Ensurance - any thoughts?

[kalpat]

Skoda have emailed a free offer of insurance/claims assistance after an accident. I assume all new owners get this, but wondered what others thought about it.

[gullyg]

Looks like it might be quite good. Certainly can't be as bad as the claims handlers that some insurance companies use.

[Neily03]

Seems like a waste of money to me.  Plus insurance companies as far as i know will only deal with the policy holder due to the data protection act.....

[Dalelfc89]

Seems like a waste of money to me. Plus insurance companies as far as i know will only deal with the policy holder due to the data protection act.....

It's free.

[Neily03]

It's free.

 

Lol! Shows how much of the email i read!

 

Anyway i'd much rather handle the claim myself so i know its being sorted properly by people who know what they're doing.  Using a 'skoda approved' garage doesn't really mean anything, they can still do a **** job.

[Paladine]

Seems like a waste of money to me.  Plus insurance companies as far as i know will only deal with the policy holder due to the data protection act.....

Discussions about Ensurance are cropping up on several different threads at the moment, presumably as a result of the emails Skoda is sending out. A sticky  dedicated thread would pull all these (and future) comments together.

 

Regarding the Data Protection Act, provided the policy holder gives the insurance company permission to deal with Ensurance, there is no problem at all. I have verified this with both Ensurance and my insurance company.

 

The Data Protection Act is often incorrectly quoted as a means of preventing a company doing what their clients wants them to do, but which might cause them to get off their backsides and do some work. Even the Information Commissioner himself has said that (if not in those exact words).

[wantaskoda]

I signed up to it, purely becuase it is free.

 

what have you got to lose.

 

the good thing is that they will have experince of TELLING the insurance comapny to use a Skoda approved insurer and can stand up to them to make sure it happens.

 

IF I have an accident then what is the worst I can do but give it a try.

[Neily03]

 

the good thing is that they will have experince of TELLING the insurance comapny to use a Skoda approved insurer and can stand up to them to make sure it happens.

 

But can do that yourself anyway. Plus going to a Skoda approved repairer doesn't mean they'll do a good job.

 

I'd much rather handle these things myself than leave it to someone else and hope for the best.

[Paladine]

But can do that yourself anyway. Plus going to a Skoda approved repairer doesn't mean they'll do a good job.

 

I'd much rather handle these things myself than leave it to someone else and hope for the best.

If you don't want to use a Skoda-approved repair shop, using Skoda parts, fitted by Skoda-trained bods, then Ensurance probably isn't for you.

 

The 'approved' repairer my insurance company wanted me to use was, IMHO, a bunch of cowboys, but the insurers were obviously looking to save money. They tried to put all sorts of obstacles in my way when I wanted to select my own repairer. Ensurance would have saved me a lot of hassle.

 

Skoda Ensurance will also pay the extra cost of using genuine Skoda parts, if the insurance company won't stump up.

 

The repair shop I would use from choice happens to be a Skoda-approved one, whose work is A1, so I'm signed up for the freebie, but I wouldn't pay for it after the 3 years are up.

[Paladine]

Skoda have emailed a free offer of insurance/claims assistance after an accident. I assume all new owners get this, but wondered what others thought about it.

BTW, the offer is open to all VAG owners, regardless of how long they've had the vehicle. We have four VAG vehicles in our family, only one of them bought from new and they are all signed up to Ensurance.

[james_19742000]

Its a win win as far as I am concerned, yes I like to be in control when a claim is require, however, having the Ensurance just means that they will sort it all for you, they will arrange Skoda approved etc, and yes, I know that some are better than others, but at least having Skoda Approved it means warranties etc should remain as intact as possible, and if you have used an 'in house' Skoda service then there can be no arguments about it!  Haven't bothered with it for my currant car, but when I get me new one in the next few weeks then that will have Ensurance on it.

[mattvrs13]

It was free it makes sense. Although my insurance company (police mutual) are very very good it just adds an extra bit of clout should things go pear shaped

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[LewJo]

I was quite pleased to find this was free with my new car, in the event of an accident I really wouldn't have the time to deal with the claims process. I had to make a claim on home insurance and if I had to do that now I just wouldn't have enough free time to do all the running around and fighting.

 

Far more convenient to let someone who's far more trained an experienced than I in motor claims.

[Dodgy]

I got the email, too. Do we take it from this that anyone who has had the email can take it as a sign that their car order is going through properly? I ordered mine on 5th August and still don't have a confirmed build date.

[LewJo]

I didn't get mine until I'd taken delivery, in fact I think it was the day my complimentary insurance ran out

Lewjo (Joseph)

[kalpat]

Thanks for all your thoughts & as it's free I have signed up to it. The T&C's are long winded but it's insurance so to be expected.

Just a thought on dates, the 3 years start from when you sign up & you have to give a VRM. If you are still waiting for your car I guess you must hang on to the email until your car is registered.

[kelbirdy]

Hi

I'm fairly bird-brained and this is my first ever car so I'm baffled by the paperwork so far...what's the difference between Ensurance and Assistance? Am I signed up for Assistance automatically? Ensurance sounds like a good idea but time comsuming to set up?

[Paladine]

kelbirdy, Ensurance is a claim management system (with free legal assistance thrown in). It is amazingly easy to set up. Just go to the sign up page, enter your registration number, select your model of car from the pictures, add your name, address, email address, mobile phone number, click the box to say you've read the Cover Booklet and click on the 'Start Cover' button. It's taken me longer to type this than it does to complete the application form.

 

Assistance is simply breakdown cover supplied, (through Skoda), by the RAC. More information here.

[VRS#483]

I received the email about a week after I was hit from behind. I'm still going to sign up though.

This is the first claim I've ever dealt with and it's such a ball-ache. I went with my insurer's recommended repairer (Lookers Vauxhall) and they've been shabby from day one. 2 visits later, the 2nd due to unsatisfactory repair work, they've had my car for 5 weeks in total so far and I've been left with a crappy 1.2 diesel Corsa to see me through a 30mile round trip 5 days a week. I miss my vRS so much

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[kelbirdy]

i have a no. for DM Keith accident helpline...is that the same as ensurance then?

[Paladine]

The Skoda Ensurance Claim phone number is 0845 900 3650. If the DM Keith Accident Helpline number is the same as that, then yes, it's the same as Skoda Ensurance. If it ain't, it ain't.

 

FWIW, each of the other VAG Ensurance numbers are different - but they all go to the same place in the end.

 

Edited to add - I've just looked at the DM Keith web site and it's very obvious they are operating their own accident management system. It gives a number to contact that is not one of the VAG Ensurance numbers, and there is also a button to press to ask for a quote! The VAG Ensurance is FREE, for the first three years.

Edited 23 November, 2013 by Paladine

[JKW]

I opted to join the Ensurance scheme shortly after taking delivery of my car. This was in early October but to date all I have is the number to call in the event of an accident. I expected some sort of Membership pack or at least a letter of acknowledgement. Has anyone else received paperwork ? If so I'll call the only (Emergency !) number I have to ask for mine .

JKW

[gadgetman]

Someone posted that their insurer would charge £200 for using a claims management scheme such as Ensurance.

Worth considering they will be adding their percentage to any claim

[kelbirdy]

Now I am confused about what the DMK Accident line is for compared with Ensurance and insurance? Who the hell would i ring if my car was badly damaged? These are things that aren't taught when having driving lessons!

[Paladine]

I opted to join the Ensurance scheme shortly after taking delivery of my car. This was in early October but to date all I have is the number to call in the event of an accident. I expected some sort of Membership pack or at least a letter of acknowledgement. Has anyone else received paperwork ? If so I'll call the only (Emergency !) number I have to ask for mine .

JKW

 

JKW, when I signed up, I received an email confirming my cover and policy number, together with a .pdf attachment showing my personal details, my car details, policy commencement date and term of cover, and which sections of the policy were included. There was also a link to the on-line cover booklet, which I downloaded and printed, plus some other useful links.

 

Are you saying you didn't receive a similar email?

 

If that is the case, then, yes, you should ring the Ensurance Help Line to make sure your application went through OK. You won't be getting anything through the snail mail, though.