I recently had the misfortune to have my car written off after a low speed shunt (19mph) after a car in front signalled that they were turning left into a side road and then promptly swung out from the side road onto the main road and started to U turn, leaving me nowhere to go.

 

Their insurance accepted responsibility, but they valued my cat (very low mileage and in good condition) woefully beneath what it will cost me to get another the same. I'm looking at cars with lower specs, and almost twice the number of miles on them but a couple of years newer mileage but still costing around 2 to 3 thousand pounds more (around the same value as it will cost me to find the same model and spec as the one I lost).

 

Today I enquired how much difference would it make to my payments I was to get a car from the current series, 3 years newer, 15% less powerful engine, lower specs and several insurance categories lower and was amazed to discover that the premiums would be higher. I asked how that was and was told that they use the DVLA valuation for the cars when getting cover. That valuation they told me was £13,000 for the car in question and yet the going rate on forecourts across the country that value is only £10,000 😭

 

So they are only allowed to use Parkers or Glasses price guides when settling claims, as per ombudsmen guidelines, which is trade prices and DVLA database when taking out insurance which does not reflect the true value.

 

So I have an accident, totally 100% the other driver's fault, he admits blame to me and also my insurers on the phone, and their insurer also admits that their driver is to blame, and yet I'm expected to either add more money onto the settlement in order to try and get back to a position I was seconds before the other driver caused the accident, to say nothing of the time spent travelling to all over the East, South East and Midlands looking for a suitable car and the expense of fuel for the loan car and the stress of it all. How can they think that it and fair to treat innocent people in that fashion. It is like saying to you, yes, we know that a lorry crashed into your 4-bedroom house, and we'll rebuild it. Only to discover that will only build you a 1-bedroom bungalow, and you have to pay for the extra 3 bedrooms yourself 😠

 

Edited 19 April, 20232 yr by Graham Butcher

The insurance market is not very honest. Your car will be auctioned off, repaired and back on the road. That is what happened to my son.

Edited 19 April, 20232 yr by edbostan

15 minutes ago, edbostan said:

The insurance market is not very honest. Your car will be auctioned off, repaired and back on the road. That is what happened to my son.

One look at the rep;airers premises shows that there is a lot of money in the business, a far cry from the body shops in my day, often operating from a railway viaduct with 1 or 2 staff doing everything from reception through to spraying with little more than 6 x 4 shed in the corner for an office.

 

Why do the insurers go to the both of employing a firm of assessors who are miles away, never go and inspect the damage, instead rely on the repairs for the assessment? It sure looks like a gravy train for all involved except for the people involved in the accident on both sides, I'm sure the other party are also suffering.

 

 

18 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

I recently had the misfortune to have my car written off after a low speed shunt (19mph) after a car in front signalled that they were turning left into a side road and then promptly swung out from the side road onto the main road and started to U turn, leaving me nowhere to go.

 

Their insurance accepted responsibility, but they valued my cat (very low mileage and in good condition) woefully beneath what it will cost me to get another the same. I'm looking at cars with lower specs, and almost twice the number of miles on them but a couple of years newer mileage but still costing around 2 to 3 thousand pounds more (around the same value as it will cost me to find the same model and spec as the one I lost).

 

Today I enquired how much difference would it make to my payments I was to get a car from the current series, 3 years newer, 15% less powerful engine, lower specs and several insurance categories lower and was amazed to discover that the premiums would be higher. I asked how that was and was told that they use the DVLA valuation for the cars when getting cover. That valuation they told me was £13,000 for the car in question and yet the going rate on forecourts across the country that value is only £10,000 😭

 

So they are only allowed to use Parkers or Glasses price guides when settling claims, as per ombudsmen guidelines, which is trade prices and DVLA database when taking out insurance which does not reflect the true value.

 

So I have an accident, totally 100% the other driver's fault, he admits blame to me and also my insurers on the phone, and their insurer also admits that their driver is to blame, and yet I'm expected to either add more money onto the settlement in order to try and get back to a position I was seconds before the other driver caused the accident, to say nothing of the time spent travelling to all over the East, South East and Midlands looking for a suitable car and the expense of fuel for the loan car and the stress of it all. How can they think that it and fair to treat innocent people in that fashion. It is like saying to you, yes, we know that a lorry crashed into your 4-bedroom house, and we'll rebuild it. Only to discover that will only build you a 1-bedroom bungalow, and you have to pay for the extra 3 bedrooms yourself 😠

 

Have you contacted the Insurance Ombudsman?

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-valuations-write-offs

1 hour ago, EnterName said:

Have you contacted the Insurance Ombudsman?

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-valuations-write-offs

No I haven't as yet, that will be my fallback position. I emailed the firm of assessors, who deemed it to be a write-off, (without even seeing the car) and they said they were putting it back with the accident claims company that my insurers use. A few days went by and nothing happened, so I have today emailed that claims company and asked them what is happening, I don't want anybody thinking I'm dragging it out, the hire car is supposed to be costing the other drivers insurance about £130 a day, and I've had it nearly 3 weeks so far. I have another car to view (which I have put a deposit on already, as they get snapped almost as soon as they get listed if they are any good), it is not a L&K (shame) but it is 2 years newer, mid spec so has a few toys on it, but almost double my miles already and is more than they want to pay me 😠, so you can see I'm not being unreasonable in my request.

 

So I don't it want this dragging on too long, either they get my car repaired or they give me enough to cover sourcing another suitable car and also cover my out of pocket expenses for the fuel I've had use in my search for a car.

Just scanning through the new listing of cars for sale and I came across this one with 394,000 miles on the clock already and they want £5,995 for it.

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/248908927592207/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A73271521-7612-48cf-a18e-5e6f2b9c9c6d

25 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

No I haven't as yet, that will be my fallback position. I emailed the firm of assessors, who deemed it to be a write-off, (without even seeing the car) and they said they were putting it back with the accident claims company that my insurers use. A few days went by and nothing happened, so I have today emailed that claims company and asked them what is happening, I don't want anybody thinking I'm dragging it out, the hire car is supposed to be costing the other drivers insurance about £130 a day, and I've had it nearly 3 weeks so far. I have another car to view (which I have put a deposit on already, as they get snapped almost as soon as they get listed if they are any good), it is not a L&K (shame) but it is 2 years newer, mid spec so has a few toys on it, but almost double my miles already and is more than they want to pay me 😠, so you can see I'm not being unreasonable in my request.

 

So I don't it want this dragging on too long, either they get my car repaired or they give me enough to cover sourcing another suitable car and also cover my out of pocket expenses for the fuel I've had use in my search for a car.

I think you should be involving them already Graham. You're clearly not getting the accurate market value of your car, and as car values are unusual at the moment, so insurers may be following a playbook that does not reflect the current state of the market.

If you feel you're going to be at a loss as a result of this accident, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask the Ombudsman, "Can you have a look at this, please?".

1 hour ago, Graham Butcher said:

No I haven't as yet, that will be my fallback position. I emailed the firm of assessors, who deemed it to be a write-off, (without even seeing the car) and they said they were putting it back with the accident claims company that my insurers use. A few days went by and nothing happened, so I have today emailed that claims company and asked them what is happening, I don't want anybody thinking I'm dragging it out, the hire car is supposed to be costing the other drivers insurance about £130 a day, and I've had it nearly 3 weeks so far. I have another car to view (which I have put a deposit on already, as they get snapped almost as soon as they get listed if they are any good), it is not a L&K (shame) but it is 2 years newer, mid spec so has a few toys on it, but almost double my miles already and is more than they want to pay me 😠, so you can see I'm not being unreasonable in my request.

 

So I don't it want this dragging on too long, either they get my car repaired or they give me enough to cover sourcing another suitable car and also cover my out of pocket expenses for the fuel I've had use in my search for a car.

 

One simple question...   Have you told the insurance company that their write off settlement value is too low and does not reflect market value.

 

If you cannot find a similar car to the written off one for the settlement value they have offered with similar spec and mileage then you need to do the above and show them examples of similar spec and mileage cars in sale for higher prices and tell them they need to match them in thier settlement.  From past experience with my dad their first offer will always be far too low.  You should not be running around talking to thier assessor etc.

 

However if you've already accepted the low settlement offer your stuffed unfortunately and will need to put it down as a life lesson.

Skomaz is spot on.

 

First mistake NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER allow anyone whoever they claim to be authorised by to take your vehicle away, keep hold of it and make any assessor come to you, as you have already found most of the time they just sit behind their computer, if you have not already removed all your valuables before they stole your car from you then do so ASAP but its probably already too late.

 

Your car not theres will be sold either through a Copart auction or to the salvage dealer for an agreed percentage according to the write off category, typically they will recieve 40% back, so the car you insured for £20K will only cost them £16K as a payout (which the TP's insurers will settle anyway, a lot less once they have screwed you with the valuation.

 

Keeping hold of the car keeps you in the driving seat but you will have to put up with recovery trucks turning up regularly saying the insurance company have instructed them to collect their, not yours but their vehicle, the efforts that they go to show you how desperate they are for you not to be in control of your vehicle, if they dont offer enough then simply refuse to settle, they are the ones who want to close the case not you, you can also negotiate buying the salvage on your terms not theirs which in the case of your vehicle may well have been a very good solution, you would have kept the car that you can't find a replacement for, had it repaired professionally and come out with a few grand in your sky rocket. Sadly now they have possesion of the vehicle they will even exploit that avenue.

23 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

I asked how that was and was told that they use the DVLA valuation for the cars when getting cover.

 

Assume that everything they tell you is either a lie or made up on the spot because they either dont know the answer or dont want to tell you.

 

Clue, - the DVLA do not value vehicles!!!

 

They do very well out of every total loss claim because your policy is voided and you have to take out a new one, you keep your notional NCB but they just jack up the premium for the new vehicle and justify it with some Bravo Sugar about the DVLA, if you try to get insurance elsewhere you will be loaded because you have either a claim pending or have had a total loss claim, they dont care that it wasn't your fault, its just an opportunity to make money.

 

Your insurer will not be a penny out of pocket because the Third Party has accepted responsability, this is a money making opportunity for them.

 

If you keep your eye on the adverts you might be lucky enough to buy your car back after it has been repaired, I expect even with a write off category marker on the log book it will cost more than they have offered you.

I forgot to say, now they have posession of your vehicle they will use it against you, when you try to negotiate they will say that their offer is final and if you dont accept within X days you will have to pay daily storage fees for your vehicle, I have done the opposite and charged them when I kept hold of the vehicle, a revised settlement value was quick to appear.

 

The answer to your question in the thread title is YES! and is why I only ever have  the minimum cover required by law, if I crash my car then I pay for a new one, if its the fault of the 3rd Party then I claim from their insurers using a solicitor and always come out on top.

Edited 20 April, 20232 yr by J.R.

10 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Skomaz is spot on.

 

First mistake NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER allow anyone whoever they claim to be authorised by to take your vehicle away, keep hold of it and make any assessor come to you, as you have already found most of the time they just sit behind their computer, if you have not already removed all your valuables before they stole your car from you then do so ASAP but its probably already too late.

 

Your car not theres will be sold either through a Copart auction or to the salvage dealer for an agreed percentage according to the write off category, typically they will recieve 40% back, so the car you insured for £20K will only cost them £16K as a payout (which the TP's insurers will settle anyway, a lot less once they have screwed you with the valuation.

 

Keeping hold of the car keeps you in the driving seat but you will have to put up with recovery trucks turning up regularly saying the insurance company have instructed them to collect their, not yours but their vehicle, the efforts that they go to show you how desperate they are for you not to be in control of your vehicle, if they dont offer enough then simply refuse to settle, they are the ones who want to close the case not you, you can also negotiate buying the salvage on your terms not theirs which in the case of your vehicle may well have been a very good solution, you would have kept the car that you can't find a replacement for, had it repaired professionally and come out with a few grand in your sky rocket. Sadly now they have possesion of the vehicle they will even exploit that avenue.

 

Assume that everything they tell you is either a lie or made up on the spot because they either dont know the answer or dont want to tell you.

 

Clue, - the DVLA do not value vehicles!!!

 

They do very well out of every total loss claim because your policy is voided and you have to take out a new one, you keep your notional NCB but they just jack up the premium for the new vehicle and justify it with some Bravo Sugar about the DVLA, if you try to get insurance elsewhere you will be loaded because you have either a claim pending or have had a total loss claim, they dont care that it wasn't your fault, its just an opportunity to make money.

 

Your insurer will not be a penny out of pocket because the Third Party has accepted responsability, this is a money making opportunity for them.

 

If you keep your eye on the adverts you might be lucky enough to buy your car back after it has been repaired, I expect even with a write off category marker on the log book it will cost more than they have offered you.

Well, firstly I was informed that the other parties' insurance had accepted full responsibility for the accident and that they would repair my car free of all charges, this I have in writing. Secondly I informed my insurers who told me to speak to their claims dept and send them the dashcam footage which showed how the accident unfolded. Their claims dept (company) spoke to the other driver and got him to admit verbally that the accident was his fault entirely and this call was recorded. They then arranged a hire car for me and said that the other insurance company is footing the bill for everything.

 

The hire car turned up within a couple of hours and the repairer was arranged by the claims dept to take it the car away for repairs, never in a million years did I dream that it be classed as a write-off with in a few days. I have been to the repairers premises and retrieved my stuff from the car and told them that, I was arranging for an independent accident assessor to look at the car. The other insurance company appointed an assessor from up the north to assess the damages and contact me telling what the settlement was to be.

 

I have told them I was getting my own assessment done and that I would be in contact with them in due course and not do anything until they get an agreement from me. This I put in writing to them so they should not do anything until I agree.

 

I have also asked for further clarification as to why it is deemed to be a write-off and they have told me to deal with my own insurers claims company, which I emailed today and waiting for their reply

We had a similar one with our company van a few years ago. Third party insurer accepted responsibility and our estimate on the phone, then didn't send any of the promised paperwork. Ended up with me sending a letter before action to them and their customer, which rattled enough cages to get a cheque our to us really quickly. 

12 hours ago, J.R. said:

I forgot to say, now they have possession of your vehicle they will use it against you, when you try to negotiate they will say that their offer is final and if you don't accept within X days you will have to pay daily storage fees for your vehicle, I have done the opposite and charged them when I kept hold of the vehicle, a revised settlement value was quick to appear.

This is genius! 👌

12 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

Well, firstly I was informed that the other parties' insurance had accepted full responsibility for the accident and that they would repair my car free of all charges, this I have in writing. Secondly I informed my insurers who told me to speak to their claims dept and send them the dashcam footage which showed how the accident unfolded. Their claims dept (company) spoke to the other driver and got him to admit verbally that the accident was his fault entirely and this call was recorded. They then arranged a hire car for me and said that the other insurance company is footing the bill for everything.

 

The hire car turned up within a couple of hours and the repairer was arranged by the claims dept to take it the car away for repairs, never in a million years did I dream that it be classed as a write-off with in a few days. I have been to the repairers premises and retrieved my stuff from the car and told them that, I was arranging for an independent accident assessor to look at the car. The other insurance company appointed an assessor from up the north to assess the damages and contact me telling what the settlement was to be.

 

I have told them I was getting my own assessment done and that I would be in contact with them in due course and not do anything until they get an agreement from me. This I put in writing to them so they should not do anything until I agree.

 

I have also asked for further clarification as to why it is deemed to be a write-off and they have told me to deal with my own insurers claims company, which I emailed today and waiting for their reply

Okay there are a few issues here to unpack.

1) Determine who is at fault for the accident. == Status: Resolved == The third party is at fault, no further action needed to determine an outcome.

2) Determine what the exact damage to your vehicle caused by the third party == Status: Unresolved ==  A full report detailing the extent of the damage is needed.

3) What is the cost of repairing the damage to your vehicle as a result of the third party's fault? == Status: Unresolved ==  A repair estimate detailing the cost of repairing the damage to your vehicle as a result of the third party's fault is needed.

4) What is the value of the vehicle if it was undamaged by the third party? == Status: Unresolved(?) == An accurate market value of the value of the vehicle prior to the accident is needed.

5) Determine if the vehicle can be repaired cost-effectively == Status: Unresolved == Cannot be determined until 2), 3) and 4) are resolved.

6) What is the settlement value offered by the third party? == Status: Unresolved == No settlement figure has been stated.

 

I could go on, but these are the most pressing questions.

 

I think it would be really helpful to try and fill in some of the big gaps in information when asking for advice on here, @Graham Butcher

I'm seeing a lot of, understandable, moaning about being hard done by, but not much detail as to what you're actually complaining about.

 

Yes, having an accident is unpleasant, even worse when it's though no fault of your own.

Yes, dealing with insurers is a PITA. They want to take as much money from you as possible, and pay out as little as possible. You may be surprised to learn that this is not a new behaviour by insurance companies.

Do make sure you are methodical in working out the best way forward to resolve this satisfactorily for you. Hopefully my list of issues/questions will help.

If you can answer them on here, you may find people are able to advise further. 👍

 

Wow, so much really useful advice being offered up by everybody, I'm overwhelmed by it all, give yourselves a huge pat on the back, especially @skomaz,   @J.R. and  @EnterName .

 

Over the years I have had a few accidents and have been with many different insurance companies and IIRC they have all operated similarly, i.e., sent a hire/loan car and then a transporter from the appointed body shop to collect the damaged vehicle and I cannot recall a single time when the assessor came to me to inspect the car. I assumed that was because to be certain that there was no structural damage that they would require to inspect beneath the vehicle, so needed either a pit or a lift to do so. In all but three of those accidents, I was driving company vehicles, so I never thought twice when the same approach was used on this occasion, after all the only thing that had altered was that I now owned the vehicle and the insurance policy was in my name.

 

In fact since I purchased the vehicle upon my retirement, I had my first accident in this car, again not my fault, a lorry pulled out from the slow lane to avoid a stationary car and sideswiped me, the second in this car was when I stopped at a roundabout to allow vehicles already on it to continue, another rammed me in the rear, (again not my fault). On both of those occasions I was asked to drive to the body shop, and then they gave me a courtesy car.

 

So as you can see, there was no reason for me to react in any other fashion, it just seemed to flow naturally along the same line as the other had done before. I have a different insurance company this time around, though. Perhaps the whole culture has changed for the worse now with all these accident chasers trying to get in on the action for a quick buck?

 

For instance, after the other driver and I changed details like, names, phone numbers and registration numbers etc and taken photos of both cars, we went on our way. Later that evening I got a text message from the AA about the accident saying that they would take care of the accident, pick up my car and get it repaired FOC. This I thought was the because the other person was insured by them. I never acted on the message straight away and in the morning I received an email from Tesco Bank who were claiming to be the insurers for the other party and after a quick phone call the other party confirmed that Tesco was the insurer and AA were they were with the AA for breakdown cover. So it was confusing at the start of it.

 

All of my accidents have been not my fault though and none as far as I can remember have resulted in either the loss of NCD or a hike in premiums, this one being the exception.

Edited 21 April, 20232 yr by Graham Butcher

same thing happened to me a few months back, a lady side swiped my car on a round about, it went through an accident management company from the other party.  They didn't even come to assess the car and just asked me to take some pics and they came back that my car was a write-off despite just a minor scrape on the wing.  However I got a very reasonable offer and the guy said if you are not happy with the price just take some examples from auto trader as you are suppose to be able to purchase something similar with the settlement.  Have they offered you to buy your car back and get it repaired yourself, as that might be an option if the figures work out.

59 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

Wow, so much really useful advice being offered up by everybody, I'm overwhelmed by it all, give yourselves a huge pat on the back, especially @skomaz,   @J.R. and  @EnterName .

Bless you for taking the posts in the spirit they were intended, @Graham Butcher. 🤝

Now, crack on! There's much to do before you're back on the road in a suitable Superb. 😉

Edited 21 April, 20232 yr by EnterName

What is probably happening but kept quiet about is the very frequent use of a "knock for knock" agreement between the insurers where they each pay their own insureds losses and have no administration or even legal costs getting the other side to accept the figure and pay in a timely manner.

 

This happens all the time when the only claim is for damage to the vehicles and it falls within the parameters, broadly speaking most of these claims will be worth between £2-20K (my guess only) less the 40% they will get back on the salvage, small beer when compared to if there was corporal injury or damage to private/public property.

 

I bet one of the first questions asked of you when you phoned your insures was  do you or any passengers have any injuries?

 

Had you answered yes gone to A&E within 24 hours & said "my neck is a bit sore" and been checked & discharged with a couple of aspirins I guarantee there would be no knock for knock and as the TP had admitted liability it would have been the TP's insurers that would have found a way of contacting you and be treating you like royalty, why? - to limit their potential exposure, let us organise a hire car for you, let us organise medical examinations for you (they are really forcefull on that one) let us expedite your repairs or payout ASAP and we wont be trying to knock you back on the value, we absolutely do not want you to become adversarial.

 

Which is the absolute opposite of what your insurer is doing or what the TP's insurer would be doing to them had you admitted liability.

 

You chose a good thread title!

50 minutes ago, wiilydog said:

Have they offered you to buy your car back and get it repaired yourself, as that might be an option if the figures work out.

 

This is not a dig at you because that is the exact language they use, think about it for a second and realise just how ridiculous the words are.

 

Its like a garage towing your car in after a breakdown, saying it will cost too much to repair it but you can buy it back from them 😆

 

They really do act as though it is now their vehicle hence my frequent bold & underlined quotes.

 

I do agree though, a payout reduced by a "retention of salvage" figure could well be workable in this instance, the trouble being that now the disrupteur Copart and their salvage auctions have changed the game the salvage figures that the insurers get back are frequently much higher than the historic fixed rate agreements I quoted that they used to have with the salvage yards, the vehicles are being bought and frequently going to Eastern Europe to be repaired & resold over here or broken for parts or the identities used to ring vehicles.

 

Pretty much every vehicle I have bought for the last 35 years has been a write off salvage, I repaired them all and used them which includes my current vehicle.

 

Some of these were even sunbsequently written off again by Third Parties and I bought the salvage for a second time from my own insurers and did it all again, it was when I was knocked back from a genuine claim for loss of business when injured that I learned the hard way about going to A&E simply to protect myself, that was huge rear end shunt, I should really have been taken away by ambulance but I was not going to let my vehicle be taken away by the breakdown truck to anywhere but my own property and was prepared to remain behind the wheel if need be to make sure it happened, proof enough really that I was concussed!!!

Edited 21 April, 20232 yr by J.R.

Graham,

 

Just a very quick example of the potential difference in costs between insurer repairs and non-insurer repairs.

 

I recently had my swift damaged whilst parked.  I don't know where t happened and clearly the person that did it did a runner.  The damage was a dented front wing above the wheel, a very small 1" scrape on the front bumper down to the plastic in front of the wheel and a tiny scuff on the front drivers-side wheel decal (the car has red 'accents' on the diamond cut alloys.

 

The initial quote from an insurance-based repair outfit I had used before and contacted direct, and not via insurance, asking for a cheapest repair possible was £715 for the paintwork and a further £400 for the alloy plus £175 for a set of replacement decals. So a total cost of around £1,300.

 

Asking around I found a well regarded local bodyshop who did the work for the sum total of £270, about a fifth of the original quote.  The work is indistinguishable from the original, unrepaired elements alongside from any viewpoint and in any lighting.

 

I realise your situation is slightly different but it gives you some idea of the true cost of the work vs what the insurers will tell you.

 

 

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

 

This is not a dig at you because that is the exact language they use, think about it for a second and realise just how ridiculous the words are.

 

Its like a garage towing your car in after a breakdown, saying it will cost too much to repair it but you can buy it back from them 😆

 

They really do act as though it is now their vehicle hence my frequent bold & underlined quotes.

 

I do agree though, a payout reduced by a "retention of salvage" figure could well be workable in this instance, the trouble being that now the disrupteur Copart and their salvage auctions have changed the game the salvage figures that the insurers get back are frequently much higher than the historic fixed rate agreements I quoted that they used to have with the salvage yards, the vehicles are being bought and frequently going to Eastern Europe to be repaired & resold over here or broken for parts or the identities used to ring vehicles.

 

Pretty much every vehicle I have bought for the last 35 years has been a write off salvage, I repaired them all and used them which includes my current vehicle.

 

Some of these were even sunbsequently written off again by Third Parties and I bought the salvage for a second time from my own insurers and did it all again, it was when I was knocked back from a genuine claim for loss of business when injured that I learned the hard way about going to A&E simply to protect myself, that was huge rear end shunt, I should really have been taken away by ambulance but I was not going to let my vehicle be taken away by the breakdown truck to anywhere but my own property and was prepared to remain behind the wheel if need be to make sure it happened, proof enough really that I was concussed!!!

I might be showing my ignorance here. But are you saying, that even after the vehicle is considered a write-off, and a settlement figure for a total loss of the vehicle is paid by the insurer to the insured, the insured is still the legal owner of the vehicle?

7 minutes ago, EnterName said:

I might be showing my ignorance here. But are you saying, that even after the vehicle is considered a write-off, and a settlement figure for a total loss of the vehicle is paid by the insurer to the insured, the insured is still the legal owner of the vehicle?

I would think that you are still the legal owner of the vehicle right up to the point where you accept the valuation, then it becomes theirs. You still have to inform the DVLA though that the car is write-off and who the new owner is, which I guess is either the insurance or the salvage company. But of course, if you "buy" it back then you are the legal owner again.

I was given 2 Options full settlement or full settlement less savage value and keep the car.  I chose the later and purchased the car back for £400 then got wing from the scrap yard for £40 to fixed it up as at the time I was struggling to find anything reasonable as I didn't want to rush to buy something.  I just sold it this week and made a small profit on it.

26 minutes ago, wiilydog said:

I was given 2 Options full settlement or full settlement less savage value and keep the car.  I chose the later and purchased the car back for £400 then got wing from the scrap yard for £40 to fixed it up as at the time I was struggling to find anything reasonable as I didn't want to rush to buy something.  I just sold it this week and made a small profit on it.

They have the done the same with me, the problem is that the figure they have given me is something in the realms of 30% lower than I could buy the same type of L&K Superb, the same age (63 plate) but with many more miles on the clock and all have incomplete service history, mine has FSH and very low miles. The others on offer it is not possible to glean from the service information if they have had the cam belt and water pump changed as failure to do at the prescribed miles or time which ever comes first, would risk complete destruction of the engine. Therefore that would need to be done with some urgency which is going to add another £600 to £700 on top of the purchase price, plus a routine service and maybe even new tyres (mine were done 18 months ago (about 7,000 miles) and a new battery was fitted last Nov. All of these things might be needed on any new car.

3 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

I would think that you are still the legal owner of the vehicle right up to the point where you accept the valuation, then it becomes theirs. You still have to inform the DVLA though that the car is write-off and who the new owner is, which I guess is either the insurance or the salvage company. But of course, if you "buy" it back then you are the legal owner again.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I was wondering how @J.R. managed to wrangle the insurance company into the prospect of paying him to store their car.