Claims recovery service - can you be charged?

[Mr Badger]

My insurer (Swinton) put me onto www.4th-dimension.co.uk who are due to take my bike away and pursue a claim against a third party, with the intention of recovering all costs from them. I think it likely that the bike (an ageing Yamaha) will prove uneconomic to repair and so will be written off for insurance purposes. In telephone calls 4th Dimension representatives have assured me that I will not be charged anything even if the claim is dropped or proves unsuccessful and that the bike will be returned to me. However, they are not willing to confirm this in writing which I find odd.

Does anyone know if this is normal or a cause for concern?

 

[DarkHorizon472]

If they won't confirm it in writing I would not be convinced and call the insurance company back for written confirmation just to be on the safe side. Often in call centres people have differing levels of experience and understanding which can cause issues like this, ask to speak to a team leader / manager.

 

[tom_e]

Yes I'm almost certain I've heard of companies like this coming back to chase you if they can't get their pound of flesh elsewhere.
I'd also do a quick Google on the name, it rings a bell as them not being very good at anything.

 

[Luke]

4th Dimensions were dire when they handled my bike theft claim. 6 months for a clear cut theft where the bike was recovered the same day and police arrested, charged and prosecuted the thief. I had to involve the ombudsman.
Document EVERYTHING with them.

 

[Tefal]

4d are huge they do all the mce stuff iirc.


You're pretty much gonna be ok unless it turns out you lied/breached your insurance agreement and it's all voided.



Otherwise they pick it up and replace what they can get away with with oem and bill the other side. Old bike might just get a cash and your ****** bike back though.

They do have some half decent courtesy bikes though and dont give a **** about you adding miles

 

[Griffo]

4th D tried to scare me telling me I may have to pay for storage costs when I realised their intent to try and repair my bike themselves after a theft recovery. I'd told them I wanted it to go to my BMW garage, which they didn't like.

Some companies plainly procedure i didn't initiate sorted it out and they apologised and said there wouldn't have been a charge anyway. I was also told at the start by the broker that repairs would be by BMW. Every situation is different, and you mention 'dropping' the claim, which could get weird if they've already done stuff. Should be terms on their site I'd have thought.