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[gvo416j R.I.P.]

I've had a bad week with 2 vehicles involved in an 'incident', and it appears as if it is up to me to start the ball rolling. Basically I need a competent assessor to visit and assess a dormobile series 2A bitsa. Has anyone any suggestions for one suitable and local'ish to the Matlock area?

I'm certain it will be written off as nearly every panel is bent as well as the chassis at both the front and rear.

[Calum]

Oh *&%^$ I assume someone has driven into the parked Dormobile? I know exactly where you are, driven past many times. I hope you get it sorted.

[V8Nick]

When you find an assessor, remind them that you can buy a new chassis and all other bodywork, so it can't be 'A' or 'B' category!

[Wittsend]

Who are you insured with

I'm very surprised you have to do all the work!
Yesterday's post about Tesco Insurance was an eye opener... fast and proficient service within minutes.

The other thing to do - is to make sure the vehicle is on your property/address and you don't let a "recovery" service take it away - else that will be the last you see of it.


 

[gvo416j R.I.P.]

I assume someone has driven into the parked Dormobile?

Yes. The 2 ton dormobile was shunted from the opposite side of the yard opening [approx. 20/22 feet] and for the last 8/10 feet it was pushing the 3.25 ton FC camper.

The culprit was a young woman taking 2 kids to school in a toyota rav4. She claimed not to have seen it due to the rising sun. Speed?? who knows, the limit is 30mph.

The result was a good advert for the strength of modern design as the vehicle was able to move under its own power - at least far enough to re-open the road - albeit with a rippled roof panel and the front nearside wheel rubbing the outside of the passenger footwell. To be fair the landrover is also mechanically undamaged apart from the oil cooler pipes to and from the auto gearbox but although all the side doors open and close ok the body is totally twisted.

After a day spent burning up the lines on the phone I have arranged with the insurers [adrian flux] for an engineer to visit on Friday to assess the dormobile. The upgraded hire car [so that I can tow the trailer to 2 upcoming trials] is on hold though as she has not yet officially accepted any blame.

On the FC which is insured by Highway [part of LV] the best I have got so far is that I have to get an estimate for repairs and forward it to them for assessment.

[rustylandrovers]

When you find an assessor, remind them that you can buy a new chassis and all other bodywork, so it can't be 'A' or 'B' category!

Definitely agree with this. My old 90 was written off (with far less damage than the above dormobile pics, I'm afraid to say). When the damage assessor called to discuss something I made sure he was aware I was up for buying back the salvage and replacing the chassis myself. The discussion was something like 'oh, really? I was going to cat B it.' He made it cat C for me instead, top bloke!

[Noddy]

The other driver's insurance company should have sent their assessor as they will be paying keep a note of all correspondence with them. As the injured party you want them to put both vehicles back to how they were. Argue and haggle their first offer will be derisory collect some evidence as to the value of the vehicles. Do you have agreed value insurance? Our Dormy with Adrian Flux has £11250 as its value and its not totally original. Do not let the vehicles out of your control until everything is sorted. The accident was not your fault so claim from they other driver's insurance. They loan vehicle stops as soon as the vehicle is written off. 

[2286]

I am familiar with that piece of road, and it is usually slow moving, so inattention  may have played a part.

Maybe a request for telephone record usage at the time of the incident?

[Wittsend]

Do you have legal protection cover with your insurance?
They need to be chasing up the other driver's insurance (brokers) that they contract out their responsibilities is their problem.
Keep a log,a diary of all your time and out-of-pocket costs relating to getting this claim sorted - this can all be claimed back.

 

[oddjob]

Your insurance premiums will go up for the next 5 years due to having a claim but I believe you can ask for a payment to compensate you for this.
Best of luck, the last claim we made was an uphill struggle with a useless insurance company (Tesco) even though it was just a minor bump.

[Sunny Jim]

I had the pleasure of having a nearly new Astra written off in a rear end collision six years ago. The occupants of the other car legged it but one then came back and claimed he was selling it and the other guy was driving etc. etc. He was driving at high speed outside a school in a 30, and was probably doing about 30 when he hit me as his car lifted mine up and hit my back wheel (and a parked car as well).

I was entitled to a 'new car replacement' which took a staggering four months to receive but only got a hire car until I accepted their offer and they actually ordered the new vehicle. As I used the car for work, I had to pay car hire for the further two months it took for the new one to arrive. The 'Legal Cover' was useless and they didn't even pursue the car hire I had to pay as I was supposed to 'expedite the claim' - I asked how I could have done this as I was beholden to my insurance company all along and told them at the time it would need to be factory ordered due to the options package on it! I had to pay and extra £70 on the car insurance (Churchill) and £35 on the Land Rover (Peter James). However, the other party eventually admitted liability and both insurances removed the increases and refunded the previous years amount. My car insurance was actually less afterwards, and has not increased in the years since (hence I have stayed with Churchill!).

The car was taken away to the repairers who said it was repairable but needed a new bodyshell - presumably they would not undertake straightening for a first party customer and wrote it off? In my discussions with Churchill, title of the car only passed to them once I agreed to the settlement and not before. The car was actually sold on and repaired and is still on the road today. Interestingly its record shows it had to pass an MOT before going back onto the road.

I have it noted with Peter James that I would want to salvage the Land Rover in the event of a serious accident and repair it almost 'irrespective of cost'; I pointed out that a new chassis is available etc. A classic car insurer should understand the issues involved and not condemn it to the scrap heap unnecessarily.

Sunny Jim

[Rob_W]

I suspect Chris at Land Rover Relics (Brampton) could give you a quote, but would hope the insurance lot can sort it out.

[gvo416j R.I.P.]

An update ;-

The FC, insured by Highway which is part of LV group, have appointed a third party to deal with the claim. The 3rd party firm have seen some pictures plus description of the damage and are asking to collect the vehicle, transport it to their premises and remove the rear panel to assess possible damage to the rear and/or the fuel tank as they are unwilling to work on the roadside or on my yard. I will be talking to them tomorrow and think I will let them take it in for examination. The fuel filler tube is bent meaning the cap is wedged and will not open, and the fuel can carrier has pushed in the rear panel slightly.

The Dormobile is insured by Adrian Flux. They have also handed the job over to a 3rd party.

I thought things were going well. The 3rd party firm held off on the courtesy vehicle [I was asked what type of vehicle I wanted and said I would prefer something that would tow my trials vehicle to a couple of upcoming events if possible] as what I wanted would not be considered as an upgrade until the other persons' insurance had accepted liability. Meanwhile a visit had been arranged by their assessor for Friday am. He duly examined it and took a shed load of pictures. Friday pm. I got a phone call from Hertz to say they would be delivering my courtesy car on Saturday at 9am. It duly arrived ----- a totally OTT discovery 5 with only a few miles on the clock. It is electric everything but I feel right at home in it as the windscreen leaks and drips water on my right knee just like my old dormie does from the door seal when in certain positions.
   I was given a very blunt warning by the bloke dropping it off that the moment I signed any offer the cost of the hire would become my responsibility

At this point it started to go downhill. On Monday I got a phone call from the assessor with the info that he had found a similar 2007 Landrover which had sold for £7000, mine was on £4000 agreed value and they offered £2400. When I asked if that included me keeping the remains he started backing and filling and did not give a straight answer but tried to get me to agree the offer. I temporised and asked for full details of the offer, either by letter or email. Got back from my walking day in the Peak this afternoon to find I had a signed for letter delivered by the Post Office from a 4th party saying that they have bought the salvage of my dormie for £120 [no that is not a mistype] and they want to collect it and the docs. etc plus a signed form which says I have accepted the agreed salvage

[twomokes]

I thought Insurance Companies and assessors had stopped that game a while ago. The short answer to the 4th party is you have not agreed nor been paid for the sortie and it is still your property, they will have to take it up with whoever tried to sell them salvaged they didn't own and any attempt from them to collect the vehicle will be considered as theft and you will involve the police. To the insurance company and assessors you consider this as fraud and unless they sort their end out you will think about involving the police and regulatory authorities regarding misconduct and fraud. Remind them you have not settled and the vehicle is still your property until you do, they have no legal right to remove or dispose.

[Old Hywel]

I related the gist of this to the domestic authority. She spoke of a friend who once worked in an insurance claims department.
He resigned, as his conscience wouldn’t allow him to sleep at night.