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Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 8:38 pm
by Bongoplotter
Left our Bongo "safely" parked in a car park at the bottom of a hill today. VW parked at the top of said hill didn't put his handbrake on, and you can guess the rest. Have arranged to drop off our Bongo with Ian Taylor in the morning, as I wouldn't allow anyone else to mess with it, but as the rear bumper, boot, driver's side lights, and driver's side wheel arch have all taken quite a hit, I have a nasty feeling that the insurance company might make things difficult. It's a 1996 Bongo with 147k on the clock, but we love it to bits want to keep it going forever. Does anyone have any advice on buying back write-offs, please? Many thanks
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 9:03 pm
by Gasy
It's your car
Not the insurance company's
You have the write to keep it ( buy it back )
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 9:10 pm
by Simon Jones
Start looking on eBay, Autotrader and the For Sale section to get an idea for what it will cost to replace it on a like for like basis. Presumably, you'll be claiming against the VW's insurance so try to screw every last penny out of them as it was clearly not your fault.
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 9:12 pm
by Gasy
Was it a vw camper
Maybe a bit of owner envy
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 10:23 pm
by scanner
As gasy says it is YOUR car, NOT the insurance company's. Do not let them try and convince you otherwise.
All they are required to do is put you back in the position you were before the damage occurred - no better and certainly no worse.
Do you have Legal Cover as part of your insurance (almost everywhere seems to include it these days unless you specifically opt out)? If so, use it, you have to inform your insurer of the incident but you do not have to claim through them. Just tell them the vehicle was hit whilst parked and unoccupied and use the Legal Cover to pursue the other driver's insurer.
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:05 pm
by Bongoplotter
Gasy, you could be right, I hadn't thought of that
Whatever the reason, Mr VW driver has not reported the incident to his insurers, so today has been more than frustrating. Apparently it will take five working days to even be allowed a courtesy car because he hasn't given notification
Scanner, yes we do have legal cover - thanks for the advice
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:09 pm
by scanner
Bongoplotter wrote:Mr VW driver has not reported the incident to his insurers,
Go to the Police!
Did you by any chance get pictures or have an independent witness?
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:12 pm
by scanner
Gasy wrote:It's your car
Not the insurance company's
You have the write to keep it ( buy it back )
One slight correction.
You don't buy anything "back" as it's still yours. The insurer pays you a settlement less "salvage value".
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 7:04 pm
by Bongoplotter
The car park belongs to a garden centre - there was apparently a witness, who reported it to an employee straight away. The witness then disappeared, but the garden centre employee went out and took photos on his phone. Hugely grateful that he did, as when we arrived back, the VW had been moved back up the hill, and the driver was inspecting the damage on his van. He didn't make any effort to come and speak to us - I had to approach him.
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 7:12 pm
by Snoozie
Cheeky barsteward.
Glad that someone got some photos for you.
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:07 pm
by scanner
Bongoplotter wrote:The car park belongs to a garden centre - there was apparently a witness, who reported it to an employee straight away. The witness then disappeared, but the garden centre employee went out and took photos on his phone. Hugely grateful that he did, as when we arrived back, the VW had been moved back up the hill, and the driver was inspecting the damage on his van. He didn't make any effort to come and speak to us - I had to approach him.
You definitely need to contact the Police and tell them what happened. He could be guilty of an offence.
From
http://www.staffordshire.police.uk/info ... collisions
This advice only refers to collisions where no-one is hurt or suffered only minor injury. If you are involved in a collision where a vehicle or property is damaged, you must stop and give your details to anyone with reasonable grounds for requesting them.
If you are involved in a collision where no injuries have occurred, you need to exchange the following details with the other people involved:
registration numbers of your vehicles
details of the drivers involved
details of the registered keeper if they are different from the driver.
If no one has been injured, and all the drivers involved are willing to exchange details, you don't have to report the matter to the police.
It may be private land, but that doesn't mean it is a "public place" if there is no barrier or other means of keeping the public out.
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:15 pm
by scanner
Specifically this..
Q. The driver involved in the collision failed to stop, or left without giving their details. What should I do?
A. Failing to stop if you are in a collision involving injury or damage to property is an offence. If a driver fails to stop or leaves the scene of a collision without giving details, you should notify the police as soon as possible, or in any case within 24 hours, giving:
the time, place and nature of the incident
details of the car and if possible the driver
their direction of travel when leaving the scene.
The police will advise you on what to do next.
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:35 pm
by scanner
Park behind a lamp post next time
http://i.imgur.com/FUrZChk.gif
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:53 pm
by Colin H F
Re: Advice on possible write-off
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:43 pm
by Bongoplotter
Scanner, you really have set me thinking now. How do you park
behind a lamp post? Infront of, at the side of, or underneath I can visualise, but
behind????
One lucky lady in that video clip
