Bump!

[G60rob 0]

:( Stopped at a Give Way To Oncoming Traffic sign. Sound of tyres sliding on wet tarmac. Bump!!

"Didn't expect you to stop so suddenly!"

So I suppose it's my fault then, that I didn't carry on to run into the bus that had just appeared round a bend. And it can't have been that sudden a stop or the ABS would have triggered.

Anyway, the reason for this post is because of a similar event with my last Scirocco which the insurance company insisted on writing off, and I wondered if anyone had any advice about dealing with insurance assessors who want to write off a perfectly good C. I don't know if they will, but I want to be ready for them.

The damage looks trivial, just a small dent in the bumper and the left side of the bumper is loose, but then the Scirocco didn't look badly damaged either.

It's a J-reg G6o with 111,000 on the clock and in pretty good shape for a daily driver. Are rear bumpers available? I suppose it all depends on whether the floor pan is creased, which was the reason for the Scirocco being written off.

Oh, and Fortis want me to take it to somewhere called Just Car Clinic in Sheffield on Monday, which doesn't sound like the kind of place that will have a clue about Corrados. Am I right in thinking this might be A BAD IDEA?

Any advice, neck massages etc. will be gratefully received.

[KIPVW 0]

Sorry to hear this chap! hopefully it wont be too serious in that they want to write it off! cant really comment on just car clinic but try a search on the sheffield forum to see if theres anything of interest, its amazing what people talk about on there :norty:

[shaung60 0]

This has happened to others on here before and if I remember rightly as you are the innocent party you can demand that the third parties insurance fix your car.

[CardiffCorrado 0]

When I had my bump, I didn't even attempt to go through insurance. The work that was done cost me more than I'd paid for the car anyway haha.

 

I just can't be arsed with the pirates.

[TomB 0]

Stick to your guns & get it repaired. Get your insurance company to take the other driver to the small claims court for the repairs:

 

From http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=33

 

DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR: What are your rights if someone damages your car in an accident and their insurer attempts to write it off, compensating you with a derisory amount and refusing to keep you on the road in the meantime?

 

If the other party is judged to be wholly and negligently responsible for the damage than you are entitled to be put back where you were immediately before they did you the damage.

That means for your car to be repaired or replaced so it is of exactly the same quality as it was before the other party did you the damage.

 

It also means you are entitled to an equivalent temporary replacement car either until your car is repaired or you receive a settlement figure allowing you to purchase a direct replacement.

 

The relevant case law is Clarke v/s Ardington in the Appeal Court, 1 May 2002, in which their Lordships said:

 

Sect 127 "A defendant who damages another's car should not be surprised to find that he will have to pay for a replacement car if it is needed by the claimant. A wrongdoer must take his victim as he finds him."

 

Sect. 148 "the fundamental principle is that a person whose car has been damaged is entitled to compensation for the loss caused. In a case where such loss includes loss of use and he establishes a need for a replacement, he is entitled to the cost of hiring a replacement car"

 

Hope this helps,

T

[G60rob 0]

Thanks for all the responses, TomB especially, that link's useful.

Just need to work out a value now.

[TomB 0]

No problem, I'm sorry to hear you had a bump & good luck with getting it sorted. When I had a debate with the insurance company, I backed up up my argument with adverts of similar spec cars from Autotrader & the forum.

It may take a while, but you'll get there!

 

Cheers,

Thomas

[G60rob 0]

TomB, you said "Get your insurance company to take the other driver to the small claims court for the repairs".

Is it that easy? I contacted an accident claims specialist (ambulance chaser?) who was of the opinion that the car was certain to be written off, and that I shouldn't have contacted my insurer because if I refuse their offer it will count as an outstanding claim and cause problems with insurance in the future. He said Direct Line would run rings round me if I tried to take the other driver to the small claims court myself, and that no solicitor would take it on unless I had a personal injury.

He was obviously trying to scare me into making a personal injury claim, but if what he says is true I'll now be seriously worried.

Maybe I should go to A&E and try to have whiplash.

 

Looks like CardiffCorrado has the right attitude.

[G60rob 0]

Estimated cost of repair £200 (Shaws, Sheffield - any good?) to push back the boot inside panel a few mm, straighten the bumper support bar and tidy up.

Fortis decided it was a total loss without even inspecting it, so they were politely told to go away and let me keep my £300 XS.

This counts as write-off damage, it seems:

 

Copy of IMGP5135.jpg[/attachment:1lqgv9jo]

 

Mind you, to do it properly with a new bumper and support would have cost Fortis £516, plus spraying, plus fitting, but even so I think they must have been valuing the car at around £1000.

 

So I'm £200 down if I decide to tidy it up, but it's worth it not to have to mess around with insurance companies for weeks or months. TFT for me in future.

[TomB 0]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/mai ... ohn112.xml - Bang to Rights was the one I was thinking of.

Don't get yourself £200 out of pocket for the fault of another party, and don't let your insurance company fob you off. The fact that you intend to take matters further will sometime be enough for them to do the job that they should be doing in the first place!

 

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/info ... /index.htm

 

Cheers,

Thomas