My W203 smashed...

[SportsCoupeRich]

suretly that makes the next 'itto' shitto?

 

[Kinky]

quitto. Well someone had to.

Sixto.

I hope they sort it quickly. There is nothing more frustrating than it dragging out. And never ever accept their 1st offer. Work out a reasonable replacement cost, be able to justiofy it, and then stick that value.

K

 

[BarryS]

Wrote off my X5 6-months ago. Got a real good price from the insurance company.
Suggest you obtain details of equivalent cars to yours advertised by Merc dealers (from the internet should be easiest), average the values and insist on equivalent or more if yours was better.
Insurance assesor will come up with a lower figure, probably without any solid justification which means insurance company should have difficulty refusing your backed-up claim.
Good luck.

 

[Flash]

Assessor was around yesterday and was quite miserable…

He could see that car was in immaculate condition but was being an ass. When I told him that car had 9200 (ish) miles on the clock he started to go funny (car is only 2 years old…) and ignition would not turn on to verify this as whole of front of the car/engine is gone. He asked if it was genuine and requested to look at the Service Book and would not believe me. He really started to annoy me and I politely told him that it was his job to prove that car had NOT done the genuine mileage that I had specified and told him to contact the Stealer that had last seen the car for warranty work) that was done not that long ago as they would have a record of the mileage. He asked if he could take the service book away BUT I refused and said that I would photocopy the relevant pages and forward to him. He offered to have the vehicle taken to a storage compound but I said that I would not release the car until I have accepted a final offer from them. He then had nerve to say if I had a habit of lending my car out to people…

Just waiting to hear from them now…

Thanks for the tips on accepting the offers I have already put a portfolio of prinouts/pictuers of cars of similar spec from the Stealers websites…

 

[glojo]

Assessor was around yesterday and was quite miserable…

but was being an ass.

he started to go funny

He really started to annoy me

He offered to have the vehicle taken to a storage compound but I said that I would not release the car until I have accepted a final offer from them. He then had nerve to say if I had a habit of lending my car out to people…

Hi Flash,
It is excellent advice to not accept the first offer, but man management skills are equally as important.

I would have thought it was up to you to prove the low mileage of the vehicle as opposed to the other way round? but that is really a mute point.

The assessor is being paid by the insurance company, they will listen to his expert opinion and act accordingly. So make an enemy of him at your peril, remember time is money and each month the car rots at your home address is a month you are without wheels? There is always an easy way of dealing with people, and a hard way. Everytime you disagree with them is time that is better served elsewhere, life is far too short to make enemies.

Are you intending to charge the insurance company storage fee's for you car? I ask this because being blunt, it is now a heap of wrote off junk that is of very little value. You are not in my opinion holding a trump card by keeping it. Take all the photographs and thank the assessor for offering to remove it? (Unless you are charging storage fee's)

Give the assessor a cup of coffee, talk about Mercedes-Benz and let him hear how knowledgeable you are and casually show photographs of your pride and joy. He will ask questions that you might not like, but that is his job. Just remember how some folks try to swindle, cheat, lie and deceive insurance companies. You must expect them to make an effort to look after our money?

Good luck with the claim,
John

 

[Flash]

Hi Flash,
It is excellent advice to not accept the first offer, but man management skills are equally as important.

I would have thought it was up to you to prove the low mileage of the vehicle as opposed to the other way round? but that is really a mute point.

The assessor is being paid by the insurance company, they will listen to his expert opinion and act accordingly. So make an enemy of him at your peril, remember time is money and each month the car rots at your home address is a month you are without wheels? There is always an easy way of dealing with people, and a hard way. Everytime you disagree with them is time that is better served elsewhere, life is far too short to make enemies.

Are you intending to charge the insurance company storage fee's for you car? I ask this because being blunt, it is now a heap of wrote off junk that is of very little value. You are not in my opinion holding a trump card by keeping it. Take all the photographs and thank the assessor for offering to remove it? (Unless you are charging storage fee's)

Give the assessor a cup of coffee, talk about Mercedes-Benz and let him hear how knowledgeable you are and casually show photographs of your pride and joy. He will ask questions that you might not like, but that is his job. Just remember how some folks try to swindle, cheat, lie and deceive insurance companies. You must expect them to make an effort to look after our money?

Good luck with the claim,
John

I was polite all the way and I did give him coffee/biscuits etc. and all the other formalities. I was not rude and even though he was a git I did thank him for coming. They can verify the mileage with the Stealer or if they want to they can go to the unnecessary expense of getting independent/stealer to try and retrieve info by plugging into Star (if possible) in its current state. I told him the mileage and he refused to believe it and that’s when I polity said to contact the Stealer if he has any doubts…

Car is covered with tarpaulin and pictures have been taken.

I told him that I would be reasonable and not charge storeage fees.

 

[saorbust]

Flash - just read this. Gutted mate - really gutted. If I can help in anyway let me know.

 

[Flash]

Flash - just read this. Gutted mate - really gutted. If I can help in anyway let me know.

Thanks mate...

 

[mobeyone]

Hi Flash,

I think the attitude is part and parcel of the insurance trade so would not take it personal even though I too would not be pleasant nor polite when in this positon so I think you have shown good character here even though you are looking at a £30k + write off.

He was probably expecting a high mileage motor and that would have given him some justification in their shite offer but as the car had low miles - was probably peed off a little as they now are looking at paying good money for a car they would normally value way below market price.

Insurance companies are all very nice and helpfull when it comes to you giving them your money but when the tables are turned - they shut up shop so agree with John completley - be nice and I am sure you will get close to what you want.

Mobe

 

[Flash]

I chased the third party insurers today about the settlement - the dosy assesor is on annual leave and they have no notes/findings and he is not due back yet for another week I have been told - ohh well its costing them £350 a week for the hired W203 they have given me... what a waste ...

 

[Shude]

I chased the third party insurers today about the settlement - the dosy assesor is on annual leave and they have no notes/findings and he is not due back yet for another week I have been told - ohh well its costing them £350 a week for the hired W203 they have given me... what a waste ...

The garage I took my car to charged the insurance company a fortune in storage fees, there is nothing like that to fire them into action! I got a settlement cheque exactly two weeks after the accident!

Also I have never been charged any additional premium for a courtesy car, not from Directline or Norwich Union. The way I see it I can only drive one car at once and while I have the courtesy car the other car is in the hands of the garage and is effectively covered by their insurance.

 

[Flash]

The garage I took my car to charged the insurance company a fortune in storage fees, there is nothing like that to fire them into action! I got a settlement cheque exactly two weeks after the accident!

Also I have never been charged any additional premium for a courtesy car, not from Directline or Norwich Union. The way I see it I can only drive one car at once and while I have the courtesy car the other car is in the hands of the garage and is effectively covered by their insurance.

I may decide now to threaten to charge storeage costs if not get a settlement soon.. ooh well gives me more time now.............

 

[Shude]

I may decide now to threaten to charge storeage costs if not get a settlement soon.. ooh well gives me more time to "rip and abuse" the car I have been given and push it to its limit - may even take it to a track day now...

give it hell!

 

[Silestanix]

Damn mate, Third party Insurers are taking the p***....

Oh well...as Shude rightly said....give the cover car hell.....

All the best mate.

H.

 

[glojo]

I just hope this is not the assessor returning the compliment. Just remember before deciding to claim storage fees, he did offer to take the car away and store it elsewhere?

This claim appears to be taking an absolute age and I for one would not be happy. I have no experience of having a settlement over a wrote off car, so cannot really say what is an 'age', but I suppose having a courtesy car is at least something.

By thrashing the hire car you are certainly NOT punishing the insurance company and before taking it to a track day, make sure it is insured Otherwise you might land up with another hefty bill.

Good luck with the claim,
John

 

[GregE240]

Flash,

Sorry to hear the way you've been treated mate, but you may wish to edit some of your posts re what you might do with the hire car. This is a public forum after all mate?

Hope it gets resolved to your satisfaction.
Greg

 

[Flash]

Getting frustrating now and I am going to ask to speak to someone with authority today.

I will say that I will charge them storage costs from today onwards and see what response I get and may even be cheeky and specify my own rates should they not be helpful... (they can take the car now if they want cos I have taken all by personal belongings/accessories now etc...

 

[Flash]

Rang them this lunch time and they are now telling me that the notes/file cannot be located and will look into it.

It is costing them £350 a week for the hire car... (to date they must have spent approx £1000 on the hire car...)