Insurance Nightmare . .

Concrete · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:12

I thought I might as well post the horror story I'm going through at the moment, its not something people can avoid really, but it might make me feel better if I can vent some of my fustrations.

As some of you know a woman went into the back of my Skyline over three months ago while I was stationary. A month and a half ago Ensign finally agreed to repair the vehicle after their assessor gave it the all clear. Parts were sourced, the repair was done to a high standard, and has been resprayed. So far so great, its taken a while, but I've had a temporary car, and although its not ideal, these things happen.

What has happened now though is a total **** take. The woman admitted liability both at the scene and to her insurance company (they are the ones who sorted me out with a temp car via Britania, presumably to get in before I chose something more costly from another company). There is no doubt that they have accepted liability, however Ensign, and those utterly useless turds at Claimtec, say that until they have claimed back the money (which might take 9 bloody months???) they will not honour my no-claims.

So, I lose all three years no-claims and I have to renew my insurance, has anyone ever tried insuring a Skyline with no NCB? The quotes I get are absolutely crazy, so I am faced with having an uninsurable car, with tax soon to be renewed, all because a bunch of incompetant idiots (I really want to use stronger language) cant be arsed to do their job correctly.

I'm fuming, they want to charge me almost 3k to renew, even though they know that it's a no fault crash and that I will eventually get my NCB back off them and they have made it very clear that I wont be re-embursed.

Bah, thats my sad story, anyone want to buy an as new R34 GT-T?

merlin · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:22

If you had 3 years no claims bonus last year you'll have 1 year left this year, not nil.

Also - standard proceedure I'm afraid, you lose your no claims bonus until such time as your insurers get their money back.

However, contrary to what you have said - when you do get your no claims bonus back - you WILL get a backdated credit on your renewal premium reworked to acknowledge the fact it should have been renewed with 3 years ncb.

So anyway, it might only take a few weeks for your insurers to get their money back as the TP have admitted liability. Storm in a teacup - just renew @ £3k, put it on instalments and probably before you get to pay the 2nd payment everything will be done and your ncb reinstated which will retroactively drop your renewal premium and reduce your remaining instalments.

Jez · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:27

Sounds like an utter nightmare but Merlin knows his stuff when it comes to insurance and it sounds as if there could well be light at the end of tunnel.

Good luck with it and stick to your guns

[TW]Fox · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:34

Moral of the story: If liability is not disputed..

.. DO NOT ALLOW YOUR INSURER TO HANDLE THE CLAIM FOR YOU.

ALWAYS use a third party accident management company or handle the claim on your own. That will avoid this sort of issue following a non fault accident.

Concrete · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:35

Thanks guys, Merlin, what you said about them retro-actively working out any over-payment and then refunding it, I specifically asked them about this and they said that unfortunately for the duration of the time it took them to work it out, I would be charged as if I had no NCB and would no be able to get a refund. This is what seemed particularly unfair to me, as they must have a pretty good idea that I'm not going to be held responsible, I'll call them again tomorrow and ask them to re-confirm, I don't mind it too much if that is the case, although they have already got a substantial excess off me already . .

merlin · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:40

Concrete said:
Thanks guys, Merlin, what you said about them retro-actively working out any over-payment and then refunding it, I specifically asked them about this and they said that unfortunately for the duration of the time it took them to work it out, I would be charged as if I had no NCB and would no be able to get a refund. This is what seemed particularly unfair to me, as they must have a pretty good idea that I'm not going to be help responsible, I'll call them again tomorrow and ask them to re-confirm, I don't mind it too much if that is the case, although they have already got a substantial excess off me already . .

You're confusing things. The fact you have to renew assuming reduced ncb and the fact you will eventually have that re-worked to get a back dated credit are two different things.

Per your comments above - they've told you you have to renew with reduced ncb - that's perfectly correct.

But in your first post you said they've told you that you won't receive re-imbursement when you get your ncb back - which is incorrect, you will.

Seems like they've told you you have to renew with reduced ncb and you've possibly taken that as them saying when your ncb is re-instated you'll still pay £3,000. Not the case.

Biggest question is when the ncb will be re-instated. I'd say pretty quickly myself if as you say the TP have admitted fault.

Good indication that everything is done and dusted and you have your ncb back is when you get a cheque through your door refunding the policy excess.

Concrete · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:50

Heh, guess I'm not good at explaining myself, so I'll try and give an example, say I would normally be paying 1200 a year with NCB and without NCB I would end up paying 2400. Ignoring additional interest for paying monthly that would work out at 100 quid a month or 200 quid a month.

So lets assume that it takes them three months from the point of renewal to sort this mess out, normally I would have paid 3x100 = 300, but I have infact paid 3x200 = 600. Now obviously I will drop down to the 100 quid a month again at this point, but will have over paid by 300 for the first three months.

You are saying that that 300 will be taken off the remaining 900, leaving 600 to pay over the remaining 9 months, however. .

They are saying that the 300 will be written off and I will still have to pay the 100 quid a month as normal, meaning I would have paid a total of 1500.

I'm hoping that I just got the work experience guy on the phone really, but I wouldnt put anything past an insurance company . .

merlin · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:56

You will have your remaining instalments adjusted so that ultimately when your instalments finish you've only paid for 12 months cover based on full no claims bonus. So if the premium with your ncb intact is £1200 - that's what you'll pay.

When the ncb is re-instated they raise a credit and that credit gets posted against what you owe.

Concrete · 3 Jul 2007 at 16:59

Great, thanks for the help - well I was being told nonsense then, so all I lose really then is the interest on the 3k, which as long as its only for a couple of months isnt too bad I suppose!

wijcc · 3 Jul 2007 at 17:45

this happened to me, before when i got rear ended. I looked for the cheapest insurer with 2 ncb, did a quote with 2 ncb then one with 0 ncb. I took out the insurance with the insurance company that provided with the best quote if i has 2 ncb then paid the 0 ncb price quote. After approx 2.5 months when my claim was settled with my previous insurance company. I got a cheaque back from the new insurance company, I paid in full up front btw.