I have just received an email offering a free 3 year policy, best described as accident management cover, You ring them directly if you have an accident an they deal with the insurance companies, repair outlet and legal matters.  Does anyone have experience of this, I assume it is a Skoda product?  Any catches?

It sounds like a method for Skoda to get more Accident and repair work ? If you have an accident you should only need to make one call to your insurer, so they are not saving you much time ?  

It depends on who you want to do the repairs. If you are happy to use your insurance company's 'recommended repairer', then probably Ensurance (which is a product available right across the VAG range) isn't for you. I would use a Skoda repair shop anyway, so it's a no-brainer for me.

 

When my Golf was damaged by a hit-and-run merchant in a car park, the 'recommended repairer' wasn't one I was prepared to use and I had a fight with my insurance company to get them to let me use a VW garage. I won in the end, but had I had Ensurance, VW would have taken up the fight for me.

 

I recommend you read the FAQs and the Cover Booklet which you can get from here. It's absolutely FREE for three years (I think it's about £49 pa after that, but you can cancel at any time). Even if you don't want to invoke the claim management part, it comes with free Legal Assistance cover.

 

I haven't been able to find any catches and I've signed up both my, and my wife's, Skodas in the scheme.

 

Edited to add - and if your insurance company won't agree to pay anything extra that genuine Skoda parts might cost over look-alikes, Skoda will pay the difference.

 

What's not to like about the scheme?

 

(No business connection with Skoda, just please to have three Skodas in the family)

Edited 7 November, 201312 yr by Paladine

Not long had the same e-mail so they must be sending them out on block.

Had a good search round for more info and it all comes out good so will probably go for it can;t see anything to lose.

Would be nice to know if anyone thinks otherwise.

Registered both our cars last month. Nothing to lose as I do not have to use them but at least I have the option.

+1 on the above. having seen what some insurance companies get up to on watchdog I'd want mine done at a VAG approved repairer if I'm unfortunate enough to have an accident but it's down to individual choice. Guess they are hoping you stay with them after 3 years

signed up this afternoon, this is the link from their email:

 

 

https://www.insurewithskoda.co.uk/Products/Ensurance/

Have just registered the Yeti and myself with them. Have read through the FAQ's and Cover booklet and it all seems above board. At the very least you will get Skoda Technicians and VAG parts etc. There should be no problems with Warranty issues due to parts etc.

I think the scheme is perfectly reasonable although not ultimately free. The management company employed to provide this service will extract payment form the insurance company during the claims process. As the insurance company's pay for these costs from selling insurance policy's to us, then this service will ultimately increase the cost of a typical car insurance policy. So the old adage there's no such thing as a free lunch unfortunately holds true.      

In addition to above, be careful on supplied courtesy car. I had a similar service from Land Rover insurance on the range rovers. When someone went into the rear of me, they were very good in arranging everything and a Discovery 4 was dropped off by national within a couple of hours. However, If I hadn't read the small print, I would have kept car for longer than free 48 hours and third party's insurers would have received a bill for over £4k due to £400+ a day rental fee from national.

Instead I swapped it out for free courtesy car from local LR dealer. I'm sure they would have been clearer in stating costs had I been at fault and personally bearing cost of replacement vehicle, however! I'm sure some are not aware of this or ignore anyway as they are not footing the bill.

As per above, it all goes on our insurance costs and you can see how these claims easily escalate with these kind of practices going on.

Cheers

Steve

Going through a claim at this present moment it would be nice to believe that I only had to deal with one party in  a claims process.  I have had to deal with my broker (theAA who also trailered my vehicle home), the insurer (managing the car repair aspect of the claim) the repairer (non-Skoda who have done a spectacular job), the legal firm (handling the bodily injury and uninsured loss recovery - Policy Excess and medical expenses etc.,).

 

This policy is free so no harm in taking it - but as other posters indicate I have had to buy an insurance policy to cover me for the situation whereby my losses cannot be recovered by the Lawyers etc, etc., so I do not think this policy is the silver bullet one touch and done that it may appear to be.

 

I also have the misfortune  of dealing with a foreign insurer who are now contesting the legality of their driver as an excuse to not pay 3rd party damages and that's a whole new story.

In addition to above, be careful on supplied courtesy car. I had a similar service from Land Rover insurance on the range rovers. When someone went into the rear of me, they were very good in arranging everything and a Discovery 4 was dropped off by national within a couple of hours. However, If I hadn't read the small print, I would have kept car for longer than free 48 hours and third party's insurers would have received a bill for over £4k due to £400+ a day rental fee from national.

Instead I swapped it out for free courtesy car from local LR dealer. I'm sure they would have been clearer in stating costs had I been at fault and personally bearing cost of replacement vehicle, however! I'm sure some are not aware of this or ignore anyway as they are not footing the bill.

As per above, it all goes on our insurance costs and you can see how these claims easily escalate with these kind of practices going on.

Cheers

Steve

A very valid point. The claiming party has an obligation to mitigate costs and if it all gets messy it will be down to a judge to decide what is reasonable. Courtesy cars should be fine but it's when they start offering like-for-like replacements on credit hire agreements that it can go badly wrong. If the claim can't be settled it will be your signature on the credit hire agreement and not Skoda Ensurance.

So as others have said, a nice service but use with caution. Skoda aren't offering this out of their kindness and love for their customers. Don't be fooled by the Skoda branding, there will be a claims management business sitting behind it (possibly RAC given the links already in place for roadside recovery).

So as others have said, a nice service but use with caution. Skoda aren't offering this out of their kindness and love for their customers. Don't be fooled by the Skoda branding, there will be a claims management business sitting behind it (possibly RAC given the links already in place for roadside recovery).

 

I hardly think that Skoda (or VAG) is out to fool anyone. The cover booklet is available on their web sites and it clearly shows that the partners are General Insurance, on behalf of Ageas Insurance (which used to be Fortis, which I believe is owned by RIAS [or vice versa]), and Lawshield UK.

 

Caution should be used before signing up to anything which involves a contract, whether it's for insurance, broadband, or Ensurance. On the Skoda web site, there are FAQs, the detailed cover booklet and a phone number to ring if you have any questions.

 

Obviously, VAG stand to gain workshop revenue from this scheme, but as I would use a particular Skoda repair shop anyway, I've signed up for it - having been through the details of cover with a fine tooth-comb first!

Edited 8 November, 201312 yr by Paladine

I agree with what you say and thank you for all the information. However, I still question their positioning on the website that says:-

"We understand that being involved in an accident and having to deal with lots of companies can be really stressful and time consuming. That’s why we’ve designed Ensurance to take care of everything for you."

No one should think for a moment that they designed Ensurance for that reason! As you say, an increase in workshop revenue is one reason. And therefore as with most commercial marketing situations there is an element of fooling going on. If it didn't make a difference then there would just be a direct link to the Ageas website.

Don't get me wrong - I think it sounds like a good thing if used correctly and I intend to sign up.

VAG are aggressively pushing a product. They hope to get, initially, more work for their repair shops and, in the longer term, their customers to pay for something they are getting for free at the moment.

 

Looking at the financial side of it, even if it costs £49pa, legal advice cover is included, and that can cost £30 through an insurance company (yes, I know some lump it in for free - but not many do that), so the claim management side and paying any extra for genuine VAG parts comes out at £19pa. Some people might consider it worth paying for, but while it's free, count me in.

 

There is no fooling (or deception) involved. All the information is there on the web sites if you look for it. I've just had a mailshot from my Water Utility Company, offering me plumbing insurance for a head-lining £12. Reading the small print, that goes up to £84 after the first year!

 

It's always good practice to look past the advertising blurb.

Edited 9 November, 201312 yr by Paladine

Looks good to me, just signed up and got my text but not had the email yet.

 

Martin

I've just signed up for that.  

 

I might not use their courtesy car. 

 

Since my policy with insurer (elephant.co.uk) has included the legal expenses, is it still necessary to use Skoda Ensurance's legal cover?  

 

Also since I'm required to contact Skoda Ensurance first, would this mean the legal expenses will automatically go through them instead of my insurer? 

Has anyone who has used this service had any issues with insurance for the courtesy car?

 

My car insurance (like most, I expect) covers me to drive vehicles I don't own only on a third party, fire and theft basis.  Thus my local dealer tries to charge when providing a courtesy car for service or repair, or wants me to indemnify them by agreeing an exorbitant excess.

 

My insurers are happy to provide courtesy cars without the need for either of these.

My insurer (Direct Line) has previously given me fully comp insurance on loan cars for no cost, and then faxed the notice of insurance to the dealer.