Car crash query

Got the call saying they accept liability.


Apparently the car is a write off, so the engineer is going to talk figures with me later. :)

Any idea on how to proceed with this? I know it sounds like I'm asking how to suck eggs, but I've never done this before, so any advice is useful.



edit: I'm guessing I look at similar cars, and base a figure around that? :)
 
sports_brah said:
Got the call saying they accept liability.


Apparently the car is a write off, so the engineer is going to talk figures with me later. :)

Any idea on how to proceed with this? I know it sounds like I'm asking how to suck eggs, but I've never done this before, so any advice is useful.



edit: I'm guessing I look at similar cars, and base a figure around that? :)
Click to expand...

Good result, lucky it didn't drag out :)

Yeah, get on ebay/autotrader/etc and find the closest to yours. Be prepared for them to give you an insultingly low initial offer to reject...
 
Haggisman said:
Good result, lucky it didn't drag out :)

Yeah, get on ebay/autotrader/etc and find the closest to yours. Be prepared for them to give you an insultingly low initial offer to reject...
Click to expand...

So it's quite alright to reject their figures? The last thing I want them to do is say **** off, here's your car back and we'll try and fix it. I don't want to drive that car again after the impact it's had. It'll never drive straight. :(

He reckoned there was a minimum of 3k damage, so I guess I can start from there? :)
 
Nice quick result there. I'd have said it was his fault anyway as he has to give way to traffic on the major road.

But prepare to lube up on the offer they may first try to give. Get plenty of evidence on the value of similar cars.
 
sports_brah said:
So it's quite alright to reject their figures?
Click to expand...

Definitely!

When my diesel Focus that I'd bought 6 months previously was written off a few years ago, their initial offer was based on an ebay ad for a petrol with no SH and a massive dent in the door! Bloody chancers! >_<

Saying that, my mum was involved in a hit & run a few months ago, and was expecting ~£6-700 at best (53 plate astra 1.7dti with ~180k on it and in really bad condition). Needless to say was very surprised with their offer of £1,300!!
 
sports_brah said:
So it's quite all right to reject their figures? .....
Click to expand...

Sure, if you think you are being short-changed! (Which is almost a given really, sadly)

(Some years ago, I had a customer with an old metro, Despite its age, the body/interior were mint but it did need some work doing to keep it usable (Service, cam-belt/water pump and both front suspension arms IIRC) this was duly done with the expectation that a further 4-5 years of use (Or more) would be quite feasible.

Unfortunately only weeks later it was totalled in an accident. Initially the Ins co only offered <insert insulting offer here>, the owner then replied that he had only recently spent more than that on a service (Copy provided) after which they came back with a very much improved offer!

So it is always worth challenging if you think they are making you bend over (Or even if you just want to try it on, though I wouldn't condone that at all! :mad: !)
 
Haggisman said:
Good result, lucky it didn't drag out :)

Yeah, get on ebay/autotrader/etc and find the closest to yours. Be prepared for them to give you an insultingly low initial offer to reject...
Click to expand...

Similarly make sure you also find the most expensive examples of your car in the correct spec with the most approapriate options too!

I know hindsight is a wonderfull thing but why only TP? In most circumstances it's not really that much cheaper :( what was the car btw?
 
CAP and glass's generally have trade prices, which will be under what it's worth in a lot of cases. I wrote mine off the other year and over the course of 90 minutes argued them up from an initial offer of £3000 to £4000. They kept arguing about trade value, I said go and find me an equivalent car for that money. Cited several examples.

The first thing they asked was how much do you feel the car is worth. My response was "£4000, just the same as the market value on the policy". The guy had to "go to his manager" with every increase in offer, and IIRc the last £50 was a "goodwill gesture". Either way, I was prepared to sit and argue the toss for over an hour using autotrader and pistonheads for examples, and got my way!

The worse they an do is refuse to go higher, just don't be put off. At the end of the day they won't want to pay out!
 
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