[Misc] Thinking of getting/renewing car insurance? Heed my warning!

[METALMICKY]

Just so nobody has to go through the aggro I've had. When you take out the insurance check which company they deal with should you have a claim. If it's an Accident Management Company called Kindertons run a mile!

I'm not going to bore everyone with the details but after years of trouble motoring I had two non fault claims in the space of 8 months and they were atrocious. I had somebody bump me in a car park causing minor damage and sadly recently someone drove into the back my car and resulting in it being written off. In both instances it should have been relatively simple to sort out but Kindertons managed to blatantly lie and communication was either non existent or wholly inaccurate and you end up doing the job for them!

And it's not just me. Reviews on the web paint a similar story. And whilst the overall satisfaction stats appear to be OK check out the positive reviews which are all pretty short and with wording that smells of fake review. By contrast the negative reviews are long essays of issues with similar characteristics.

Accidents happen but I post this in the hope of saving any fellow Albion fan grief

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Insurance Onbudsman to sort instances of poor or malpractice?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

'Accident Management Company' sounds a bit like 'Pub Management Company'. Probably the same primary source of income also: screwing over the end user

 

[Justice]

I had a recent claim not my fault with my insurance company AXA, they use a similar third party Copart all done and dusted within a week. I would recommend them.

 

[Weststander]

I used to chase the rock bottom premium, but about 6 years ago switched to LV, I think the premium was only a little more.

Very fortuitous, when a little later an ******** came speeding out of side country lane without looking and T-boned my brand new car. Apologies immediately, then shortly afterwards I found out from the recovery driver that the culprit was going to lie.

LV's attitude from the off was brilliant, there was never any financial impact on me, they believed my version, my NCD remained in tact.

The whole incident cost north of £20k, Hastings Direct insured the ********. He was only mid 20's, his car written off, goodness knows what loading he got with his next policy.

I'd recommend LV. But I know we're talking about management companies.

 

[studio150]

Were you making the claims through your own Insurers, or claiming directly from the third party Insurers.

 

[LamieRobertson]

It’s not always about the premium ..it’s how they handle any claim…..same as home insurance etc

 

[Icy Gull]

I have been with Direct Line for about 10 years. No claims as yet, but I like the fact you can get through reasonably quickly to someone whose first language seems to be English, they are knowledgeable and polite. They are competitive and will reduce slightly if you have been offered a cheaper deal by a name insurer.

I haven’t, fortunately, had to claim. I moved from Norwich Union/Aviva when they were difficult tossers in settling a claim and then decided to whack my no claim discount premium up dramatically after a claim that I was blame free on.

Given the OP’s original post about claims, has anyone had experience of Direct Line claims?

 

[Weststander]

I have been with Direct Line for about 10 years. No claims as yet, but I like the fact you can get through reasonably quickly to someone whose first language seems to be English, they are knowledgeable and polite. They are competitive and will reduce slightly if you have been offered a cheaper deal by a name insurer.

I haven’t, fortunately, had to claim. I moved from Norwich Union/Aviva when they were difficult tossers in settling a claim and then decided to whack my no claim discount premium up dramatically after a claim that I was blame free on.

Given the OP’s original post about claims, has anyone had experience of Direct Line claims?

For home insurance, I moved to Direct Line about 4 years ago. Costs a bit more.

I knew someone who made a £275k legit legal claim through their home insurance with Direct Line, apparently they were amazing.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I used to chase the rock bottom premium, but about 6 years ago switched to LV, I think the premium was only a little more.

Very fortuitous, when a little later an ******** came speeding out of side country lane without looking and T-boned my brand new car. Apologies immediately, then shortly afterwards I found out from the recovery driver that the culprit was going to lie.

LV's attitude from the off was brilliant, there was never any financial impact on me, they believed my version, my NCD remained in tact.

The whole incident cost north of £20k, Hastings Direct insured the ********. He was only mid 20's, his car written off, goodness knows what loading he got with his next policy.

I'd recommend LV. But I know we're talking about management companies.

We’re with LV.

Friends of ours are also with them, but had an accident last year. A replacement car was in place within 48 hours & everything done very professionally even though it was their fault.
I’d recommend them to anybody.

 

[Weststander]

We’re with LV.

Friends of ours are also with them, but had an accident last year. A replacement car was in place within 48 hours & everything done very professionally even though it was their fault.
I’d recommend them to anybody.

Their claims management company set me up with a new Volvo XC70, I didn't even ask for it. At £225 per day with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, for almost 6 weeks, £9,450!!!

I soon realised why the other side's insurer, Hastings Direct, had been frantically trying to persuade me at the very beginning to take a budget courtesy car from their pamphlet

The accident set in chain several big corporates snout at the ££££ trough.

It didn't affect me, that Hastings Direct were later taken to Bristol County Court by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, I was due to be a witness. Parties settled the day before, I was told this malarkey is the norm.

 

[Icy Gull]

In my youth I worked at Canine and Livestock Insurance, what a bunch of conniving shysters they were, I lasted three months.

Claim to fame was that they had Arthur the cat, the tv star at the time insured who used his paw to scoop up his food from the bowl. No suprise really as his teeth had been removed apparently

https://youtu.be/j3kj1HKwqhc

 

[Eeyore]

I have been with Direct Line for about 10 years. No claims as yet, but I like the fact you can get through reasonably quickly to someone whose first language seems to be English, they are knowledgeable and polite.[/B]They are competitive and will reduce slightly if you have been offered a cheaper deal by a name insurer.

I haven’t, fortunately, had to claim. I moved from Norwich Union/Aviva when they were difficult tossers in settling a claim and then decided to whack my no claim discount premium up dramatically after a claim that I was blame free on.

Given the OP’s original post about claims, has anyone had experience of Direct Line claims?

That's good, but also the warning to others when looking at reviews.

Folk should never make a review online if an insurance company is 10/10 for its administration. It skews the reality, that being that what we really want to know is how they are with claims.

IF that was the only consideration we would see a different picture. Hastings Direct have been great for me, but no claim yet.