Goddamn. Rear Ended And Insurance Company Mention 'Total Loss' To Me. [UPDATE 2]

[mookie]

So I was just writing in another thread this morning, about the charva idiots that seem to be attracted like flies to my car. And then this afternoon, one drove into it.

Awesome.

Sitting at the lights on Percy Street in Newcastle, not moving, lights go green and a guy behind me in his red Nissan Primera just drives straight into my rear.





As you can see, the bumper is buggered, aside from the massive dent in it and small split, it's also now hanging on for it's dear life on the right hand side (he hit me more towards the left). What I'm more pissed off about is the large dent he's also put into the bodywork just above the bumper, below the H in my reg number.

Now this is where it gets complicated. Only a few months ago, a lady gently rear ended me (ooooer) outside the Metrocentre. I only went to the bodyshop yesterday and got an estimate of £340 for a new bumper and the sparaying of it to match the car underneath. The damage on that was almost unnoticable. Then today, this happens... But what has got me worried is that the insurance people at Norwich Union say it comes up as a possible 'Total Loss' due to the age and miles on the clock. Something about that kicking in, if the repairs amount to more than 65% of the cars value. Now I paid £1000 for mine, and I know they go on Autotrader for way less (and alot more too). So what I'm worried about is that the second repair estimate will be end up exceeding the originally quoted £340 for the bumper and put me seriously out of pocket as a result as the car gets written off and I end up having to pay extra to just buy a replacement. 

Has anyone else had a similar thing happen? Any ideas how much an insurance company would value an H reg GTi with 132,000 miles on it?

Bugger bugger bugger bugger.

[Uruk Hai]

You can ask them if they'll consider a quote from a repairer of your choice and some company's will allow the repair to be carried out using second hand parts to keep the cost down. If they do write it off it will be an uneconomical repair and you may be able to buy the car back as part of the settlement (I think its about 10 % of the offer they make to you) and get it repaired yourself. If it was me I'd have a good think about it because if it is safe to drive until you get the insurance money to pay for the repair it mite be less hassle than having to find another car, the only other thing to consider is that it mite by recorded as a cat C write off but I wouldn't let that bother me. Good luck I hope you get the result your after 

[mookie]

Any ideas how much an insurance might value my car though? I suspect it will be way less than the £1000 I paid...

[omg its aj]

That sucks man.. so he just drove right into you? What a pillock. Hope you gave him a mouthfull.

Also hope his cheap-ass nissan came off worse.

[mookie]

His bumper was hanging off and both headlights were smashed. Not much consolation though.

What pissed me off was his knuckleheaded passenger who kept saying "Divn't worry mate. Them bumpers are only ten quid from a scrap yard."  I sooooo wished I'd had the quote for £340 with me to replace the same bumper...

[omg its aj]

Never trust a chavs cost estimation when it comes to bodywork... by "only a tenner from a scrapyard" he was talking about the petrol money to drive to the scrapyard and nick one.

Whats your insurance company?

shame Martin isnt around he could probably give you a good idea of how much they'll offer you... only a ballpark figure though i doubt he works at the same company you have your insurance with.

[Horney]

They'll probaby offer you around £500 for it as a first offer. THey'll also take your excess of that when they pay it to you.

I had a similar situation with a mini some time ago. THey wrote it off for bent wing, broken grill and smashed headlight. I paid £3k for the car and they offered me £800. In the end I got the car and £650 off them. Got it repaired for half that money and laughed my way to the bank for once getting one over an insurance company without breaking the law.

I would really recommend buying your car back, you know the car and you know what's up with it. If you buy another one you're into unknown teritory again.

I offer this tips if you decide to keep it.

1) Get it checked out by a local garage you trust to find out exactly what needs repairing so you know what you need to do.

2) DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSATANES ACCEPT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES FIRST OFFER. It will be cheeky and it will be crap. Send the cheque back with a stroppy letter and examples of adverts of cars that are an acceptable replacemnt for yours. FIght them until you get your £1000K or your car back and some cash for your own repair.

3) DO NOT LET THEM HAVE YOUR CAR. They may try and take it away from. THe car is legally yours until you cash any settlement cheque. If they write it off don't let them get hold of it until you are happy with how the claim has been settled, if they take it sayingit's theirs they are lying and you could report them for theft.

4) Ask for help here if they give you grief, plenty of people round here have had to go through all this and can help you along.

Finally consider buying th car back even if you are getting another one. You will no doubt get more money from breaking the car and selling the parts than you will have to pay for it.

And lastly, it doens't look that bad. A second hand bumper, some good at panel beating and filler skimming and a quick blow over should see you sorted for only a couple of hundred quid.

NIck

[mookie]

Cheers Horny, good reply that made me feel a bit better about it all. TBH at this point I'm half way between going on a mad murder rampage and crying me eyes out  I was dead proud of it too, as I'd spent all day yesterday washing and polishing it up for a trip to see my girlfriend in York tomorrow.

[[han]]

if you go on auto trader and print of some of the really expensive ones that are similar spec to your car if you think they are guna ovffer below value, obviously they can look for themselfs, but if u show them u know whqt ur talkin about you stand mroe chance, and push them for all they'r worth, they'lltry to get out of everyhing, i've been pushin mine for a year now!

Also, and idea would be to print off some threads, for immac show cars! least you can show them top end, they don't know!!!  good luck with it!!!

[Tim-Mk2]

ouch looks expensive.. hope you get it sorted!!