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[Piggle]

Additionally lodge a formal complaint (in writing...ideally email and via recorded delivery) to the Insurance company’s complaints department. Make sure formal complaint wording very prominent...that will require the insurance company to formally review the matter, and I would expect by an independent department from the monkeys you have had to deal with thus far.

[Piggle]

Whilst I’m on a rant, I would also suggest submitting a Data Access Request to your insurance company, requesting all correspondence between it and all third parties regarding your claim, given you have not consented to the course of action taken.
That way you will get full visibility of what is going on, and will pose a big pain in the derrière to the insurance company who are obliged by regulation to fulfill the data access request within x days. You may have to pay a nominal fee for the data access request.

[Wittsend]

... which you can claim back (from the party at fault) as part of your out of pocket expenses.

[oddjob]

That’s shameful behaviour by Adrian Flux. 

Didn’t a guy from them use to be a member on the forum? Would love to hear him explain these dodgy shenanigans.

[Wittsend]

I don't think he transferred over ...

[Noddy]

When a Merc hit my bitsa the other driver admitted it was his fault and his insurance accepted liability so all dealing were with them just informed my insurance company but didn't make a claim from them. If the property which was damaged was not a motor vehicle the claim would have been against the party at fault. The claim would be to restore your property to the condition it was in prior to the accident. Get estimates to repair the property (vehicles) to their condition prior to the incident and that is the basis of your claim against the other party plus any other expenses such as a solicitor to take them to court etc. As I posted earlier their first offer will be derisory argue complain. Try Citizens Advice if there's one still operating near you. 

[Formerlyjeremy]

Issue County Court proceedings.  Find out what the current small claims procedure limit it - within this sum there's no claim for costs against you should you loose.

As a first step set out your claim and tell the insurers that in the absence of a proper settlement you intend to issue proceedings and ask the insurers if they would like you to serve the proceedings on their insured or Solicitors.

The vehicle belongs to you unless you agree to part with it as part of a settlement agreement.

Insurance companies used to have to instruct Solicitors to conduct court proceedings - they may not have to now.  They however don't like Courts - hence the howls of anguish over so called cash for crash claims - they simply have to refuse to pay and wait for the (fraudulent) claimant to take them to court and prove their claim before a judge.

[gvo416j R.I.P.]

Another update :-

GVO 478J
The forward control motorhome is presently with a firm and awaiting the insurance companies response to the assessment of £3500 for repairs. The damage does not look so great but the entire internal structure [cupboards, table, storage compartments, gas storage compartment, etc] has to be removed to get to the damaged rear framework which supports the rear panels.

GVO 416J
Well they paid out the insured value for the dormobile [minus £1000 as I am keeping the remains to strip for parts]. The insurance would not even discuss allowing it to be categorised so that I could repair it. They were adamant that the chassis number had to die. I am pig sick about it as, although it is not economical to have anyone repair it, if I used second hand panels I reckon I could repair most of the damage fairly cheaply myself in a couple of weeks -- excepting the stationwagon rear body which would have to wait until a suitable one came up for sale. A friend and I had it on a flat concrete floor and the chassis damage is not anywhere near as severe as it looked at first glance. The rear damage is confined to the grafted on replacement crossmember and does not affect the rear spring shackle forwards and the front damage is a crushed crossmember which has twisted the RHS dumb iron forward of the disco power steering box.

[Rob_W]

Think I saw you towing the trial S1 heading out of Baslow a couple of weeks back. Didn't realise as it was a Disco!

Any joy by involving the ombudsman? The threat can make them cooperate never mind actually calling them.

[Sheepman]

When my tractor blew up and caught fire, the assessor came out next day and he was a self employed freelance on this occasion working for the NFU mutual - maybe try them for contacts ?

[Genem]

Coming late to this discussion. My experience was buying back the salvage of my rolled 90 ( ice ) and rebuilding it with assorted replacement parts. NFU paid out on a sensible value but retained £1250 for the salvage. The difference with mine would be that the chassis was not damaged, just all the panels. ....annoyingly the ( new) replacement rear door has a frame that's utterly rotten and will need to be replaced. 

NFU were happy to take it back on Insurance provided I showed a new MOT. MOT guy asked why....as the existing MOT was still valid !  Cat D write-off.

[hobson]

a chum of mine has a series 1, he got it as a wreck and  rebuilt it, couple of yrs ago it was struck by a foreign hgv and written of, he managed to buy the salvage and rebuild it again however he had to have it MOT examined before he could reinsure it.
Secondly   following the theft of my Velocette in Belgium 10 yrs ago and although I was paid out by the insurance company eventually and they therefore had ownership, I refused to give then title to the vehicle, as I understand it other than in a few circumstances title can  only be passed vouluntarily, my view was should it be found in  someones  possession then they couldn't just offer an amount to the insurance company and retain it as ownership. Ins co were a bit nonplussed  with this but I elicited an undertaking that should it be found I would be given the opportunity to buy it back so to speak. I guess most claimants are happy to get the money and obtain a nother vehicle, however 'tis a tad different with classic vehicles. kind regards

[Moogling]

It makes me feel ill hearing how your insurance company has treated you. I'm really sorry to hear how poorly this has gone.

Xmas 2016 My dormy was hit and run, but someone grabbed the numberplate and I claimed through their insurance rather than my own.  It took 13 months to get a payout.

Used some of the payout to create an access into my rear garden as I am really nervous of leaving them on the road now.

[2286]

When I insured my very first car I ticked every box going for maximum protection.  When push came to shove, in this case when a man who worked for the MEB hits the brakes veered into the grass verge, struck the grass verge and hit my car which was stationary smack bang in the middle off the front wheel, shearing the door roll pins and peeling of the the door skin, down the rear 1/4 before coming to rest about 60ft down the road due to its speed.  My insurer I think it was hastings said look at your age, look at his age, the best outcome will be 50/50 knock for knock.  He went to work in his company car mine was stretchered away and written off on site.

I was innocent 100% and less than impressed.  They knocked the payout for mine every little blemish a deduction.  They paid me peanuts.  I bought it back for a few hundred pounds, fitted a door, greased the paintless metal and ran it for another 9yrs without problem.

Salvage retention is a point I look for with policies.

You live and learn, but only find out the hard way frequently.