Help! In danger of losing the Supe!

As some may know last weekend my car got trashed while I was at a mates house. List of damage is;

Front windscreen

Drivers drop window

Driver's side quater window

Rear window

All 4 tyres

Spoiler hit with a bar (but not cracked, only paintwork I think).

Anyways. After much annoyance and pacing up and down the street at 1am (I stuck my head out of my mates window just in time to see a baseball bat go through my rear window) I called the police, they arrived and then went to look for the chav's.

No luck with them locating them that night and in the morning I wrapped the car in a tarp and waited for Scene of Crime Officers to arrive. They then took photos and glass samples etc.

I was informed latter that night one of the chav's handed himself in (I gather through a little persuasion from my mates bro and dad who found out who it was). Police took a statement from all and said they had names of those involved and they would try and locate them - to date they havn't found them! (surprise surprise!)

Anyway, called 24 hr accident number on my insurance to get vehicle recovered to a secure yard. This happened and it's still there.

Tues morning I get a call from RAC Auto windscreens about sorting the glass - turns out they can't store the car due to lack of tyres so it has to stay in storage where it was trailered to. It's still there.

RAC act very quickly in ordering the glass and it's on its way now. They tell me price is around £1600 all in (fitting, VAT seals etc) I was forced to put in a full claim to the insurance company to get them to asses the damage, even though I thought it would be a write-off (which I didn't want!) on the understanding that I could withdraw or amend the claim later to just 'Windscreen replacement'.

Not too happy as full claim would be £500 excess and would lose my no-claims and put my premium up next year. If I claim for glass (which has unlimited value, so I was told) my NCB remains intact and I pay £70 excess. I have the stock wheels so would still be able to use the car until I have the money to replace the tyres.

Engineer turns up to inspect the car and says glass alone will cost around £2,800 to buy and fit!! Hence he declare's car a write-off, tells insurance company and then organsises for it to be towed to a scrap yard tomorrow!

I have been in constant communication with the insurance company (me ringing them) to keep updated but I'm told no decision can be made until they receive the engineers report. Then I find out they want to scrap it! I don't see how this can happen if they havn't received this said report!

I have a heart attack and walk out of work, almost losing my job to get this sorted. I speak to Steve Manley at Toyta who tells me all parts, including seals are £866 including VAT etc. I then speak to a local window company who agree to fit for £200. including VAT etc. I ask both companies to fax a headed quote/estimate for the work to the insurance company who are waiting to receive them.

I don't know where I stand at the moment as the storage yard say they have to release the vehicle to the insurance company or their representantive if they turn up to collect it. Also, I have formally withdrawn my claim and ammended it to a 'Windscreen repair' and provided them with cheaper quotes to fix. They have told me they will inform the engineer, but it is his decision to go ahead with work or write it off. I then question his competance as the price he quoted is over £1700 more than I have found, and I only made 2 calls!

Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? As if the car get's written off I lose around £4-5k (after you take into accoutn insurance premium, wheels, service and maintenance costs) the car and get a huge bill from the storage company!

I'm tearing my hair out and don't know which way to turn!

I'VE ONLY HAD IT 6 WEEKS!!!!!!

Try giving one of the breakers, Keron/Jezz, a ring. They should have glass on some of their cars in so it might be a little easier to get it sorted and a bit cheaper. Just a thought.

It sucks, but if you claim from the insurance and they have nowhere to re-claim their loses from (a liable third party) then they will take the cheapest route for them. However, if you stand to lose 5 grand, take the cheapest route for you - keep the car, don't claim and fix it yourself - total cost £1000.

Cheers luke, although the insurance company were ment to be sorting it out and paying for it. I have told them I can get the parts cheaper as Steve will give us a discount but they said it has to be done through them if they are going to pay for it! Think Steve did say around £600 if I bought it, which is nice to know!

That is sh*it mate, but i am sure the insurance company can not take your car until they have paid you out the money for it, as you still own it. I would call one of them specialist vehicle solicitors places and explain what has happend and see what they say. Good luck and i hope they dont write your supe off.

what Luka said is probably your best bet atm, hearing stuff like this happen makes me sick to the core and the sooner people like that are removed from the gene pool the better imo. Don't despair there are some good people on here who can help

It sucks, but if you claim from the insurance and they have nowhere to re-claim their loses from (a liable third party) then they will take the cheapest route for them. However, if you stand to lose 5 grand, take the cheapest route for you - keep the car, don't claim and fix it yourself - total cost £1000.

Thats why I wanted to claim for just the windows. Then I'll have to pay the £800 for tyres and hopefully I can sort the spoiler out pretty easily.

Hi mate, gutted for you.

I have a drivers side door glass that you can have for free if you can collect it from SL2 4LD.

Good luck with the repairs.

Tyres shouldn't cost you more than £500 if you shop around.

That is sh*it mate, but i am sure the insurance company can not take your car until they have paid you out the money for it, as you still own it. I would call one of them specialist vehicle solicitors places and explain what has happend and see what they say. Good luck and i hope they dont write your supe off.

Excuse the ignorance *Blushes* but I didn't know people like this existed? Any idea's who to call?

And don't anyone say ghostbusters!!

Hi mate, gutted for you.

 

I have a drivers side door glass that you can have for free if you can collect it from SL2 4LD.

 

Good luck with the repairs.

Thanks mate, really appreciated. Hopefully won't need to if the insurance company learn the difference between their ass and elbow!

BTW, this is a bit surprising as I'm with Adrian Flux (underwritten by Red Star) and I have only heard good things about them!

Excuse the ignorance *Blushes* but I didn't know people like this existed? Any idea's who to call?

 

And don't anyone say ghostbusters!!

I am not sure of companies down south but if you look in the yellow pages or give 118 118 a call and ask them they should be able to point you in the right direction.

First off contact the GISC also it might be worth PMing Sean1933 on here as he works in insurance.

first off contact the gisc also it might be worth pming sean1933 on here as he works in insurance.

gisc?

 

Anyway, called 24 hr accident number on my insurance to get vehicle recovered to a secure yard. This happened and it's still there.

 

can i just ask if you can confirm that you did actually ask them, was this their advice too.......how did they want to play it?

The more of these insurance stories i hear the more convinced i become that i'd get mine back home and not let it out of my sight.

Well it was a Sunday morning during the bank-holiday weekend so I called them (number was listed in my policy documents). Then, on their advice I logged a full claim to get it assesed. At that point I was pretty sure they would write it off but was told they needed to see it to pay for storage/recovery costs.

Storage yard now say they won't release it to me unless I pay on collection. Even then, I have no way of moving it until I get the old wheels back on!

One on my cars got written off. What i did i let them go ahead with the write off and got a cheque for £5000.00 and i then bought the car back off them for £1200.00 and organised the work myself which cost me £1800.00 ish. I nearly made £2000.00 out of it. Speak to the insurance company. You should be able to buy the car back off them if they declare it as a write off.

One on my cars got written off. What i did i let them go ahead with the write off and got a cheque for £5000.00 and i then bought the car back off them for £1200.00 and organised the work myself which cost me £1800.00 ish. I nearly made £2000.00 out of it. Speak to the insurance company. You should be able to buy the car back off them if they declare it as a write off.

That would be a good idea as I can see the 'earning potential' for it but the main flaw is it would be classed as a CAT D write-off and they might only pay out half the value if I was to make a further claim. Also, I would lose my NCB and I am doubting that they could fix the car properly with the money they offer me so I'd still be out of pocket.

This way it only cost's me for new tyres and a paint job on the spoiler

Insurance company have just been on the phone. After mentioning that I'd go to the FSA (who now regulate insurance companies) if this wasn't sorted today, they quickly pulled their finger/fist out and told me the claim had been approved, and to let them know the fitting date of the windscreen.

They also said they would pay all cost's involved and I even got them to waive the excess in compensation for my time and stress.

Thanks for all the advice guys, I feel much happier now as I will hopefully get the car back this week!

Then it's a full tank and some sideways action to make up for lost time!

Right tell them forget it pick the car up get yourself down to mine i have another car with the boot glass in arrange removal and fit back into yours the glass you can have for nothing

Thanks for the offer Wayne, really appreciate it. But looks like it's sorted. Any chance that offer still stands but with your shinny engine?

glad you got it sorted mate. insurence companies are always a pain and never really care about how important our cars are to us some times. i am surprised however it was with a company who have always been highly recomended, not that they could ever do me a good deal though. g/f started her new job as an underwriter 2day so hopefully should be able to bring it down for next year. did they ever catch the little gits by the way?

They have name's but 'have not been able to locate them at this time'

My response was I can have them on your doorstep in 24hrs if you give me immunity from anything that may happen!

They have name's but 'have not been able to locate them at this time'

 

My response was I can have them on your doorstep in 24hrs if you give me immunity from anything that may happen!

they deserve it, thats for sure, well fingers crossed there caught up with soon enough. cant get my head round it though why they would do that, it really annoys me, and these are probably the sort of young people o have to bloody work with and defend against accusations (think the spelling right) from the police. makes me wonder how many of those young people i supported have infact dodged the bullet

Glad your sorted. Happy driving again soon.

gisc?

Pretty much the same as the FSA , glad you now have it under control:)