Can Car Insurers Force a Garage On You?

Brightonfan1983 · Jul 30, 2013

Hello,

I scraped my Toyota last week and have had to claim on the insurance, with Admiral.

Not wanting to go to their approved non-Toyota-approved garage, I found the requisite two other quotes from Toyota garages and submitted them. One is Jemca in Croydon, a palace of car repair, and the other is a lock-up, 20 miles away, near Redhill. I want Jemca.

Jemca's quote was £300 over the Redhill one and naturally Admiral want me to go to Redhill.

Can they force a garage on me? I understood the OFT declared that they couldn't, and yesterday I told them as such over the 'phone, but today I'm getting messages saying their 'engineers' will only approve the Redhill place.

I'm not a confrontational chap but I will dig my heels in if I know my rights... do I have any? If anyone has any anecdotes/advice, I'd be really pleased to hear your stories.

Cheers

'sladegull · Jul 30, 2013

I have just done the same thing with my Honda, and Hastings Direct said I was more than welcome to go where I want for the repairs , but they would only pay if I went to their approved repairers (Some bunch called NATIONWIDE) . Maybe its different if a third party is at fault , they can then claim the cost back from them, but at this was what they refer to as a FAULT claim , they call the shots....

upthealbion1970 · Jul 30, 2013

Reckon somewhere buried in the small print it will say something along the lines of "we will only use one of our approved repairers to repair your vehicle"

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strings · Jul 30, 2013

I'm pretty sure the insurer cannot dictate where you get the car fixed. My other half's car was hit by a boy racer, on his mobile phone. She dug her heels in, refusing to let the insurer use the other garages and in the end her insurer agreed for the work to be done at the local Toyota dealer. I believe that the Toyota dealer actually told her what to say to the insurer to ensure this happened.

Brightonfan1983 · Jul 30, 2013

strings said:
I'm pretty sure the insurer cannot dictate where you get the car fixed. My other half's car was hit by a boy racer, on his mobile phone. She dug her heels in, refusing to let the insurer use the other garages and in the end her insurer agreed for the work to be done at the local Toyota dealer. I believe that the Toyota dealer actually told her what to say to the insurer to ensure this happened.

Now that looks hopeful. I think the OFT pronounced on this a while ago but I'm darned if I can find it. I'm going to give Toyota a call now... Cheers Strings

dragonred · Jul 30, 2013

rock and a hard place - they'll probably cave in if insist but you can be sure next premium renewal they'll probably hit you with a premium rise as payback - sad to say but that's my experience of insurers these days - they dictate the market for who you use (for any related insurance service) as they undoubtedly have 'deals' in place to make that beneficial for them if you go with their choice

Since1982 · Jul 30, 2013

They will have negotiated cheaper rates with their network plus may have guarantees around quality of work etc all of which should benefit you. Suspect if you insist on going elsewhere they will cap the hourly rate they are prepared to pay at whatever the rate is they have agreed with their network.

Prettyboyshaw · Jul 30, 2013

Usually they will say you will only get a courtesy car if using the approved repairer and it will be faster if you do as they are authorised to carry out the repairs without much fuss and delay.

However, decent Insurers will still let you use your own if that's want you want and send an engineer to authorise if it a larger claim, this could slow it down a bit but you should get that option. Direct companies like Admiral etc have rubbish customer service, use a broker then they can step in and help with problems.

hybrid_x · Jul 30, 2013

Insurance.....the only service you pay for, that when you need it, they don't actually want to give you the service.....that you paid for. If they give you the service you paid for, they will make sure you pay more next year as they would prefer to get money for the service without giving the service. There is even a reward system called no-claims which really translates to "do not call us for the service you have paid for."

Biggest scam going, goto any financial centre of any large city and see who owns the big skyscrapers.

Making money out of fear.

The sooner it is optional or removed from the face of the planet, i will be much more assured.

drew · Jul 30, 2013

hybrid_x said:
Insurance.....the only service you pay for, that when you need it, they don't actually want to give you the service.....that you paid for. If they give you the service you paid for, they will make sure you pay more next year as they would prefer to get money for the service without giving the service. There is even a reward system called no-claims which really translates to "do not call us for the service you have paid for."

Biggest scam going, goto any financial centre of any large city and see who owns the big skyscrapers.

Making money out of fear.

The sooner it is optional or removed from the face of the planet, i will be much more assured.

Comprehensive insurance is optional. Only a loon would suggest that third party cover should be optional!

happypig · Jul 30, 2013

Brightonfan1983 said:
Hello,

I scraped my Toyota last week and have had to claim on the insurance, with Admiral.

Not wanting to go to their approved non-Toyota-approved garage, I found the requisite two other quotes from Toyota garages and submitted them. One is Jemca in Croydon, a palace of car repair, and the other is a lock-up, 20 miles away, near Redhill. I want Jemca.

Jemca's quote was £300 over the Redhill one and naturally Admiral want me to go to Redhill.

Can they force a garage on me? I understood the OFT declared that they couldn't, and yesterday I told them as such over the 'phone, but today I'm getting messages saying their 'engineers' will only approve the Redhill place.

I'm not a confrontational chap but I will dig my heels in if I know my rights... do I have any? If anyone has any anecdotes/advice, I'd be really pleased to hear your stories.

Cheers

Was it your fault, or did someone else hit you ? If it was someone else's fault then you could just write to thier insurers and tell them you intend to sue the other party directly for the cost of putting it right; it would be up to them to argue, in court, that the costs were unreasonable.

happypig · Jul 30, 2013

drew said:
Comprehensive insurance is optional. Only a loon would suggest that third party cover should be optional!

Some countries provide third party insurance for everyone, paid for by a levy on fuel (Such as South Africa's Road Accident Fund).

supaseagull · Jul 30, 2013

happypig said:
Was it your fault, or did someone else hit you ? If it was someone else's fault then you could just write to thier insurers and tell them you intend to sue the other party directly for the cost of putting it right; it would be up to them to argue, in court, that the costs were unreasonable.

That's the long way of doing it and there's no guarantee that the other party's insurers would pay the garage until they accept liability and even then there is no time limit on when they can pay.

If your insurers are insisting on their authorised repairers doing the repairs, then they would usually have service level agreements which would ensure that your car is repaired quickly and efficiently. It would also mean they will pay the garage direct. Your insurers would then reclaim all of the liability from my the third party if they are to blame.

If the accident was your fault in any way, then you should just go with the repairers the insurers suggest.

Brightonfan1983 · Jul 30, 2013

supaseagull said:
That's the long way of doing it and there's no guarantee that the other party's insurers would pay the garage until they accept liability and even then there is no time limit on when they can pay.

If your insurers are insisting on their authorised repairers doing the repairs, then they would usually have service level agreements which would ensure that your car is repaired quickly and efficiently. It would also mean they will pay the garage direct. Your insurers would then reclaim all of the liability from my the third party if they are to blame.

If the accident was your fault in any way, then you should just go with the repairers the insurers suggest.

No one else was involved. It's a brand new car and there's no way it's going to Dodgy Dave and his gang of panel-beating miscreants. It can take as long as it takes to get fixed which is why I'm exploring all options.

upthealbion1970 · Jul 30, 2013

Brightonfan1983 said:
No one else was involved. It's a brand new car and there's no way it's going to Dodgy Dave and his gang of panel-beating miscreants. It can take as long as it takes to get fixed which is why I'm exploring all options.

How bad is the damage? Is it worth losing a big chunk of ncd and increased premiums in the future? Worth biting the bullet and paying outright for the repairs yourself?

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beorhthelm · Jul 30, 2013

not sure i understand, did i miss something? you've found a Toyota approved shop you dont like the look of, but think the insurance should pay the higher price of one you deem acceptable. i can understand wanting a Toyota shop over their non-Toyota choice, but why do you think the insurer should pay more for your whim?

and why would the OFT have any input on this?

Postman Pat · Jul 30, 2013

Brightonfan1983 said:
No one else was involved. It's a brand new car and there's no way it's going to Dodgy Dave and his gang of panel-beating miscreants. It can take as long as it takes to get fixed which is why I'm exploring all options.

It says this on Wikipedia - Consumer choice
Insurance companies arrange accident repairs to keep their costs down, but vehicle owners have the right to choose where they have their vehicle repaired.
Many insurers have networks of “approved” repairers and will try to coerce motorists into using their network, but motorists are not obliged to do this.
The Association of British Insurers, the Financial Services Authority and the Office of Fair Trading all agree the choice is the consumer's and there are very few exceptions to this rule.

Brian Parsons · Jul 30, 2013

Last year I dinged my Mini. Hit by some moron on his phone on a mini- roundabout. I was with Privilege at the time and was coerced into using their "approved" body shop. Total disaster what would have taken three days at a mini dealership took two and a half weeks. Only had hire car for five days, all part of the "deal". When I got my car back their was spray dust everywhere, even in the electrics, that took my Mini dealership two sessions to rectify. It transpires after much moaning and whinging to Privilege I could have had my car repaired at a Mini dealership. A legal friend (golfing buddy) wrote a terse letter to Privilege and I received out off pocket expenses repayed. I'm now with LV.

drew · Jul 30, 2013

happypig said:
Some countries provide third party insurance for everyone, paid for by a levy on fuel (Such as South Africa's Road Accident Fund).

Trouble with that is there is no incentive for safer driving as there is with the NCD products we have here.

Brightonfan1983 · Jul 30, 2013

Postman Pat said:
It says this on Wikipedia - Consumer choice
Insurance companies arrange accident repairs to keep their costs down, but vehicle owners have the right to choose where they have their vehicle repaired.
Many insurers have networks of “approved” repairers and will try to coerce motorists into using their network, but motorists are not obliged to do this.
The Association of British Insurers, the Financial Services Authority and the Office of Fair Trading all agree the choice is the consumer's and there are very few exceptions to this rule.

Bloody brilliant. THANK YOU

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