Auxillis / Principia

StonedPenguin

StonedPenguin

StonedPenguin

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Hi there,

I could really use some advice if anyone can help...

In May 2023 someone crashed into my empty parked car outside my house and wrote it off, the police attended the scene and had both cars recovered.

That day when I got home I spoke to my insurers and they said ''It's clear cut that the other driver is 100% at fault, would you like a hire car from Auxillis that will be paid for by the 3rd party insurance company?'' I agreed as I needed a car to get to work,kids etc etc.

They put me through to Auxillis who say they will supply a car like-for-like until either my car is repaired or I get paid out, they supplied a Merc. About 4 weeks later I get told my car is a write off and offered a payout which I accepted, Auxillis notify me that I have the car for 1 more week after the insurance payout.. I get paid out and they collect the car, I had the car for a total of 5 weeks.

I read some paperwork they left with me stating the cost for the hire is £19,150, for 5 weeks!!!

Fast forward about 6 months and I start getting Emails from Principia law firm, telling me they're representing me to get Auxillis's hire car costs back from the 3rd party insurer who was disputing the costs (Principia are owned by the same company Auxillis are owned by!!) stating that essentially I have to do everything they say, may have to attend court, answer many many questions regarding whether I actually needed the hire car at all or I will be liable for the costs if I didn't do everything requested :mad: Supply 8 months of Bank statements from 1 month before accident to 7 months after to prove if I could've afforded to hire a car myself!

They also want to know when I purchased my replacement car, what make/model it is and registration.. Frankly I believe this is none of thier business what I did with the payout from the insurance (I bought a motorhome if its any relevance)

After sending them the requested bank statements last August and hearing nothing since, they've popped up again today informing me whoever was handling my case has left the company and someone new is handling it and asking me to answer all the original questions I've already answered, plus more questions such as:
9) If you had been given a less prestigious or smaller vehicle, would you have accepted this? - I didn't request a specific vehicle, they said we're giving you like-for-like and I said ok.. (it was a BMW M4 that was written off)
10) Was the Mercedes-Benz E Class suitable for your needs?

They're picking things out from my bank statements for example, payments to my credit card.. and then requesting my credit card statements.. Why would I use my credit card and be charged interest to hire a car after my insurers offered me a hire car from Auxillis on the basis they would claim it back from the 3rd party insurers?

Should I just keep doing what they request as it's really starting to **** me off now? or should I go see a solicitor?
 
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I'm not a legal expert but here's my view.

Your insurance company told you that the hire car would be paid for by the other insurance company, so they are at fault.

What has happened obviously is that the other insurance company thinks it's being ripped off, which it is really, and it's legally challenging Auxillis. Auxillis now needs your help to fight their legal case against the other insurance company. However, is this something you agreed to do? No you didn't, because you were just advised by your insurance company that it would be paid. Therefore, I'm not sure whether you have any obligation to help them, you probably don't, but they need your help otherwise they will lose their case.

It really depends who is liable for the hire bill, but that should not be you if your insurance company told you it would be paid.

I'm not a solicitor though ... so you may need professional advice.
 
Go and see a solicitor because I believe that in a worst case scenario you can be held liable for the cost of the hire car. Is it not a conflict of interests that the two companies have the same owner?
 
I had almost the same experience. My wifes car was hit in a swimming pool by someone who drove into her. I took the car to BMW who said that if it was non fault then they could go through their accisent management and it wouldnt effect our no claims. They saw the dashcam footage and agreed to process the claim. They gave me an M240i while her car was in for repair(the only petrol car that BMW had). The car was repaired and returned about two to three weeks later and we didnt hear anything for about a year and half.
Then we get a letter from a solicitor acting for Auxillis (Principa law) asking for bank statements and credit card statements. I replied refusing to give them those documents as my ability to hire a replacement car was irrelivant, they offered me the car after taking on the case. The hire costs were something like £350 a day they were claiming for, this was hidden in the small print at the time of signing.
It bounced backwards and forwards a few times with different info and I even replied at one point that what they were doing was morally wrong and i could understand the claimant disputing the costs. In the end it got settled at a lesser amount and I heard no more.
 
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I wrote of a colleagues car in the work car park with my company car (not my finest motoring moment...) and as it was 100% non fault from his side his insurer recommended going through their claims management company to get a "like for like" hire car.

His 1999 Lexus IS200 was then replaced with a brand new BMW 540i M Sport then there was a 4 week delay before they decided to assess his car. He explained that he needed to return the car as he was flying to the US for a work trip, they said they would collect it... They didn't. In the end he had the car for 6 weeks before getting paid out about £1500 for his car which he bought back as salvage for a few hundred quid. He was actually quite pleased with the deal as I'd just crimped both door skins so he didn't even bother to get it fixed.

Fast forward at least two years and he started getting letters like the one you mentioned as our employers insurer was arguing the hire car cost. It got right to the 11th hour before the court date and the two parties settled.

In short I wouldn't worry about it but likewise I wouldn't simply bin the letters and ignore it either.

EDIT- Scrap that, I just released I only read half the OP before getting called away :o I think you need proper legal advice as those questions sound like you are getting setup for a pre scripted argument over whether the car was reasonable. If you have any of the original documentation, correspondence contracts etc. now is the time to collate it all.
 
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tom_e said:
Go and see a solicitor.
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Do this.

These firms are nothing but parasites really.

You'll probably find in the T&Cs they made you sign that there's a clause saying you're personally responsible for basically any disputes, problems, counter claims etc. and Auxilis take no responsibility at all.
 
Kenai said:
You'll probably find in the T&Cs they made you sign that there's a clause saying you're personally responsible for basically any disputes, problems, counter claims etc. and Auxilis take no responsibility at all.
Click to expand...

OP try and find the clause in what you signed that says this, and let us know what it says.
 
Kenai said:
You'll probably find in the T&Cs they made you sign that there's a clause saying you're personally responsible for basically any disputes, problems, counter claims etc. and Auxilis take no responsibility at all.
Click to expand...

Its actually along the line of you are not liable for any costs as long as you help in everystep of the claim including if it needs to go to court.

Like i said I declined sending personal information on bank accounts etc as its irrelivent to the reason for a hire car. The hire car was to replace my damaged vehicle. This request doesnt come from Auxillis but the third party insurer.
 
Just used BMW accident management service again after an old man crashed into both doors on my car. Both doors required replacement with associated rebuild and paint work. They hired me a 530e which i had for 21 days. Total cost £32000, £16k for the repair and just over that again for the hire car which did less than 400 miles. They claimed for an extra six days hire which when i phoned to correct it was told don't worry Mobility have agreed the payment.
 
Dandle said:
Just used BMW accident management service again after an old man crashed into both doors on my car. Both doors required replacement with associated rebuild and paint work. They hired me a 530e which i had for 21 days. Total cost £32000, £16k for the repair and just over that again for the hire car which did less than 400 miles. They claimed for an extra six days hire which when i phoned to correct it was told don't worry Mobility have agreed the payment.
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Absolute insanity.

I had a new BMW X5 45e for 6 weeks while my 7 Series was waiting for some warranty work... god knows what that cost (it was through a luxury hire company, so BMW were paying).
 
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