Author Topic: UK vehicle insurance law? anyone? (Read 267 times)

Swoop · « **on:** February 25, 2004, 07:42:20 AM »

As some will remember, my bike was stolen in january 2003.

I went through the usual ways of reporting it stolen, call the filth, get an incident number, call the broker and do the biz.

So.......1st they want keys and documents and whatnot, which they get posted to em. Then they want an investigator to interview me, which he did. Then I get another letter asking for the keys and documents. um....? This was in July last year.

So I call the insurer (the insurer not the broker) and ask for the fella who's name is on the letter from 6 months ago only to be told he's no longer with the company (tone of voice made me think this was a co-worker I was speaking to, who didn't like the fella much and that he'd been sacked). Ok so then I explained he'd already been sent the keys and documents about 5 months ago. Got told they'd check it out.

So October rolls around and I get around to calling again, explain everything all over again to a different person who had the bright idea of checking the desk drawers of the fella who'd been sacked......sure enough, there are my keys and documents.

So december rolls around and I call yet again, got told the person who was dealing with the claim was on sick leave and should be back the following monday. Call again the following monday and get told she's still out on sick leave........I throw a wobbler at the person on the phone until she puts me onto the team leader who I throw another wobbler at. She goes and looks at the file and comes back to the phone to tell me she can see no reason why this claim has not been settled and will speak to the person dealing with the claim the very second she returns from sick leave.

So.....apparently only one person can deal with a claim.

And now.....finally......in february I get a letter from the broker (not the insurer) saying that the insurer has now completed investigation and is prepared to make the offer of x amount, will I please confirm my acceptance of this offer in writing.

Right. Now here's a question: If write back and say:

"Bugger off. That may be what my bike is worth now but a year ago when it was stolen it was worth more. And besides that, I'm aware of the full story of the way this claim has been incompetently dealt with by the insurer and see no reason why I should have to meet my own transport costs for the last year due to someone elses mishandling. The Ombudsman in London has been informed of all incidents in this case and will probably be contacting you in due course."

D'ya reckon I can squeeze more out of em?

Dowding · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2004, 07:55:06 AM »

Not sure. They pay out on market value, but this ought to be at time of theft. Otherwise you will be dicked about by varying amounts depending on who insures you and how well they administer their policies... which is what is happening here.

I'd try it anyway, or maybe get some proper legal advice first.

pugg666 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2004, 08:00:47 AM »

Quote

I'd try it anyway, or maybe get some proper legal advice first.

This is your best bet.

214thCavalier · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2004, 08:58:02 AM »

Swoop try it, as you know i am in the motorcycle trade in uk and am aware that they frequently offer BELOW market value at first and get away with it, simply because the majority of people just want it sorted as fast as possible.

If you supply me details of model, year mileage etc i can give you the current valuation and if really lucky may even find an old book to cover the original date it was stolen.

Swoop · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:01:48 AM »

W plate R/W Yamaha YZF-R6. But it was nicked a year ago so pretend it's a Y plate. 10k on the clock I think, may have been 12k.

Mint. Totally standard except for a scot oiler and a Datatool all-singing-all-dancing and bloody useless alarm.

Swoop · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:17:05 AM »

BTW, just spoke to the broker and he's suggested I make an official complaint about the time taken to process the claim.

Octavius · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:20:14 AM »

And you would be submitting this to the (local) government? How much longer will that take? And in terms of $$, what sort of advantage does officially complaining offer?

Swoop · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:25:12 AM »

Well.....the Ombudsman is an independant body set up to negotiate anyone's dispute with an insurer or company......well more than that, pretty much anything financial. There's a clear complaints proceedure to follow, first I have to complain to the insurer (the underwriter) giving me a problem, if they decide my complaint is not important enough to do anything about they'll......well not do anything. Then I get to contact the Ombudsman.

Now here's the cool part.

The Ombudsman is paid for by the underwriter. If the Ombudsman gets involved, before anything else happens, the underwriter has to pay a rather large fee to the Ombudsman for the pleasure of having them review the case. So the upshot is: The underwriter really doesn't want this to go to the Ombudsman.

The only thing is.........the Ombudsman wont increase the offer made to me just because I had to wait a year for the offer, the policy I had with the underwriter didn't cover the cost of personal transport while a claim was being processed. All the Ombudsman would do would be to impose a fine on the underwriter for the incompetance. So what I'm banking on is that the underwriter really wont want this going to the Ombudsman and would possibly make a larger offer to make me shut the hell up and go away.

Dowding · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:25:33 AM »

The ombudsmen are actually quite good. All I had to do was threaten a mobile phone company with reporting them for a clear breach of contract and they rescinded and gave me a discounted line rental. They actually have some power in Telecomms. Wouldn't be surprised if the same applies with insurance, particularly in open and shut cases.