful as well - so if your having issues just give them a call and they can advise you what to do.

[PJC]

Good advice there.