Non fault accident

[Lloyd90]

1 hour ago, GingerCat said:

I have to read thru this since I last posted but I'm pretty sure I said find a few cars (3-5) same make, spec etc as yours (or worse) at a higher value so when they say here's a tenner you can  push back and say actually your well short there and here's my evidence. That's not taking onto account what value you insured yours for (they won't pay more if you said 8k but now want 9) or have a fixed value

I can’t see what I insured it for being relevant at all. 
 

It’s not my insurance party paying for it. It’s the third party. 
 

I didn’t insure my car with the third party for a set value. 
 

They are at fault for my loss and as such I expect them to replace it like for like or pay the cost to actually replace it (market value). 

[GingerCat]

33 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

I can’t see what I insured it for being relevant at all. 
 

It’s not my insurance party paying for it. It’s the third party. 
 

I didn’t insure my car with the third party for a set value. 
 

They are at fault for my loss and as such I expect them to replace it like for like or pay the cost to actually replace it (market value). 

Your insurer pays you and then claims off the other party, when i had my wrote off the chap was quite matter of fact about it, he didn't want to give too much as he may struggle to get that back and they would in turn claim more for theirs when it happens. 

I provided 5 cars of same spec (as advised by an insurance broker friend) and we met in the middle, gaining about a grand overall my way and crucially clearing the finance by a few (200) quid. 

Edited June 20, 2023 by GingerCat

[Lloyd90]

1 minute ago, GingerCat said:

Your insurer pays you and then claims off the other party, when i had my wrote off the chap was quite matter of fact about it, he didn't want to give too much as he may struggle to get that back and they would in turn claim more for theirs when it happens. 

I provided 5 cars of same spec (as advised by an insurance broker friend) and we met in the middle, gaining about a grand overall my way and crucially clearing the finance by a few (200) quid. 

Cheers 👍🏻 I’ll stack up the examples of similar spec etc 

[discobob]

@Lloyd90 There is a channel on YouTube who does up cars - you may be able to get a bit more by buying the car back and moving it onto them. It is Salvage Rebuilds UK

https://www.youtube.com/@sruk

They are contactable via Instagram I think

[Lloyd90]

So far all I can say is that my dealings with Hastings has been one of the worst customer service experiences I’ve ever had. 
 

 

[Lloyd90]

My complaint I have just sent off to Hastings detailing my experience so far: 

 

Thank you for getting in touch. Apologies I couldn't answer your call on Friday, I was on the phone at the time with IMS and Hastings, as since speaking with your colleagues on Thursday I have had further problems again. You got the theme of it in your email however I will note it again as I have had multiple issues at almost every step, I will try to make it clear (sorry, but it's going to be a long list!). 

 

 

The initial incident took place on Friday 19^th May, where a third-party car drove into the back of my car whilst on the M5 motorway. Within an hour of the incident the third party's insurance company had admitted liability and fault for the accident, and I had the impression this would therefore make the whole process fast and easy ... unfortunately, it has turned out to be anything but. 

 

I phoned you (Hastings), as my insurance company to sort this out on my behalf as this is what I pay for and expect. I was then contacted by text message on Sat 20^th May to inform me that Hastings has instructed Enterprise to arrange my repair and replacement vehicle and would be in touch with me. 

 

 

A member of Enterprise staff called Mark called me on Monday 22^nd to say they would have a Courtesy car for me on Tuesday 23rd, but I would need to come and collect it. It wasn't too far but I did have to take time out of work, as did my wife to go and collect the car. 

When we went on Tuesday 23^rd the initial problem we had was that the courtesy car they wanted me to have (A Mitsubishi Shogun) was damaged and didn't have a working handbrake. The member of staff at the time told me it "would probably be fine" and to just take it. When I asked him if the vehicle rolled off and got damaged who would be at fault, he told me this would be classed as my fault. I obviously told them this vehicle was not acceptable and I wasn't willing to take it. Moments later I was sat in the Enterprise office whilst he was shouting down the phone at one of his team that they had sent him "an unrentable car" despite trying to tell me it was fine to take just moments before. After a long wait the garage told me that they didn't have any like for like cars for me, but gave me an interim car that I could take until they could get another car in for me that was similar to mine. I had to accept this at the time as I needed a vehicle for work etc. 

 

I also asked at the time what was happening with the repair of my own car, I was told by the Enterprise office that this is dealt with by an entirely different department and they would be in touch regarding this, most likely to collect my car for repair.  

 

After being told this, I received a text message from Phoenix repairs, advising me that Enterprise had subbed out the work to them to sort out the repairs and collection of my car. Despite listing a phone number, I tried for over a week to get hold of Phoenix for them to actually come and collect my car and take it away for assessment. I called multiple times over different days but no one ever answered calls and I often got an automated message that they were closed, despite it being mornings during the working week. 

 

On Friday 26^th May I had to take further time out of my work day to go to the Enterprise garage to then collect my 3^rd courtesy car from them. I collected an Audi Q5. This was a nice vehicle although also have issues with a parking sensor that constantly goes off when driving. By this point I was fed up of having to complain and swap cars so I have just kept this car for the time being despite their being issues with it. 

 

 

Eventually on 2^nd June, a whole 2 weeks after the initial incident, I got an email from Enterprise (Staff member Kamal Mirza) asking me to contact Phoenix (which as noted above I had been trying already). I emailed back noting I have been trying to contact them multiple times but they don't answer the phone etc. Kamal forwarded my email to Phoenix asking them to call me, I tried them again several times that day and got no response (I emailed Kamal again to document this), after which they closed for the weekend. 

On Monday the 5th of June, I spent hours just ringing and ringing Phoenix, until I finally got hold of them. The woman who answered apologised and said she was covering the phone for multiple companies at once therefore it was hard to get hold of them. 

I said they had to collect the car that day as I was going on an already planned holiday for a week. Fortunately, someone came out within half an hour and collected the car. The car was collected by Phoenix on Monday 5^th June at 13:43pm. 

We are now 2 and a half weeks post incident and my car has only just been collected to be looked at. 

 

On Sunday 11^th June I was chasing an update, according to Enterprise repairs portal the estimate for repair was submitted for approval. On Monday 12^th of June I phoned Enterprise to ask for an update as their portal never changed, and they told me that the repairs had been authorised on the 8^th June and my car would be repaired and then returned to me. 

 

 

I then, completely out of the blue, received a text message from Enterprise on the 20^th June notifying me that my vehicle had been declared "a total loss". There was no reason given for this (although communication throughout the entire process had to this point been a shambles). 

That same day I received an email from yet another company called IMS, who had been appointed to deal with the total loss element of my claim. They had apparently valued my car (although this is a lot less than I can find the exact same car, with the same milage and spec for), and told me they would send me a cheque for their determined amount. There were no notes or information given about how to dispute this valuation or what options were available to me. Being that the valued was around £1500 less than I could find any similar like for like equivalent cars this was a significant difference. 

 

After the email from IMS, I spoke to Hasting's complaints team on the 20^th June to raise a complaint, as by this point, I was totally unsatisfied with your service and multiple issues I had experienced from Hastings and the multiple companies Hastings have directed to act on their behalf. I was told by the Hastings staff member that it is a normal thing to dispute the valuation, they would raise a note with Enterprise / IMS and that Enterprise / IMS should be in touch with me to review the valuation of my car and agree the next steps with me before proceeding. 

 

I replied to IMS's email on the 22^nd June after spending time looking at multiple examples of similar cars with same spec and milage etc (As I was advised to do when speaking to Hastings on the 20^th noted above) with details of how this valuation was unacceptable for multiple reasons, and I asked them to send me information on how to dispute the valuation etc, to which I received no response. 

 

 

 

On Monday 26^th June I phoned Enterprise to ask them for an update, who were incredibly rude to me. Their staff member said did I "magically want IMS to call me"? or words to that effect. 

 

I then called IMS as I had received no response to my email. The call handler confirmed over the phone that they had received my email but gave no reason for them not responding. After disputing the valuation over the phone, they then agreed to review the valuation of my vehicle. IMS also texted me on the 26^th at 13:50 to note that they would carry out a review in line with ombudsman recommendations, and they would contact me to advise me of the outcome. 

 

I again spoke with Hasting's complaints team to update my complaint, wanting to add in about the rudeness of staff Hastings have appointed to represent them and document the on-going issues I have been having with lack of communication. 

 

IMS then failed to contact me at all, and on Thursday 29^th June, I receive a text from IMS noting that they have "processed my claim and a cheque will be sent out the next working day". The text also stated "Please ensure you update the DVLA that ownership of your car has been transferred to the salvage agent COPART" ... 

 

 

I again called Hasting's complaints on Thursday 29^th and spoke with staff member Amy. I told her what had happened and Amy as a representative of Hastings was in absolute disbelief and told me that under no circumstances should the above have happened, at no point have I even agreed a settlement with Hastings, Enterprise or IMS to agree a value for my car, let alone agree for Hastings and their appointed representatives to sell my car without my knowledge to a salvage agent!! 

I was advised that this should never have happened, my car should not have even been taken to a Salvage agents address, she was amazed at the lack of communication from multiple representatives of Hastings and the issues I experienced at multiple steps outlined above. Amy actually noted she could not believe how calm I was considering the issues I was experiencing along the chain of events. 

 

I then expressed my frustrating and my fear that Hastings and Enterprise would now state my claim was resolved (despite it being nowhere near resolved) and would ask for the courtesy car back, leaving me without a mode of transport and with my claim unresolved. 

Amy told me that there was no way that this would happen and that I would be able to keep the courtesy car until the claim was properly resolved. I was also advised that she sent messages to both Enterprise and IMS advising that I wanted them to get in touch with me re the valuation dispute and the on-going issues.  

 

I believe Amy then spoke with IMS directly on my behalf: At 14:42 on Thursday 29^th I was told the following: 

• IMS have taken my car to a salvage agent (COPART), but claimed they haven't sold it yet (No idea they had even taken it there and why if not sold). 
• IMS would cancel the cheque of the low valuation that I asked multiple times to dispute, and would re-issue a cheque once a valuation was agreed with me.
• Amy told me the courtesy car I have wouldn't have to go back until the claim was resolve and I had actually been paid out the agreed amount. 
• Amy also said she would raise my complaint with Hastings as an urgent issue and ask for it to be allocated soon than the 8-week window.

 

I was therefore of the belief that IMS as I had now been told multiple times would contact me once they have re-reviewed my vehicle and looked at the valuation, and was told once again, that IMS would contact me. 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, as unbelievable as it sounds, it then got worse. The very next day, on Friday 30^th June, after I was told yesterday the claim was not settled, and was not closed, and I was given assurances that I would not have to give the courtesy car back until this was resolved, I then get an email directly from Hastings on Friday 30^th June stating "The company handling your claim ... has told us your car has been considered a total loss and you've now received a payment for it". Hastings noted that I have 30 days to buy a new vehicle or they will close my policy, and also note that "if you have been using a hire vehicle, please return it to the hire company straightaway" ... 

 

 

I immediately called IMS on the 30^th June and I spoke with a staff member called Jake. Jake claimed that IMS have tried to call me on the 29^th June (despite me having no missed calls, no voicemails, no messages, no emails etc) and said that despite me asking to review the price etc that this has just been ignored and said to me "we have just pushed it through automatically... this is just what happens". When I said that this was outrageous and I've never agreed the settlement or agreed for them to take or sell my car to a salvage he said that they were instructed by Hastings and this is how it works. He claimed because they didn't get hold of me the day before (again despite there being no trace of them every trying to contact me what so ever) they have "pushed it through" and they have sent me a cheque for an amount determined by them. I would have expected if they had tried to call me (which I do not believe they did) that they would have at least left a voicemail asking me to contact them back to discuss my dispute. 

 

Once again, I raised issues with this and told me that I do not agree with their valuation, I have found multiple examples of the exact same car, same spec, same or similar milage for significantly more and do not agree to the settlement, and I also do not consent to them selling my car against my wishes or knowledge. 

I was then told by Jake (IMS staff member) that the man who negotiates the values is actually away on holiday and not even there (so no idea how he had tried to allegedly contact me the day before).

 

As it stands currently Jake has said that they will pause my claim and note that it is not settled. He told me he would get the man who reviews the values to call me either Friday (which unsurprisingly did not happen), or on Monday (which is tomorrow).

Jake has told me that IMS have notified Enterprise that the claim is settled and the courtesy car needs to come back, Jake admitted to me this was obviously a mistake on their part, and that I am entitled to keep the courtesy car until the claim is actually settled and I am paid out. He told me to call Enterprise and tell them this was an error on IMS part and that I need to keep the car as the claim is on-going. 

 

 

I am awaiting a call from IMS tomorrow to discuss the next steps, 

 

So far, this whole ordeal has caused me significant stress and inconvenience, multiple hours of lost time and work for both myself and my wife as well as multiple hours of our personal time, significant worry, and I am absolutely appalled at the treatment and poor level of customer service I have received throughout this experience.  

 

 

I am also incredibly dissatisfied that I am personally having to chase multiple companies and I am being given conflicting and untrue information from multiple companies when I am the non-fault party in this incident and expect that Hastings should be making these arrangements and speaking to these companies on my behalf. I fully expected Hastings to deal with me directly and not keep subbing me off to various companies who then give conflicting info to me. This is entirely unacceptable. 

 

As it stands presently, I am intending to take my complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service for the multiple issues and terrible service I have received, as well as report this incident to the BBC company Watchdog for further investigation. 

 

 

I hope I have fully summarised the issues I have experience (so far) and you can support me to come to some sort of resolution. I expect my claim to be reviewed and resolved to my satisfaction as a matter of urgency. 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

SHOCKING treatment!

[Old Boggy]

I hope that you now get a prompt resolution.

There`s nothing better than a bit of bad media press to get a quick reaction.

[DUNKS]

Just read that. Frightening to say the least.

[Lloyd90]

1 hour ago, Old Boggy said:

I hope that you now get a prompt resolution.

There`s nothing better than a bit of bad media press to get a quick reaction.

Nope, instead I’ve had calls from Enterprise today to say I have to take the Courtesy car back by 5pm tomorrow and there’s nothing they can do. 
 

I am now left yet again going back and forth between Hastings and Enterprise (I also have to chase up IMS) re my revaluation. 

[Lloyd90]

They have agreed to extend the hire car until Saturday, despite the claim still being on-going. 

 

As of 14:20 Hastings complaints handler allocated to me is saying even if still in dispute I have to give the hire car back by Saturday, as they are claiming to issue an “interim payment”. 

[Bigbob]

That is terrible the way you have been treated maybe time for you to get a lawyer involved 

[marsh man]

Wow , that was some statement and no way could I have handled that , touch wood I have never had a claim and I swop the car insurance round each year mainly between the AA and RAC , I just persumed if you had an accident you got in touch with your insureres and that was it , that is clearly not the case , Have other members had the same treatment , or have there insurance company been spot on , be nice to know the good ones to go with and the bad ones like Hastings to avoid.

Lloyd , I hope you get it sorted out to your satisfaction , if anyone deserve it , then you should be at the top of the list .

[Lloyd90]

Just now, marsh man said:

Wow , that was some statement and no way could I have handled that , touch wood I have never had a claim and I swop the car insurance round each year mainly between the AA and RAC , I just persumed if you had an accident you got in touch with your insureres and that was it , that is clearly not the case , Have other members had the same treatment , or have there insurance company been spot on , be nice to know the good ones to go with and the bad ones like Hastings to avoid.

Lloyd , I hope you get it sorted out to your satisfaction , if anyone deserve it , then you should be at the top of the list .

Thanks mate, 

 

I have since received a much increased offer that is pretty much on the value I would expect so I am likely to accept that offer from IMS and try to get on with my life. 
 

I am still going to push my complaint and see the outcome. 

[marsh man]

34 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

Thanks mate, 

 

I have since received a much increased offer that is pretty much on the value I would expect so I am likely to accept that offer from IMS and try to get on with my life. 
 

I am still going to push my complaint and see the outcome. 

Good to know the tide have started to change in your favour , looking forward to the outcome verdict 

[oowee]

Unreal. Take the cash and get on with life but as you say bang it through to the ombudsman What a total waste of time.