One for the Insurance Experts

[King Rat]

Car parked sensibly and correctly at work. End of the day and the foreman is driving off with a triple axle trailer on the back of his 4x4 truck thing. The tail swing of the trailer does my rear door, rear wing/wheelarch, bumper and the light cluster. I heard people shouting at him to stop, then the bang and more shouting. He stopped and came to look at the damage he had done.
Right, the crux of the matter: Estimate from our local body shop (very competitive as he is a two man band), repair where he can and buy used light cluster because VW don't supply them anymore, it is a 59 plate Golf estate 1.6tdi. The repair estimate is 900 - 1000 quid. This is the second time the foreman has hit a car in a car park with the trailer - the last time was a Golf too, front wing, bumper and headlamp that time, not mine I hasten to add. He has a track record for hittig things, but more usually gate posts and roller shutter doors. Anyway, the insurance company want to write my car off. I am saying NO, because it isn't their property to write off, it is their obligation to put my property back into the state it was before their client hit my property.

Where do I stand please? What is the course of action?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

They have to compensate you to the position you were in before the incident
It can be either a cash settlement or repair
On an old car it’s cheaper to pay you out, when you factor in hire car charges

 

[Mr Bean]

Car parked sensibly and correctly at work. End of the day and the foreman is driving off with a triple axle trailer on the back of his 4x4 truck thing. The tail swing of the trailer does my rear door, rear wing/wheelarch, bumper and the light cluster. I heard people shouting at him to stop, then the bang and more shouting. He stopped and came to look at the damage he had done.
Right, the crux of the matter: Estimate from our local body shop (very competitive as he is a two man band), repair where he can and buy used light cluster because VW don't supply them anymore, it is a 59 plate Golf estate 1.6tdi. The repair estimate is 900 - 1000 quid. This is the second time the foreman has hit a car in a car park with the trailer - the last time was a Golf too, front wing, bumper and headlamp that time, not mine I hasten to add. He has a track record for hittig things, but more usually gate posts and roller shutter doors. Anyway, the insurance company want to write my car off. I am saying NO, because it isn't their property to write off, it is their obligation to put my property back into the state it was before their client hit my property.

Where do I stand please? What is the course of action?

First up, I'm no expert.

However, around 15 years ago I was punted off my Blackbird at low speed - hit on one side and falling on to the other. Bike carted off to 4th Dimension (yes, I know...) who wanted repair the plastics, rather than replace, which I disagreed with. Anyway, 3rd part insurers decided the repair cost was greater than the value of the x percent of the bike - I believe it to be around 66 per cent.

They paid me £900 and I kept the bike. I sold it shortly after at £1,700 and bought a newer version etc. It worked out fine for me.

Might be worth seeing what they will offer as a write-off, and you keep the car, as it may be better.

I thought you had to be no worse off financially only, not materially.

 

[parkys100]

Car parked sensibly and correctly at work. End of the day and the foreman is driving off with a triple axle trailer on the back of his 4x4 truck thing. The tail swing of the trailer does my rear door, rear wing/wheelarch, bumper and the light cluster. I heard people shouting at him to stop, then the bang and more shouting. He stopped and came to look at the damage he had done.
Right, the crux of the matter: Estimate from our local body shop (very competitive as he is a two man band), repair where he can and buy used light cluster because VW don't supply them anymore, it is a 59 plate Golf estate 1.6tdi. The repair estimate is 900 - 1000 quid. This is the second time the foreman has hit a car in a car park with the trailer - the last time was a Golf too, front wing, bumper and headlamp that time, not mine I hasten to add. He has a track record for hittig things, but more usually gate posts and roller shutter doors. Anyway, the insurance company want to write my car off. I am saying NO, because it isn't their property to write off, it is their obligation to put my property back into the state it was before their client hit my property.

Where do I stand please? What is the course of action?

I would think the not very cautious trailer driving foreman would offer to pay the £1000 .
If I was negligent I would see my work colleague back before my stupidity.

Maybe the company manager should suggest he leaves his big rufty tuffty trailer at home?
I would not consider contacting my own insurance if a work Colleague damage my car or bike if parked in the correct parking place at work.
Maybe a bit of peer pressure?

 

[DrFarkoff]

Why should you be "Disadvantaged" due to someone with a history of negligence and damaging other peoples property!!

Foreman or not he should be held responsible for all that damage and maybe he would leave the trailer at home!

And You will likely get hit for "no claims" somewhere along the road!!

@Wapping may be able to enlighten us in his educational Jekyl persona rather than his Sarcastic Hyde Persona

 

[Davey B]

What mileage has you car got? It is likely a case of the insurance company normally using set repair shops and the cost of repair being more for them than the value of the car (They won't be at all bothered about any sentimental value or perceived value of the car to/by you) I'd say you need to speak to the loss adjuster (if one is involved) or perhaps just ask someone at the insurance firm if they'll agree to your chosen garage doing the repair ?.

 

[SBD]

I’ll defer to those who know more about it, but my guess is that the “write off” is a first offer to settle the claim, and you certainly are not obliged to accept it. You might have a chat with the company HR manager, and say you’re considering claiming on the company insurance as the accident took place on company property. They’ll probably say you can’t, because there are disclaimer notices everywhere (are there?) but I’m sure they would like to avoid having to deal with the hassle, so they may well “facilitate a resolution” by “suggesting” the foreman ensures you are not disadvantaged.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Car parked sensibly and correctly at work. End of the day and the foreman is driving off with a triple axle trailer on the back of his 4x4 truck thing. The tail swing of the trailer does my rear door, rear wing/wheelarch, bumper and the light cluster. I heard people shouting at him to stop, then the bang and more shouting. He stopped and came to look at the damage he had done.
Right, the crux of the matter: Estimate from our local body shop (very competitive as he is a two man band), repair where he can and buy used light cluster because VW don't supply them anymore, it is a 59 plate Golf estate 1.6tdi. The repair estimate is 900 - 1000 quid. This is the second time the foreman has hit a car in a car park with the trailer - the last time was a Golf too, front wing, bumper and headlamp that time, not mine I hasten to add. He has a track record for hittig things, but more usually gate posts and roller shutter doors. Anyway, the insurance company want to write my car off. I am saying NO, because it isn't their property to write off, it is their obligation to put my property back into the state it was before their client hit my property.

Where do I stand please? What is the course of action?

Ask him to stop playing Golf

 

[Tinytim]

You're fekked Simon. The money they'll give you for them writing it off will be derisory....taking the money and then buying it back cheap as chips and you getting it repaired at your reasonable 2 man garage will get you nowhere when you try to insure your classified write off car.
You're well and truly fekked.

DAMHIKIJKOK.

 

[wessie]

As I have stated in other threads, and already suggested above, speak directly to the loss adjuster and negotiate.

 

[Greg Masters]

You own the car. Depending on mileage, it could be worth £3-4k. Check adverts on Autotrader and send them to the insurers.

Insurers will make you an £££ offer to write off the car. Negotiate but keep the title. Have the car repaired for £1k. Take the rest as profit for your trouble.

 

[Mr Bean]

The money they'll give you for them writing it off will be derisory....taking the money and then buying it back cheap as chips and you getting it repaired at your reasonable 2 man garage will get you nowhere when you try to insure your classified write off car.

See earlier post.

My bike was never classified as a write-off. I assume it was because it was never written off - I accepted the settlement.

JAWS may still have the bike.

 

[King Rat]

I’ll defer to those who know more about it, but my guess is that the “write off” is a first offer to settle the claim, and you certainly are not obliged to accept it. You might have a chat with the company HR manager, and say you’re considering claiming on the company insurance as the accident took place on company property. They’ll probably say you can’t, because there are disclaimer notices everywhere (are there?) but I’m sure they would like to avoid having to deal with the hassle, so they may well “facilitate a resolution” by “suggesting” the foreman ensures you are not disadvantaged.

HR department/manager is the same person as the foreman! Small family firm. I was parked in a designated area of the Hepworth museum and gardens in Wakefield the site itself is cordoned off. Trailer had just delivered more pontoon and was leaving to go back to the yard. Museum cctv might be available if I ask.

 

[King Rat]

Ask him to stop playing Golf

I did say to one of the other guys from the pontoon firm that he needs a red one next.... snooker!

 

[SBD]

HR department/manager is the same person as the foreman! Small family firm. I was parked in a designated area of the Hepworth museum and gardens in Wakefield the site itself is cordoned off. Trailer had just delivered more pontoon and was leaving to go back to the yard. Museum cctv might be available if I ask.

I presume the boss is not the foreman. And I presume he’s not denying it? I’d hate to have to deal with it, but if it happened at our works, I’d be asking the guilty party to get it sorted. Good luck.

 

[King Rat]

I presume the boss is not the foreman. And I presume he’s not denying it? I’d hate to have to deal with it, but if it happened at our works, I’d be asking the guilty party to get it sorted. Good luck.

I have done. I have got an estimate and offered to get another one from the VW dealer!