surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
Currently going through a process which is doing my head in.
I know you folks like details so here goes:
Bought a 2006 Fiesta 1.4tdci 3dr car a couple of months ago. I bought it for one of my staff to use basically as a work-van, and I got it at a steal from some pals in the trade - they used it for exactly the same thing, but wanted to update the fleet (to a handful of Jazzes, why..?)
Cleaned it up, took their graphics off - well, my guy did that, as he took real pride in the wee Ford - and polished and waxed it, we tidied it up and gave it a good going over replacing where needed and it went straight through it's MOT.
A fortnight ago someone pulled across him and there was a T-boning where Fiesta met Passat.
To begin with Oleg was offering to keep it out of insurance and we spent two days mucking about going to meet him until he then decided he wasn't going to stump up the £2k cash we had already agreed and shook on.
So it proceeded via insurance and I contacted CRASH to take care of it for me.
Oleg admitted liability at the scene (police attended) and never changed that. The car obviously is mine and on my trade insurance and 100% legit. My guy would be entitled to his own separate claim for any injury - and to be fair, he's been in pain since, but that's another matter, and outside of my hands.
So the engineer has been to see the Fiesta, which we were able to drive away although it's not healthy with heavy front end damage to all the panels and lights and even the engine - mount broke, threw the belt, clattering, and exhaust broken as well. The engineer, who I've spoken to half a dozen times on the phone, although I've not met him once (he showed up at a different time to what we had arranged) or even been told his name, has gone with a valuation - a 2006 Fiesta 1.4tdci Style is apparently £1535 top "book" price - they're using Glass's Guide. Ours with a few marks and, apparently, above average miles of 115k, is £1350, £1375 at a push.
If I want to retain salvage, it's at an approx value of £100-150 (keeps changing) and the car will be a Cat B (although there is no chassis damage and the engineer indicated that it could be left that I could repair it -i.e. not a B - if I paid more).
The problem is, £1250 - even £1350! - is nothing like the price of one of these.
I've argued till I'm blue in the face with several people at CRASH and the engineer, but apparently the only "option" is to get another assessor out, who will also be using the same Guide, or after that, the other insurer's (AXA) assessor, who, well you know, use the same guide as well.
Now it's my understanding that the purpose of insurance is to restore the affected party (me) to the same position (financially) as they were prior to the incident.
Which is not really working when it seems there is not an one Fiesta to be had.
Currently, 3-door Fiesta's of the same shape (02-08), with the 1.4tdci power(ha!)plant seem to range from £1600-2000. Never mind that ours has a fresh MOT and new parts to get it there - it's not some hanging secondhand beater car, it's a cherished little daily worker.
Insurance people don't care. They know, they've admitted, they can't find one either, but they think as long as they give me the "value" of the car, then I should be happy with that. Except they are not. Not by a long way. It's not that I need to stick the arm in, or that I'm being undervalued on some classic car or rare machine. But quite simply, the figure on the table, which simply can't be pushed any higher, isn't capable of replacing the car - and I've been told I definitely won't be allowed to put this one back on the road even.
So to sum it up - I'm being offered £1375 (absolute max) on a car that is valued in Glass's at £1535 for an immaculate low miler - and the cheapest one for sale that isn't a complete shed is £1695. Notwithstanding that I have to go get it, loss of paid staff hours, tax and insure it, and all the other things you do when you get a new car that needs to be ultimately reliable, like replace the 10 year old battery, and the flat, bald, spare tyre, and the wipers, and give it a proper service...
Simple cause is that the Guide is wrong on it's figures, but the insurance company refuses to go and buy me the replacement. Obviously, because they know they can't. Still dealing via CRASH at this point, and the handler there understands, but knows she can't do any more.
Very frustrating. Supposed to be making a decision at the minute, instead I'm just fuming. Why am I out of pocket over some guide book that everybody has their noses stuck in that has no bearing on reality?
I know you folks like details so here goes:
Bought a 2006 Fiesta 1.4tdci 3dr car a couple of months ago. I bought it for one of my staff to use basically as a work-van, and I got it at a steal from some pals in the trade - they used it for exactly the same thing, but wanted to update the fleet (to a handful of Jazzes, why..?)
Cleaned it up, took their graphics off - well, my guy did that, as he took real pride in the wee Ford - and polished and waxed it, we tidied it up and gave it a good going over replacing where needed and it went straight through it's MOT.
A fortnight ago someone pulled across him and there was a T-boning where Fiesta met Passat.
To begin with Oleg was offering to keep it out of insurance and we spent two days mucking about going to meet him until he then decided he wasn't going to stump up the £2k cash we had already agreed and shook on.
So it proceeded via insurance and I contacted CRASH to take care of it for me.
Oleg admitted liability at the scene (police attended) and never changed that. The car obviously is mine and on my trade insurance and 100% legit. My guy would be entitled to his own separate claim for any injury - and to be fair, he's been in pain since, but that's another matter, and outside of my hands.
So the engineer has been to see the Fiesta, which we were able to drive away although it's not healthy with heavy front end damage to all the panels and lights and even the engine - mount broke, threw the belt, clattering, and exhaust broken as well. The engineer, who I've spoken to half a dozen times on the phone, although I've not met him once (he showed up at a different time to what we had arranged) or even been told his name, has gone with a valuation - a 2006 Fiesta 1.4tdci Style is apparently £1535 top "book" price - they're using Glass's Guide. Ours with a few marks and, apparently, above average miles of 115k, is £1350, £1375 at a push.
If I want to retain salvage, it's at an approx value of £100-150 (keeps changing) and the car will be a Cat B (although there is no chassis damage and the engineer indicated that it could be left that I could repair it -i.e. not a B - if I paid more).
The problem is, £1250 - even £1350! - is nothing like the price of one of these.
I've argued till I'm blue in the face with several people at CRASH and the engineer, but apparently the only "option" is to get another assessor out, who will also be using the same Guide, or after that, the other insurer's (AXA) assessor, who, well you know, use the same guide as well.
Now it's my understanding that the purpose of insurance is to restore the affected party (me) to the same position (financially) as they were prior to the incident.
Which is not really working when it seems there is not an one Fiesta to be had.
Currently, 3-door Fiesta's of the same shape (02-08), with the 1.4tdci power(ha!)plant seem to range from £1600-2000. Never mind that ours has a fresh MOT and new parts to get it there - it's not some hanging secondhand beater car, it's a cherished little daily worker.
Insurance people don't care. They know, they've admitted, they can't find one either, but they think as long as they give me the "value" of the car, then I should be happy with that. Except they are not. Not by a long way. It's not that I need to stick the arm in, or that I'm being undervalued on some classic car or rare machine. But quite simply, the figure on the table, which simply can't be pushed any higher, isn't capable of replacing the car - and I've been told I definitely won't be allowed to put this one back on the road even.
So to sum it up - I'm being offered £1375 (absolute max) on a car that is valued in Glass's at £1535 for an immaculate low miler - and the cheapest one for sale that isn't a complete shed is £1695. Notwithstanding that I have to go get it, loss of paid staff hours, tax and insure it, and all the other things you do when you get a new car that needs to be ultimately reliable, like replace the 10 year old battery, and the flat, bald, spare tyre, and the wipers, and give it a proper service...
Simple cause is that the Guide is wrong on it's figures, but the insurance company refuses to go and buy me the replacement. Obviously, because they know they can't. Still dealing via CRASH at this point, and the handler there understands, but knows she can't do any more.
Very frustrating. Supposed to be making a decision at the minute, instead I'm just fuming. Why am I out of pocket over some guide book that everybody has their noses stuck in that has no bearing on reality?
