Car accident insurance claim advice

[Ads Nems]

Wanted to ask for advice as not has to make an insurance claim in years.

Wife was stationery at a red traffic light and van went into a stationery Ford Focus which then went into the back of the wife’s Audi. Some damage to bumper but she’s now suffering from back spasms ever since.

Question is which is best path to make an insurance claim?
1. From the Ford focus’ insurance that went into the wife’s car?
2. Our insurance to claim from the Ford Focus insurance (not sure if that affects no claims)
3. Audi said they have a department that will take care of entire insurance claim and doesn’t involve our insurance .

From experience which is the best way to make the claim ?

 

[Colywobbles]

This has just happened to both me in the car and the wife on her bike.
We both went to a 3rd party claims company then it doesn’t go down as a claim on your insurance and I actually rang to confirm this.
I have got a decent replacement hire car and the wife a **** replacement bike while both are being repaired.
I had no injuries so didn’t go that route but it has left the wife with back spasms and a badly swollen and bruised leg and but but thankfully we both still here on planet earth so it could have been worse.
Wife got a brand new helmet like for like which was £500 and she will be getting a replacement Jacket too at some point.
Her next step is a medical exam and check to see what has caused the back spasms and at least she will get her physio for free as she has paid a small fortune on her previous hip and knees physio’s.

 

[Colywobbles]

Oh use Audis own not your company.
We went with Kia’s for mine and Honda for wendy they really look after you in every respect and as I said previously it won’t effect your Insurance and go down as a no fault claim.

Feel free to ring me Adam @Ads Nems I’m no sure you have my mobile number if not send DM

 

[Ads Nems]

Thanks for the advice Col. Hope Wendy is on the mend

 

[Fantazia2]

Do you not still have to declare it when renewing your insurance, I thought it asked for any accidents in past x amount of years and not just claims on insurance?

 

[Pick Holder]

It is the vehicle that hit you - those are the details you take and inform your insurance company about. They will take the other cars details too.

You claim off them, then they will argue with the other vehicle owners insurance company.

Insurances view is the car behind you should of had the hand brake on and foot on the brake pedal.

The fault is always the person who hit you. It is then between the other 2 parties to sort out liability.

YOU HAVE TO LIST EVERY CLAIM - EVEN IF NO FAULT.

 

[AlanJ]

you pay your insurance company good money - use them!

we’ve had two accidents in 3 months. both were non fault as Clare was hit from behind in both cases (she’s never had an accident in over 40 years of driving, then 2 in less than 3 months) - first one was more complex as she was shunted into the car in front which was then shunted into another car in front. In the end all 3 hit cars claimed off the one at the back.

We have still got our full no claims and the excess paid back.

As others have said, we still need to declare these two on any future renewals, even for the insurance renewal for our other car. Bit daft, but that’s the way it is.
It’s not an issue as they’re non-fault accidents, so dont seem to affect any quotes. (you can check this by plugging all your details into one of the insurance quote websites and playing around with the info you provide).

 

[Wayne J]

Trust me on this one.

Use your insurance company, don't try contacting the other people's insurance company yourself.
They will deal with all other parties and be trying to get the biggest payout possible and looking after your interests.

I had my car hit by a lorry on the 6th July. I called the AA to get it moved, with the intention of then calling my insurers.


(I didn't park my car there - the lorry pushed it there!)


Instead I was pressured in to taking the AAs 'Accident assistance' where I was assured my no claims would remain in tact (which it would anyway as a no fault claim) and I wouldn't have to pay any excess. The reason they do this is so that they can process the claim and then charge your insurance company for the honour of doing it. I only found this out when I called my insurance company to let them know what had happened out of courtesy.

Now, 5 WEEKS LATER, I still have not had any news regarding the car. It hasn't even been looked at yet to decide whether it's repairable or a write off, so I'm stuck in limbo.

They have not answered a single email I have sent, although they have received them all, as when I have rang (and got through after half an hour on hold) they acknowledge that they have received it and then try to answer the questions, which they clearly haven't looked at.

I do know that the car was in storage for over 3 weeks, as someone from another department within the AA rang me to ask what was happening with it! She told me that she couldn't get through to the right department as they never pick up phones or answer emails. When I pushed that I needed to get personal belongings out of the car she said she'd get back to me. A WEEK LATER when I rang to chase I was told that the car had been moved from Walsall (where I actually live) to Rugby over 90 mile round trip and nearly 2hrs driving. I'm still waiting for a response as to whether I can claim expenses, both time and fuel, for the trip.

They did sort out a courtesy car quickly. Which I was told would be a 7 seater similar to my current car. They've given me a petrol Vauxhall GrandLand (rather than a diesel). Not only does it guzzle fuel, it doesn't fit a pinball in (the whole reason for me having such a large car) AND the 6th and 7th seats have actually been removed, so it is of no use as a large people carrier. The fact that it is petrol rather than diesel means I am getting 20 mpg less costing a fortune. My tax and insurance is due for renewal at the end of this month. Had the AA actually pulled their fingers out (if they do write it off) I could have SORN'd the car and claimed back on both tax and insurance - more money lost.

The second however I mentioned a personal injury claim they were exceptionally quick off the mark in passing me to their 'expert' solicitors so I could make a claim. They got a physio appointment set up - I was offered only Saturday at 17:30 for appointments, over 10miles away..

I will be making a complaint to the insurance ombudsman when this is close to being resolved and pursuing a claim against the AA for the additional expenses that have been incurred due to their ineptitude, along with cancelling my breakdown cover with them.

RANT OVER.

As for the personal injury claim, once you log the claim with your insurers they not only will suggest a solicitor, they will put the details of the incident on a database, which every ambulance chaser has access to - you will get phone calls and emails asking if you want to make a claim - they'll find you, you won't have to go looking.

 

[JT.]

I will be making a complaint to the insurance ombudsman when this is close to being resolved and pursuing a claim against the AA for the additional expenses that have been incurred due to their ineptitude, along with cancelling my breakdown cover with them.

Agree on all your comments - these companies are parasites that over-complicate what should be straight forwards, while claiming back obscene amounts from insurers for their services and the cars they loan out - hence putting up all our premiums. They should be outlawed tbh.

It's the Claims Management Ombudsman, which is part of the Financial Services Ombudsman, that regulates that industry - and the FCO is one of the more effective ombudsmen too, so well worth a complaint.

 

[Drew.m]

Same thing happened to me, insured with Admiral took 6 months to repair (parts shortage) when my renewal came they tried to auto renew at £3700, when i questioned it they said the accident was taken into consideration even though i was hit from behind while stationary at a roundabout.

 

[Jagspete]

discovered when we moved house that insurance claims are linked to addresses as well as to names

 

[Wayne J]

This information may be useful if anybody else has the need to make a claim in the future.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ACCEPT AA ACCIDENT ASSISTANCE to help process your claim.

They told me at the time of the accident (6th July) that they will be handling the claim and will take care of everything.
Right from the start it has been a complete and utter clusterf*ck.

They have not answered a single email I have sent requesting information.
Last night I received an email saying that 'because they have not had a response from the 3rd party' they are handing the claim back to my insurers. This despite my personal injury solicitor having already said that the 3rd party has admitted full liability.

Over 6 weeks they have achieved absolutely sweet FA, other than to move my car over an hour away.

They have written the car off without inspecting it at all (confirmed by the storage yard where my car is), only from looking at photographs taken on the 26th July (they made the decision on the 29th), but only informed me yesterday.

I have tried to put a complaint in to the insurance ombudsman, detailed above, but need to put a complaint in to the AA first. They have responded saying they will get back to me within 8 weeks!

To repeat The AA ACCIDENT ASSIST is a complete and utter scam on their behalf. They have done nothing whatsoever to progress the claim and simply sat on it with zero correspondence before passing it back to my original insurers, for which they'll no doubt claim a fortune from them thus putting up future premiums.

 

[Garry Sp8]

If you have an accident that’s not your fault and you use one of these 3rd parties to handle the claim on your behalf (as opposed to using your own insurance) then you may well get a decent loan car very quickly and they’ll put you in touch with all kinds of medical experts physios etc and look after you (or possibly not as in Wayne’s case ).
Trouble is they will charge the insurance company an absolute fortune for their services. You may think what does it matter as long as it doesn’t cost me? In actual fact it costs us all because the insurers simply have to hike their rates to cover the high cost of these middle men.
In my case they charged a fortune for providing a BMW 530D estate car and mine was actually a 520D at the time.
Even though someone ploughed into the back of me when I was stationary my insurance premiums have gone up for the last 5 years due to me having a claim.