You so far seem to show Ensurance in a fairly good light. Good to see the lorries insurance has admitted liability. Took a hell of a long time though.

To be fair to Axa, the lorry driver/company never informed them so they weren't prepared why Skoda/direct line contacted them.

As for the Skoda ensure, or whatever it's called, certainly a lot better to deal with that direct line. Took me 20 mins on hold to 0870 on my mobile plus 5 mins explaining the situation again to D/L today. I'll reserve judgement but so far they've been good with a single point of contact who responds to email to his own email address and a geographic number to call.

More than likely it'll cost more than if the insurance companies dealt with it alone and whilst I know that overall that probably puts up the cost of insurance I don't really care. I'm just glad to have a slightly less biased 3rd party working for "me" than the insurance companies who are just looking after themselves.

 

Whilst I can understand Axa (Lorry's insurer) looking after themselves and the lorry driver, I can't understand the sickening disregard for their own customer Direct Line have shown.  They just dont care.

Edited 17 January, 201412 yr by gullyg

 they've been good with a single point of contact who responds to email to his own email address and a geographic number to call.

 

I had that when dealing direct with someone elses insurance company who went into the back of me…They were great (Ford Insure). Direct contact throughout and arranged an equivilant car to mine (I was only 20 in a convertible and they managed to source a small hire company who would actually lend me a convertible at a huge premium to them). Very rare these days but gets rid of nearly all the stress.

 

Compared to a repeat accident a year later when I was forced into going through my own insurance (Admiral at the time) they were awful and I had to go through their Albany Assistance company. Never returned calls/letters and failed to chase the third party up. I had the address of the third party and telephone number so gave them a call and between us we sorted all the paperwork to send to insurers to settle the claim. Made me wonder what I was paying my insurance for.

Edited 17 January, 201412 yr by JamesVRSmk3

 

Compared to a repeat accident a year later when I was forced into going through my own insurance (Admiral at the time) they were awful and I had to go through their Albany Assistance company. Never returned calls/letters and failed to chase the third party up. I had the address of the third party and telephone number so gave them a call and between us we sorted all the paperwork to send to insurers to settle the claim. Made me wonder what I was paying my insurance for.

 

Ooh dear.  Albany really are an awful company.  They make a mint from every claim though.

I had to briefly deal with Albany once. Camper Van collided with stone wall, which eventually fell down into road and clobbered my car. Driver of van admitted liability and told his insurance he was at fault.

Admiral got a quote for repairs very quickly, but then sat arguing with Saga (other guys insurance), because Saga refused to admit liability. Saga even sent me a letter saying if i never went through them, they may refuse to pay up.  

Eventually Admiral passed onto Albany. Albany never told me anything. I sat waiting for ages until one day i called them up. This is when they told me they had passed the case back to Admiral because it wasnt clear cut enough for them.  

 

Eventually Admiral agreed for the work to be carried out. Im not actually sure Saga had agreed to pay, so I made sure with Admiral that it wasnt effecting my no claims. All was ok in the end, apart from the garage taking ages to complete the work, and then not letting me know when work had been completed.

 

Admiral were OK, Albany were a pain, Saga were Shisters! Trying to get me to go through them myself.

Glad to here it's got sorted, the CCTV evidence will have been the killer for the lorry driver's insurance. 

 

Your experience is very common with the other driver trying to protect their no claims and the insurance companies not wanting to pay out.

As an update I received a text message yesterday from Axa insurance saying that appointed an insurance assessor.

When I phoned them today they said it should hopefully only be a "desktop" assessment meaning someone just needs to read my repairers report and sign off on it.

Couple of things,

First: Axa what a difference to Direct Line, really helpful, no press number 1000503759202673.3 for claims etc just straight through to receptionist. When my phone had poor signal they phoned me back and gave me a geo number for their department.

Secondly I only had the policy no for the company's fleet policy and reg plate etc of the lorry. After taking those details and the date of the incident Axa asked for the location because - and I quote ...

"There were a couple of incidents that day"

Oh dear.

And before anyone thinks the company might have loads of lorries - according to their website it claims they have 60.

Edited 23 January, 201412 yr by gullyg

I wonder how Direct Line (I think they are part of RBS) keep going.

 

Good to hear AXA are getting it sorted.

I wonder how Direct Line (I think they are part of RBS) keep going.

 

 

Erm, the taxpayer?

Erm, the taxpayer?

Phew, not me then!

Sorry to hear of this, looks like you are on your way to getting it sorted thankfully, sounds like the Ensure is a good benefit.

Wouldn't the fact the Lorry driver did not report the accident count as an offence ?

Sorry to hear of this, looks like you are on your way to getting it sorted thankfully, sounds like the Ensure is a good benefit.

Wouldn't the fact the Lorry driver did not report the accident count as an offence ?

Provided he stopped at the scene & exchanged details or if not & subsequently reported it to the police then he does not commit an offence.

Think Direct line were sold off by RBS and are now independent .

Well as an update

Still really impressed by Skoda ensure. I hadn't heard anything from the garage or Axa since I spoke to Axa on Wednesday and had it in my head to phone tomorrow.

My claims handler phoned me today to check up what was going on, found that I'd not heard anything and went away to chase. 5 mins late he phoned back with an update.

Repair has been approved by Axa based on Skodas repairers report. The repair centre has ordered the parts and are waiting for them to come in to phone me and arrange when they can have the car.

I'm then to phone Skoda with the date and they'll sort me a loaner. I asked what it would be and they said it'll most likely be another vrs although they might struggle with the estate which is ok for a couple of weeks.

So far so good.

Repair for the damage so far (pre proper inspection) is just under £2800 which is new panel, 2 new alloys, new window glass and paint etc etc.

Edited 28 January, 201412 yr by gullyg

That's good news!

Pleased for you.

I always like to try something different if I get a loaner.

 

I'll never forget when some idiot reversed into my Mondeo at the traffic lights and I was booked in for a loaner the chaps turned up to deliver it in a Merc SLK, I almost had a heart attack with excitement then his mate came round the corner in an astra, he'd just collected the SLK and was giving the bloke delivering my hideously appalling Astra Eco-Line a lift back to base.....

As an update....

Got a call from Skoda a couple of days ago but I've been away this week so didn't update straight away.

Parts have finally come into the repair shop (was waiting on the wheels) and Skoda are arranging for my car to be picked up and a loan car delivered to my work on Tuesday.

They couldn't tell me what I would get but were going to try and get me something of the same size and performance.

Irritating timing though as it's been snowing for the first time up here. £800 worth of snow tyres and the first time I get to use them I've got a loan car.

Just be glad to get it sorted as I think it's leaking round the window as the car is really struggling I clear the moisture.

Edited 15 February, 201412 yr by gullyg

Well my car is away for repair and the loan car turned up.

A 1.7d vauxhall zafeira covered in scratches which aren't on the paperwork.

Not impressed. Phoned Skoda, apparently it's the only car europcar had but they've got it in the diary to speak to them tomorrow so looks like they're on the job.

It must be a VAG thing - they thought a 1.2 Polo was "equivalent" to a Scirocco when I had a VWUK suplied hire car.  It got upgraded (!) to a base spec Renault Megane after I complained...  Seems they happily say "equivalent" without checking with Europcar they actually have anything suitable first...then you get something well below par, citing the "all we have" excuse.  I'm sure they have some premium models around, just they won't upgrade, only downgrade you.

 

Stick to your guns.

I don't get the big fuss over why people need an "equivalent spec" car. Fair enough size of vehicle, but nobody needs a top of the range car to temporarily run about in. All you're doing is increasing the claim costs for no real reason.

And yes, I have had to use a car temporarily. I asked for something small like a Corsa when my Focus ST was in for repair.

When my Fabia greenline estate was in being repaired (as usual) I got given a Fiat 500, yep I complained got an insignia SRI.

Depends what you need it for, SC03OTT.  In my case, a lot of motorway driving and a Polo wasn't suitable.  it certainly wasn't equivalent in terms of performance.

 

I was informed I would be getting a Passat - and was that suitable.  I said yes.  A Polo turns up - not what I agreed to.  If I was only pottering about locally, then a Polo would have been suitable.

There's a few issues here but my take of it is,

I was hit my a 3rd party who in addition to the police saying were at fault, their insurance has admitted fault.

I am inconvenienced through no fault of mine by having to deal with all this carp.

On top of that. I pay hundreds of pounds a month to have a decent car. Why should I have to pay all that money in finance or depreciation etc and have a car that clearly isn't up to scratch.

Would anyone like to swap their vrs for a zafera?

In addition to this the car isn't actually a fair replacement. I do a lot of miles there's no bluetooth no satnav no xenons etc etc etc.

Edited 18 February, 201412 yr by gullyg

There's a few issues here but my take of it is,

I was hit my a 3rd party who in addition to the police saying were at fault, their insurance has admitted fault.

I am inconvenienced through no fault of mine by having to deal with all this carp.

On top of that. I pay hundreds of pounds a month to have a decent car. Why should I have to pay all that money in finance or depreciation etc and have a car that clearly isn't up to scratch.

Would anyone like to swap their vrs for a zafera?

In addition to this the car isn't actually a fair replacement. I do a lot of miles there's no bluetooth no satnav no xenons etc etc etc.

Totally agree with you, especially because of your last sentence.

It was only for a day but a Citroen C4 (new) went in for service & I was given as a service loan car - A dirty white van with builders mud all over. My complaint was treat with "take it or leave it". That was a main dealer who never saw me as a customer again - for obvious reasons. So feel for you but could have been much worse.

Doesn't help I have a special hate reserved for vauxhall.

I get them all the time from enterprise and they're awful.

The insignia is ok but it's still no octavia. It's cheap and nasty inside and the "sports seats" give me a sore back - the rest are just junk.

Still at the end of the day it's a biggish car so it's not the worst situation in the world (at least it's not a pug 107 like I got the last time). But it's not great.

The zafera should be ok to move a bed tonight though

Edited 18 February, 201412 yr by gullyg

Yip, I get the points being made. I take the view that it's something to get me from A to B and that's all I require. It's better than getting nothing and having to take the bus.