Nightmare that keeps getting worse - Admiral

Convicted Driver Insurance
Hello DD,

I’ve requested for documents and all i got back was invoices stating what i already knew like you said very little was sent. I’ve requested more information which they already put up a fight about saying they needed to check the laws and regulations to see if they can share those documents with me. I’ve decided to start with one car at a time (the one that has tax), they said it has been written off however searching it online shows it is tax and MOT (therefore back on the road). Admiral and the other insurance company have stated they are well within there rights to give the car to a scrapyard which becomes there property and they can do what they like with it For example, sell it and someone to fix it. My argument is if its back on the road so quickly the damage couldn’t of been that extensive. Admiral are requesting a damage report review for there engineers too look into the evidence to write up costs and to see whether the right decision was made (of course they are going to agree) but the other thing they have said is if the car is old or low in price they can write the car off without doing any in-depth assessments. In this case the person who i spoke to said they agreed with the decision to write the car off because it made no sense to fix the car due to its market value of £3000. Let me just state that it was the front drivers door, front wing, alloy and possible corner of the front bumper that was damage but can only see the exterior view - i know what you’re thinking... when i say damage i mean i scrapped the door etc. The other car was definitely a write off. However, I’ve asked admiral what they done to reduce costs like you said and Admiral said both cars are a write off and can only go by market value so that is what they requested from me.

What do I look out for with the reports they give me? Do you think I’ve gone the right way about it so far?

Kind regards
Jas
 
Sounds to me that you are asking the right questions and raising the right challenges.

They are pursuing you for the full market value of the written off vehicle but they’ve sold it on and made some money that should in my opinion be taken off the value of the claim.
If they don’t agree I would raise an official complaint with Admiral. If they still refuse to disclose the amount and knock it off then take the complaint to the FOS.

vehicles are written off when they are uneconomic to repair. Low value vehicle more likely to be written off.

They might have only sold it for a few hundred pounds but it’s also the principle that counts. It lets them know you won’t be a pushover.

What you are looking for in the report is evidence from them that they made the effort to value the vehicle correctly as well as the estimate for the repairs.
The repair costs through an insurance claim are often inflated compared to a mechanic buying the car from the scrapyard and fixing it up himself.

They may have sold the car back to the owner and he has pocketed £3k and spent £1500 getting it fixed up.

No one really cares when it’s done under the insurance but it’s very different when you get asked to pay out of your own pocket.
 
Well that is exatly what i said to them when they said its “may” be back on the road. They said the client is given like 2 options, give it to a scrap yard or have the car back (i guess to repair it). The person i spoke to said that it is a common practice and it something that happens every day but if it is given to a scrap yard (which couldn’t be disclosed because its to do with the 3rd party and nothing to do with me) they then take ownership and if they sell it to someone and they fix it up then that’s their business. I was also told the insurance company would not have sold the car to the scrappy or to anyone else to recoup some of the money.

I’m arguing what i can but the lady put up a pretty good fight, she really rattled my cage. To be honest she was making some comments about the claim and not being able to give me documents because of legal reasons and not obviously breaking the law and i just had to make a hit to which laws they choose to look the other way with... such as valid insurance for a untaxed vehicle.

Ill see what they come back to me with but like my last mesage said they are having their guys look into the evidence but just because they say it isn’t worth fixing a £3000 car, what gives them the right to write it off and i cover the costs... that what i hoping this report will clear up.
 
I wouldn't be talking to them. Get everything in writing and converse by letter. That way you have a full history of discussions.
You are up against 'professionals' who do this every day,

If it is taxed and Mot'd it is going to be on the road.

Ask them exactly what laws prevent them providing documents. Personal details can be redacted.
You just want to know if the written off vehicle has been sold, if so how much for. Why should you pay full value?
They should have given you the vehicle, you've paid for it! I know that is impractical but the vehicle still had some value that should be knocked off the bill.
It highlights that Admiral have not done everything to reduce the amount of the claim.

They will keep going on about standard practice but that usually involved little challenge and the path of least resistance. This is not a normal claim because they expect you to pay it all back. You need the evidence to support the figures and show that they have kept the numbers to an absolute minimum.
 
Hi,

I’ve had a drink drive accident and I’m with admiral. I’ve done the back end in a bit. No passengers. Just wondering what to expect price wise. Happy to share photos of damage, if that is allowed?

I’m terrified 😢
 
Alldaybreakfastin said:
Hi,

I’ve had a drink drive accident and I’m with admiral. I’ve done the back end in a bit. No passengers. Just wondering what to expect price wise. Happy to share photos of damage, if that is allowed?

I’m terrified 😢
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It’s impossible to say, even with photos. Sometimes it is just the bumper, but other times it has pushed in structural bits on the inside of the bumper and what looks like a few cracks can be a write off!
A new bumper can be £12-1500 because of the colour coding.
For the worse cases scenario, look at the car value in Parkers car guide.
 
price1367 said:
It’s impossible to say, even with photos. Sometimes it is just the bumper, but other times it has pushed in structural bits on the inside of the bumper and what looks like a few cracks can be a write off!
A new bumper can be £12-1500 because of the colour coding.
For the worse cases scenario, look at the car value in Parkers car guide.
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Thank you, Parker’s said value between 4-6k. It’s a Mazda 3 2.0 SE-L 5 door. 15 plate. So hopefully the max is around 6k if it’s a write off?

The bumper looks pretty ruined. I’m absolutely terrified they will dream up figures and bankrupt me. I’m literally in the first few days of this happening and really worrying like crazy, so thank you so much for your quick reply.
 

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Hard to tell, but your worst case would be a write off (car Gurus show the retail on a car like that at more like £7,500 - £8000 so it would be between that and the trade in price) But you would also have to add car hire costs on top.
Be grateful no one was injured, the personal injury claims can be extreme!
 
price1367 said:
Hard to tell, but your worst case would be a write off (car Gurus show the retail on a car like that at more like £7,500 - £8000 so it would be between that and the trade in price) But you would also have to add car hire costs on top.
Be grateful no one was injured, the personal injury claims can be extreme!
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I’ve just had a letter stating intention to recoup costs - but nothing to sign, I expect the form to sign is on its way? Que more panic re whether to sign, and costs expected!

What sort of figure would be expected for a hire car to replace that one, for let’s say a month? I’ve seen in some cases hire costs can be almost 10k?! Or am I scaring myself?
 
It will not be a month, 2 weeks tops, but if it is written off then the car hire is only available for the person for 7 days after it is written off.
 
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price1367 said:
It will not be a month, 2 weeks tops, but if it is written off then the car hire is only available for the person for 7 days after it is written off.
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Thank you. Its been three weeks now, so maybe something to query if a hire vehicle has been provided for significantly longer. Sorry for the onslaught of questions, I’m just trying to grasp a top figure so I am relieved if it’s lower.
 
Hey guys,

my year is nearly up and I have been searching for insurances online however they’re asking me if I have any NCB. I’ve rung admiral and they said they would not give/tell me if I have any left until they get the final settlement figure paid. I’m not sure if that’s right? I was just wondering if any of you know if admiral are allowed to do this.
 
fml2020 said:
Hey guys,

my year is nearly up and I have been searching for insurances online however they’re asking me if I have any NCB. I’ve rung admiral and they said they would not give/tell me if I have any left until they get the final settlement figure paid. I’m not sure if that’s right? I was just wondering if any of you know if admiral are allowed to do this.
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Yes this is right, an insurer won’t release proof of NCB with an open claim on your file. The claim status must be updated to closed before their computer system will even generate the letter. Until the matter is closed you will have to declare 0 years as you have no proof of any bonus remaining until that claim is closed, at which point you can contact your insurer with your proof and declare it as a change in circumstances reducing the price of the remaining months of your policy.
 
fml2020 said:
Hey guys,

my year is nearly up and I have been searching for insurances online however they’re asking me if I have any NCB. I’ve rung admiral and they said they would not give/tell me if I have any left until they get the final settlement figure paid. I’m not sure if that’s right? I was just wondering if any of you know if admiral are allowed to do this.
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Grice is correct about this years’ proof of no claims. I am wondering though, do you have the renewal quote from last year? That would show the previous eligibility for NCB and it is valid for 2 years. I don’t think you are being disingenuous if you use that….. but of course you do have to declare the current accident and that it is still ‘open’.
 
There is no claim on the policy. They have not provided cover. Your ‘no claims’ is intact. As Price1367 suggested, use your previous renewal letter.

There is an accident to declare though.
 
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Thank you for getting back to me. I have declared my convictions/claims etc. I do have my renewal price back in 2019 but I think I just got to put down 0 years no claims. On the other hand, im still trying to get money off but they take forever to reply to my emails!
 
fml2020 said:
Thank you for getting back to me. I have declared my convictions/claims etc. I do have my renewal price back in 2019 but I think I just got to put down 0 years no claims. On the other hand, im still trying to get money off but they take forever to reply to my emails!
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There’s no claim under the policy. They don’t pay out under the policy. The FOS ruled that my no claims remained intact and no accident against me. My son was a named driver.
Check the exclusion wording in your policy and Put that argument to Admiral
 
Depressed Dad said:
There’s no claim under the policy. They don’t pay out under the policy. The FOS ruled that my no claims remained intact and no accident against me. My son was a named driver.
Check the exclusion wording in your policy and Put that argument to Admiral
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So your son no claim got affected? Because I was the named driver aswell
 
fml2020 said:
So your son no claim got affected? Because I was the named driver aswell
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He never bothered to get his licence back. Still hasn’t 10 years on.

You need to make sure the policyholder is not adversely affected.

how did you get no claims bonus as a named driver?
 
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