**confirmed write off help**

[sx_turbo]

hi guys

as u all know my car was written off 4 weeks ago. (i've been bleating on about it for ages now)

well the insurance phoned me today and said they were only going to offer me £2.4k it. I said i was dissapointed with this as i i cant even find a decent one worth having for that price, and was hoping for £3k for it, as i'm looking at spending 3.5 on another one.

the lady on the other end of the phone said i would be really lucky to get 3k as the car is old. i argued the case and she said that because it wasn't my fault i could go on the internet and print off adverts proving that the car is worth more than that.

ok so i now have 12 examples of starlet gt's in decent condition, that range from 3-4k.

my question is, can i do anything else to confirm to the insurance company that my car is worth 3k?

 

[Harvey]

Not really sure mate.

Insurance companies are nothing but crooks in suits. They will always con you and win!

They will try tgheir best to pay as little as possible.

Just put the point across along with the adverts that the starlet is not an everyday car and are quite expenensive especially for half tidy examples.

Also make sure you find out what they plan to do about the car. Sometimes they keep if if worth a few quid, and sometimes they give it back to you and charge you for it whether you want it or not!!

 

[sx_turbo]

there defo giving me the back. its being deliverd next week sometime.

i see what ur saying though and thats what i thought.

 

[Kelly]

Awwww sorry to hear it hope you get it sorted

so do they go off the value you stated it was worth when you originally insure the car or do they look at the market today?

 

[Toby@ToyTuning.com]

9/10 they will compare it with a UK car as there is not a JDM Starlet on there books. Have been down this road even with trade insurance, they would only give us £400.00 as that is what a similar EP91 NA UK Spec would be worth at the time.

T

 

[Timmy]

Get lots of samples if they still won't give you what you want, report them to the insurance ombudsmen and get a complaint reference number and notify the insurance company. Altho this may not directly help you get more money it will let them know that you are serious and hopefuly they will be quick to sort you out. Other than that you will need to prove that the condition of your car was as good as the ones your compairing it to. I knew someone that had to hirer a solicitor to get the value of his car out of an insurance company.

 

[sx_turbo]

Awwww sorry to hear it hope you get it sorted

so do they go off the value you stated it was worth when you originally insure the car or do they look at the market today?

i dont know how they base it. i'm just glad that after 4 weeks of messing about something is actually starting to happen.

so no more ideas then people?

 

[sx_turbo]

Get lots of samples if they still won't give you what you want, report them to the insurance ombudsmen and get a complaint reference number and notify the insurance company. Altho this may not directly help you get more money it will let them know that you are serious and hopefuly they will be quick to sort you out. Other than that you will need to prove that the condition of your car was as good as the ones your compairing it to. I knew someone that had to hirer a solicitor to get the value of his car out of an insurance company.

blimey i hope it dont come to that. but if they need proof i have plenty of pics.

 

[Phenom]

Ricky,
I'm not sure where ur at with this!
The thread title says Confirmed write off, so I assume that means the Insurance Company has agreed to write off your motor. YES?
You are then saying that you disagree with the amount the Insurance Company as offered, and you are contesting that amount. YES?

If I am correct re the above points, how is it that you are selling the write off to Toby, after buying the salvage back.
My understanding is, that until the claim has been agreed by both The Insurance Company and yourself, nothing is yet settled and the write off remains in the possession of the Insurance Company.
Have I got it wrong somewhere?
Regardz,
Alan.

 

[dandydons]

Been down the same road mate- just do what you are doing - get loads of ads and don't accept what they offer you.If you have a receipt for purchase cost and service history receipts etc for any money spent to prove it was well maintained that will help. Copy them and send them off to insurance.My lot ended up increasing offer about three times and eventually ended up doubling their first offer - took a few months to sort out though . Just stick to your guns. You are entitled to a market value which is really the cost of replacing like for like.I just kept refusing to accept offers they made and they had to pay for an independent engineer to come and inspect the car. - He came and I made sure I was there - never had a clue about imports etc but agreed with me when I showed him all the paperwork including receipt for purchase price etc so got what I wanted eventually.

Good luck

 

[sx_turbo]

Ricky,
I'm not sure where ur at with this!
The thread title says Confirmed write off, so I assume that means the Insurance Company has agreed to write off your motor. YES?
You are then saying that you disagree with the amount the Insurance Company as offered, and you are contesting that amount. YES?

If I am correct re the above points, how is it that you are selling the write off to Toby, after buying the salvage back.
My understanding is, that until the claim has been agreed by both The Insurance Company and yourself, nothing is yet settled and the write off remains in the possession of the Insurance Company.
Have I got it wrong somewhere?
Regardz,
Alan.

well according to my insurer's fella, they send me the cheque of 2.4k less the ammount of the car. I then am not allowed to cash the cheque, as that means i have accepted it. i then send off the evidence that my car is worth more, and the insurance will send me the ballance of the new agreed ammount, or will send me a brand new cheque.

The car is getting dropped off to my house some time next week. thats what the insurers have told me.

toby will not be taking the car till sometime in the new year as i have to find myself a car and transfer some parts over before he can take it.

toby is perfectly fine with this, as i have discussed the situation with him.

also in the for sale thread i had created if you had read all of it, i did say i was just gauging interest. it just so happens that more people was interested than i would ever have imagined, and because i trust toby i have decided to sell to him. and just to clarify i wont actually be taking any money from toby for the vehicle until i am ready for him to come and collect it.

 

[Phenom]

Ricky,
Thanx for clearing that up for me.
I've never known an Insurance Company send out a payment, or release the salvage, until the final offer had been accepted.
Best regardz,
Alan.

 

[sx_turbo]

Ricky,
Thanx for clearing that up for me.
I've never known an Insurance Company send out a payment, or release the salvage, until the final offer had been accepted.
Best regardz,
Alan.

apparently that is true, but because the accident was not my fault the insurance have said that as they will be claiming there money off the third party that it does not matter a great deal, what they will pay me they just need proof that the car is worth more than 2.4k so they can show the third party.

 

[dandydons]

Ricky,
Thanx for clearing that up for me.
I've never known an Insurance Company send out a payment, or release the salvage, until the final offer had been accepted.
Best regardz,
Alan.

They will do as Ricky says - send a cheque for the first amount and then top it up for the difference - it is their way of putting temptation on you to accept the first offer and cash the cheque. I had a wee collection of cheques from them as they upped the offer. as for buying the car back , they could do it either way deduct the money from the final cheque or as mine did - they asked me to send a cheque to them before they would release the car back to me - so I got the car back before the claim was settled and sold it without any problem before I had the cash for the write off.They are always keen to get the car back to you as soon as possible cos they get hit by salvage yards for storage fees per day.

Hope that helps.

Kev

 

[Phenom]

Cheerz Guys,
The fog has lifted.
LOL.

 

[sx_turbo]

Cheerz Guys,
The fog has lifted.
LOL.

lol

u got me worried there for a second, i'm glad dandy spoke up as i was about to phone the insurance and double ceck what they told me was right phew

 

[Phenom]

Ricky,
Yeah, I was a little concerned for ya, as I have first hand experience of Insurance Companies shall we say " underhand methods".
If ur happy with the way ur claim is progressing - thatz fine.

Me - I'd be requesting WRITTEN confirmation of what they have told u is going to happen.
Regardz,
Alan.

 

[Monkfish]

9/10 they will compare it with a UK car as there is not a JDM Starlet on there books. Have been down this road even with trade insurance, they would only give us £400.00 as that is what a similar EP91 NA UK Spec would be worth at the time.

T

In that case one would expect one's policy to be similar to that of a NA UK spec EP91! Cheeky twats.

SX - Don't accept any offer less than 3.5k! Starlets are easily worth that and they have to give you the current market value (Which lets be honest, is going up). If they flat refuse to budge from £2.4k, ask them why the value is so low given that cars of a similar condition to yours sell for ~40% more. If you can't get anywhere on the phone, send them a letter with pictures and printouts from adverts clearly indicating similar spec'd and condition vehicles for more money. Get at least 10 together to make a strong case. Also make it clear that if they are not willing to pay out to the value of the car, you will be reporting the matter to the financial/insurance ombudsman and the FSA (Financial Standards Authority - They regulate insurance companies). You might want to pop into your local Citizens Advice Bureau who would be more clued up on the legal matters involved.

Let us know what happens.

 

[Toby@ToyTuning.com]

Yeah I know mate is madness, it's almost never worth claiming. We use TradeX now as they specialise in JDM imports. Every other company said they would only compare it to the nearest UK equiv so we jumped ship. They also give us an unlimited indemnity which means I can literally drive anything and am still covered!

T

 

[sx_turbo]

@toby the guy who hit me was with tradeX

@ monkfish- when speaking to the insurers they said there was no way in the world i would get 3.5k for it as that is what i paid for it
i do have 12 examples that are of similar spec to mine, with prices ranging from 3.3k-4.7k. hopefully i will walk away with atleast 3k