My mum took her car into into a metal bollard clipping the n/s/r wheel, which has damaged the suspension etc. It's un-driveable, so contacted her insurance co, they sent an assessor over within a few weeks, who assessed it on the drive, and 1 month later has informed her, they will find it difficult to get the parts.
So offered her £550 plus her car back to have repaired.

A few questions if anyone can help!

Shouldn't the car have been taken to a workshop and assessed thoroughly?

Is this normal to offer money & the car back for you to get repaired? It's not being written off.

They haven't given her an alternative! I think she'd rather it was written off.

It's a 93 Honda, and parts are hard to find for them, but if they are that hard... shouldn't the car be written off? Isn't that what insurance is for!??

Thanking you.

 

I can try and help. I'm no expert but have made a few claims and have been in the motor trade for most of my working life:

1. Shouldn't the car have been taken to a workshop and assessed thoroughly? - No, as long as the assessor is qualified the assessment can take place anywhere.

2. Is this normal to offer money & the car back for you to get repaired? It's not being written off. - Yes this is quite common, although you will normally be give the option to repair it yourself or have the insurance firm repair it.

3. They haven't given her an alternative! I think she'd rather it was written off. - It will be written off if the repairs outway the value of the car. I'd advise that she gets back onto the insurance firm and say to them that she does not want to arrange for the repair and this is why she paid her insurance premium. (Not too sure where she stands legally tho')

Hope this helps. As I said I am not an insurance 'expert' but it all sounds fairly straight forward

 

whats the car worth?
minus your mums excess
this shuld be sort of where they have reached their monetary figures

after that, they don't really want to have the car clogging up their gaff waiting for soeone to scrap it so ask for a better offer, keep the car, flog it on ebay, everyones happy

 

That's great, thanks for the info!

It's all a bit clearer now!

 

I would say the car's worth about £1200...
Prob more like £800 to insurance co anyway.
Minus £200 excess
£600 - so not far off.

I think it will be going to the land of ebay sometime soon!

 

find another car in the paper or soemthng thats similer to the car in question
show the ad to the insurance company and see what they say, they might up their offer

 

sounds likea cat d write off to me