Making A Claim On My Car Insurance And My Options.

[MrIncredible]

I have had my first ever car accident ( after over 30yrs of driving ) and ive found myself in unfamiliar territory!
Accident my fault, hit a bollard, no other vehicles or persons involved.
My insurance co. Have collected my car and taken it to be assessed as to wether its viable to be repaired or written off.

Firstly they have taken it to a company called "silverlake" based in Southampton when i had a look on line it seems they are a breakers/salvage/recycling company! Should i be worried about this? The only damage to my car looks to be cosmetic only ( front wing n bumper damage) looks to me like they've made up there minds already that its going to be write off!

Secondly whats my options if i dont agree with there decision? Can i request they return my car and i get my own quote? Can i cancel my claim?

Any advice help greatly appreciated :)

Extra info: car is quite old 2002 but its been very very well looked after and is in immaculate condition. Car is drivable. Insurance company Hastings direct ( not very impressed with them so far!!)

[Gizmonster]

I was in a similar position a while ago.
My friend crashed my car (he was a named driver on my policy) with no other cars involved. It was a good few years old, but I'd looked after it, so it was in good condition for its age (I can't remember but I reckon it was approx 10 years old).
Anyway, they took the car, assessed it and said it was not economical to repair it. I asked if I could have the car back so I could get a local garage to assess it and possibly repair it. They asked the engineer and because it was still structurally sound, they let me buy it back. They paid me the market value of the car minus £200 (that was the value put on the car in the condition it was in).
Well, I got the car repaired and I had to inform my insurance company, so that someone could come out and assess it, to make sure it was road worthy etc.
The thing is, the garage quoting for your repairs will prob be quoting top whack prices, with new parts from the car dealers, whereas my friend who has is own garage gets his parts from local motor factors at a fraction of the price.
So in answer to your question, you do have the option to take the car back and take it to your own garage - wait and see if they tell you if it's a write off, then ask them what category write off it is ... then refer to: http://www.rac.co.uk/community/blog/rac-blog/september-2011/what-is-an-insurance-write-off/

[TWR]

Hi Mr
there is every chance with hitting the bollard it may have damaged the Lower Suspension / the area of the Body where the Sub frame is bolted to, Wheel Buckled / Track rod Bent / out of Track, you can demand the car back, you can get your own Quote, with respect Mr, I would have done that in the first place, ask the Garage / Breakers what damage can they see then take it from there.

[MrIncredible]

Thanks guys, I am hoping it is only cosmetic as i clipped the bollard with my wing and bent it all back and not hit it full on , but hey ho you never know!
I wish with hindsight I had got my own quote done first and not been so hasty as to hand it straight over to the insurance company!

Thanks for the link. The only thing i can do now is wait to see what they say and go from there.

Not a good time to have to be cycling to work! ( only 34miles there n back gonna have thighs like chris hoy :) )

[ToraToraTora]

what is the exact make and model of the car? for old cars bend one panel and to repair correctly is usually more than it's worth, you can keey the car if it's a cat c or d write off sounds like it will be.

[gingejbee]

As an aside...you're right to be unimpressed with Hastings Direct - they were near the bottom of a recent customer satisfaction survey done by Which? I'd be wary of them...challenge anything you're unhappy with!

[chas2008]

regardles of how much damage there is its extremely rare for an 02 plate vehicle to be repaired..
As a repairer we have a 55 plate Clio and a 54 plate Meriva with minor damage they will both be deemed total losses..

[clara55]

Hastings Direct are appalling, i had insurance from them for 1 year insured it with a different company as they sent me a quote doubling previous years insurance . rung them and in formed them in writing and they took the money anyway. it took numerous phone calls to get the muppets to refund me.

[MrIncredible]

Well I can concur with Clara...Hastings direct are terrible, reported my bump On Friday 9th Jan, they didnt take my car away till the following wednesday and i still havnt heard from them! My car is somewhere across the other side of the country ( well about 40miles aways but its feels like its a long way away!!)

Just playing the waiting game now, thing is im in no hurry and the longer they take the more ammunition i have against them when I do eventually rant and rave which will be this Friday ( if i havent heard ffrom them by then)

Just a quicky after my updated rant! They said they would pick my car up within 48 hours then come back to me within another 48hours both of which they didnt do, Are they in breach of contract? cant find anything in my handbook about this being there policy but if they verbally tell me this could this be taken as a verbal contract?

(cycling to and from work is giving my thighs like Chris Hoy (yeah in my dreams!!))