Preventing Write off from Car Insurance Claim (Not at Fault)

glasswaterbottles on 02/06/2018 - 21:47

Hi All

Recently, I was rear-ended by a car, and it was a straightforward case of them being at fault and I had claimed with my insurance company and it was all good so no issues.

However, this was the second claim in the last 9 months with the same insurer and same situation (still not at fault).

My car is insured for just $5,000 and I'm worried that the smash repairer will quote around 4K at least and adding up the salvage value, it will become uneconomical to repair and they will write it off, paying me around $4k and cancelling my rego and taking my car. The write off law for NSW is stricter compared to other states too.

The thing is I do not want it to happen. I like my car and been driving it for 10+ years and cannot afford to buy a new reliable car with that 4k that I will be given. I'm just worried that the smash repairer inflates his quote like they always do when they know its insurance claim.

I dont know what I should do? Should I just not get it fixed or is there any other way to influence the repairer to put in a quote thats around 3K?

Has any one of you been in this situation or can suggest something? Thank you.

Automotive

Comments

  • kahn on 02/06/2018 - 21:58
    +5

    Where is the drawing or photo composition of the collision?

    • glasswaterbottles on 02/06/2018 - 22:06

      Mate the damage is not extreme but enough to cost around $4k considering its insurance claim.

    • bdl on 02/06/2018 - 22:53
      +17

      https://imgur.com/a/YK1KFd2

      • kahn on 02/06/2018 - 22:55
        +5

        Thanks, that just made my day.

        • bdl on 02/06/2018 - 23:11
          +1

          I drew the crash on the front of the car instead of the OP's rear of car :(

    • tomsco on 03/06/2018 - 10:21
      +1

      I love how meta this place can be.

  • kahn on 02/06/2018 - 22:18
    +4

    It's recently become customary for ozbargainers to provide poor quality representations of their collisions. If nothing else, it provides some mild entertainment. Some recent examples:
    https://imgur.com/a/X0BsmUe
    https://imgur.com/a/sBKgVYb
    https://imgur.com/a/fRjwxMN

    • glasswaterbottles on 02/06/2018 - 22:21

      I see. However, those posters are debating who is at fault. In my case, that is not the issue at all. We all agree who is at fault and the issue is regarding preventing write off.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2018 - 11:54
        +1

        Pics or it never happened.

        Consider it payment for the "professional" advice you will receive.

      • CMH on 04/06/2018 - 22:00

        First pic was 2 hours of my hard work with paint.

  • Ryballs on 02/06/2018 - 22:46
    +3

    I recently had $4k damage done to my $5k car and the insurer still opted for repair. My repairer said insurers will usually repair if possible as it means you stay insured with them. He said new car means new policy and they don't want you to go looking elsewhere for a better deal. Anyway I would wait till the insurer actually says they are writing it off before getting worried about it.

    • glasswaterbottles on 03/06/2018 - 00:48

      The thing with write off law in NSW is that when the insurer decides it needs to be written off, and their decision is final, there is next to no chance to change that as in NSW, even uneconomical repair is classed as full write off and the car's rego is cancelled within 7 days. Only rarely do they let you get it repaired otherwise you lose the car. Anyway, your story does give me some hope. Side question, can we ask the repairer how much its going to be and if they can keep it within a certain range? They do stand to lose the business for this car if the car gets written off instead of being repaired by them I would think.

  • wolffram on 03/06/2018 - 00:41

    What would be the point of the repairer inflating the quote to a write off? If he does this he’s not getting the repair job, just a fee for his time. It would make more sense for him to inflate the quote to maximum but keep it below write off value. That way he gets the repair job. Also, all insurance companies use independent assessors when needed, for example in write off situations, so it’s not just up to the repairer.

    • glasswaterbottles on 03/06/2018 - 00:50

      Yes correct. However, he wouldnt know the write off value of the car, and generally repairers consider insurance jobs easy money as very rarely do they get shot down on their quote. However, if I do let him know the write off value he would consider making the quote cheaper. Thanks anyway.

      • RockyRaccoon on 03/06/2018 - 09:00

        2 things

        You have the answer here. Talk to the repairer let them know the insured value and they will as others say keep within that if possible. However often insurace co's will write it off below that value, as its not worth the effort and issues like guaranteed workmanship "costs"

        Eg its insured for $4k, the quote is $3.9K then its cheaper for the insurance co to pay $4k rather than the $3.9K plus the value to them of the rest of the policy. If say its a $400 policy that you just renewed if the car is repaired they continue with the insurance cover so that is costing them $300. If you are paid out the policy ends, you get no refund that 'saves" them more.

        You talk about NSW write off laws but your user profile says you are in TAS.

  • bobbified on 03/06/2018 - 03:37

    I was rear-ended by a car

    this was the second claim in the last 9 months with the same insurer and same situation (still not at fault)

    Are you jumping on your brakes too suddenly?

    • whooah1979 on 03/06/2018 - 11:28
      +1

      Are you jumping on your brakes too suddenly?

      no. it's the drivers in nsw that can't keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

      • bobbified on 03/06/2018 - 11:50
        +1

        When it's bumper to bumper traffic, it's inevitable that there's going to be cars close behind.

        Technically, it's the driver-at-the-back's responsibility to keep a safe distance, but as a fellow driver, it's our responsibility to also try and prevent collisions where possible - regardless of who's fault it might be.

        • whooah1979 on 03/06/2018 - 12:31
          +2

          it's our responsibility to also try and prevent collisions where possible

          you're right. the best way to prevent a collision with a vehicle in front is to keep a safe a distance. there is no substitution for that.

          keeping a safe distance is basic safe driving.
          http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/safe-driving/lo…

        • HighAndDry on 04/06/2018 - 10:44

          @whooah1979: There's a difference between legal fault (what you're saying here) and practical things. I mean - it's well and good to not be at fault, but as OP is finding out, probably better to not be in an accident to begin with, regardless of fault. That's where things like defensive driving comes in - keeping an eye out on the car two in front of you, keeping a larger than safe distance to begin with, not braking too suddenly if not necessary, etc.

  • deliverance on 03/06/2018 - 10:01
    +3

    Ask yourself this. You spend a 800 dollars renewing your rego yesterday and then you have a crash today and the insurer wants to write the car off. So they make an offer to you and you accept. Obviously in the example above if you cancel your rego their would be a hefty portion of that 800 you would get refunded. But guess what once you accept the offer of write off you don't get a refund, so who do you think gets the refund. Make sure that if your car is going to be written off, that before you accept any offer you go and get some registration refund if any is available. Most people never think of this.

    • buckster on 03/06/2018 - 11:20
      +2

      Absolutely this, in true ozbargainer spirit if they call you to offer a writeoff, claim poor reception, hang up, call your vicroads equivalent in TAS and get the rego cancelled ASAP!

      Then call the insurance back ;)

      • bdl on 03/06/2018 - 21:56
        +1

        .. and post on Ozbargain :)

    • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2018 - 11:58

      The last two insurance claim I facilitated (friends and family) that were write offs, the rego refund goes to the insurer. I checked the PDS and it was stipulated that the registration is part of the car and as such, the insurer claims the lot and pays you out.

      • totalgadget on 03/06/2018 - 18:44
        +1

        I do remember when i read PDS (NRMA) , car value includes rego. So i didnt opt with them and also decided to renew rego every 3 months by direct debit.

        Normally in other states, can we buy the car in case of write and repair and use again? I thought once write off, you can't register the car again..

        • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2018 - 20:41

          You're thinking repairable write off. That's when an insurer is calling it a write off for financial reasons.

          You can't register a statutory write off.

        • tomsco on 04/06/2018 - 08:19

          decided to renew rego every 3 months by direct debit.

          Good idea to minimise your loss. Thanks :)

      • Ametric on 04/06/2018 - 11:02

        in our case of write-off February 2017 (car has been stolen and burnt), we got the rest of the rego back, we just went to Vicroads with the Settlement letter (stating the date and details) and we received a bank cheque with amount of Rego portion within two weeks in the mailbox. So probably depends on your case/policy, we were with Real Insurance…

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