NRMA Insurance - Offer to Source Replacement after Write-off Collision - Any Experience?

NRMA has accepted a not at fault comprehensive insurance claim after another driver suddenly turned right across our path on a busy road and wrote off our 22 month old car (Injuries too, but that is another story).

NRMA has offered to pay out the agreed value (less remaining rego) OR to find an equivalent new vehicle. Presumably they outsource the task to a broker. Has anyone had any experience with this system?

In our case, the model we bought 22 months ago is no longer available.

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Comments

    • +4

      If it helps that’s about 48 fortnights.

  • +6

    The NRMA replacement offer is for cars up to 24 months old

  • i wrote of my ute early this year. Also under two years. replacement service was great. company is third party but still a still under IAG umbrella. brand new 24 model too.

  • +14

    Why would you not want a brand new car? Unless your agreed value is more than the cost of a new car? See what they car find and if you don't like the new model, take the money. Getting a new car for a 670 day old car sound like an absolute win.

    • +5

      I agree, getting a new car for one that's over 16,061 hours old is a no brainer.

      • +4

        I have caused zero accidents in my life, but been on the receiving end of 7 claims. Every time it was repaired. I wish just once I would have gotten a new car, especially if it was over 963,660 minutes old.

        • +1

          I I have caused zero accidents in my life, but been on the receiving end of 7 claims

          Sometimes you can be in the wrong without (legally) being in the wrong. Just sayin…😜

          • +8

            @bobbified: I know but let me see if I can remember all of them;

            1. Had a light pole fall on my car during a storm in a carpark. Ground level was completely rusted through so I got to jam the companies insurance's "Act of God' claim up their arse.
            2. Was first at a roundabout and the girl behind me accelerated to take off for a gap that was way too small, and I didn't move, so got rear ended Somehow I had to be the bigger man and calm her down and get her off the road and sort all the shit out while she just cried. I'm intrigued by her car though because my back bumper and beaver panel was all I needed but she copped her airbag to the face. Not bad for 3 metres of acceleration.
            3. Had a guy run up the arse of me when I was in a line of stopped cars at the lights, he was watching the lights and sirens of a close Ambo and not what's in front.
            4. Had a red P plater run up my arse at a set of lights, red light, he said he didn't see me, but I saw him in my mirror about to hit me and there was screen glow on his face. He had no insurance, so sucks to be him.
            5. Had an older guy also run up my arse up heavy peak hour traffic. We were doing about 5km/h and I was in the lane for ages before it happened. No funny stuff. He said he was looking for in the other lane to change lanes and didn't pay attention to in front of him. I'll give that guy a pass, he was just driving into QLD to arrange his brother funeral. Poor bastard.
            6. I wasn't in the car but brother borrowed my car and some drunk dude entered the roundabout without giving way to my brother who was in the roundabout. t-boned him in passenger door, spun him around and he copped a power pole in drivers door. Drivers brother arrived before cops did and claimed he was the driver. Unfortunately my brother had unplugged my dashcam to charge his phone and there was 3 of them vs my brothers word.
            7. I know there was a 7th, but for the life of me I can't remember.
            • @AdosHouse: What colour is your car?

              • @[Deactivated]: Mine's red (similar to AdosHouse, but five not-at-faults over seven years; last one ended up being a T-Bone and a write-off)

              • @[Deactivated]: Red i30 for 4, 5,
                Blue Commodore for 3, 6
                Grey Commodore for 1, 2

  • +3

    What exact car was written off? and what is the agreed value they are offering?

  • +1

    I’d go for the replacement presuming you get to approve it once they’ve sourced it.

  • +3

    Does this feature come with my green slip insurance, or am I only covered for a full cash settlement?

    Looking for advise.

    • +5

      Looking for advise.

      +1

      • +2

        This is the ozbargain way.

  • +1

    Ask them what the equivalent replacement is first. Then decide based on if you want that model.

  • +1

    Replacement. (Unless it was a crap car and you wanted something different?)

  • +1

    They will try to find the closest replacement new model to what you have. Sometimes they might lowball you, and other times you'll get an upgrade. Fight the lowball if it comes.

  • +2

    What car do you have that’s written off?

    • +1

      Holy crash magnets Batman
      .

  • Brand new replacement is definitely the way to go unless you had a high agreed value and your new car is cheaper or want to change to a different car altogether. There's a lot of exciting new tech coming in with plug in hybrids and EVs if you have cash to burn.

  • i30 hatch; payout would be $32k..New i30 models ~ $40k - smaller engine and different
    features, Mild hybrid no spare wheel

    • +3

      Take the replacement. Smaller engine does not mean worse performance, especially with a mild hybrid system added. When was the last time you used a spare wheel? What different features are worse than what you have?

      • No wireless Android Auto or wireless Apple CarPlay

        • +1

          Did they take that feature out? I friggin loved my wireless Android Auto in my i30

          • @AdosHouse: Yep. One of the car reviewers I follow on YouTube said they asked Hyundai whether this would be offered in the future as an upgrade and they couldn't confirm. I rented a few i30s while I was waiting for my new car and found it useful as well; dumb move by Hyundai

            • +1

              @kerfuffle: Wireless is OK, but my wired android auto is fine. Plugging the phone in is a bit of a pain at times, but in realiry i want to charge my phone when im using it for nav, calls or music anyway so its no biggie.

              • @Euphemistic: My i30 N-line had wireless AA/AC and also a charging pad in the centre under the headunit. So I got in, chucked my phone on the pad and went. No cables hanging around or plugging in. It was mint.

                I wish my work Hilux had it, but only wired. And when I'm driving every 30-60 minutes it gets annoying plugging and unplugging, and also changing from work phone to personal requires changing cable Apple/Android. Plus wear on the ports and cables.

            • @kerfuffle: My Pajero Sport and the Alltrack are wired AA/CP. Bought a ~$50 CarLinkIt. It works as advertised.

              • @brad1-8tsi: The point is the previous i30 had wireless as standard, and this one doesn't.

                • -1

                  @kerfuffle: Sure, but I'm a solutions based person rather than complaining about something beyond my control.

        • +2

          It costs less $20 to get an AliExpress wireless AA/CarPlay adapter. Tiny USB dongle, works great.

          • +1

            @nicktork: I had a good AA/AC adaptor and it had nothing on the integrated wireless of my i30.

      • I would NEVER get a car that doesn’t have a spare. We rented a car (BMW) with run-flat tyres. Was cheaper than a Camry so thought, why not. Got a puncture, wasn’t able to drive it (kept dropping to 4psi within 2 mins of refilling tyre). Was 100km outside major city. Roadside assistance couldn’t help and said it wasn’t driveable. No spare tyres at any of the nearby tyre stores. Ended up having to get it towed, and get a friend to pick us up 7 hours later. Painful end to our holiday, and I missed seeing my grandfather before he died as a result too.

        My parents also had a car with run flats, similar story - stranded with a puncture. My dad ended up sourcing a set of 5 proper tyres and ditched the run-flats. The spare took up half the boot, but better than being stranded.

        If you never leave the city, it’s probably okay. But if you do, a spare is a no brainer.

        • Arent run flats design to be run on when flat? Even if q
          100km outside a city you can apparently drive on them up to 80km (id go 100 if it was required)

          Obviously if youre rural or regulalry drive long distance a spare is essential, but in the city, with regular tyre checks its hardly necessary. With a tyre pressure monitor even less so.

          Personally, ive got two vehicles with full sized spares but we do long trips in both reasonably regularly. I ran a city runabout car without a spare for ages.

          • @Euphemistic: In theory, yes. They’re designed to be driven for up to 80km, at 80kmph. Problem is, this claim is based on European concrete roads, not bitumen. Also, doesn’t help if you’re over 80km away from a repair/tyre store that stocks the same tyre. Plus, in our case the puncture was not a slow leak, so the tyre was not driveable as it was hissing air and dropped immediately to 4psi. Deemed undrivable by roadside assist. Exact same issue happened to my mum. Dad had to rescue her and get her car towed.

            Apparently roadside assistance now carries run flat spare tyres that fit Teslas, because the problem is so common! In our case it wasn’t a Tesla so they couldn’t help.

  • -1

    In our case, the model we bought 22 months ago is no longer available

    Insurance will look for 22 months old vehicles simlar to yours.

    We had, in the past, an offer from an interstate insurance to buy our (for sale) vehicle that matched their needs for a client. So desperate they were.

    • The offer (if fulfilled) is to replace with a new vehicle - "new" could include old stock I suppose but not used.

      • I misunderstood your post.

        Still doesn't make sense to me an offer of a "new" car for a model almost 2 years old.

        Good luck anyhow. I just related our experience which I thought of interest.

  • Yep my wife's 6month old car got wasted by a tree. Nrma bought a brand new one and even upgraded the paint to metallic for no extra payment. Still not sure why they did that. Also funny thing was they offered to pay us out for say $73k but new car was about $80. I saw the invoice for the new car as the dealer accidentally forward to us and they seemed to be paying the full amount. It was seemless and painless apart from waiting for the new car. A colleague lost a golf which wasn't made any more so they got an equivalent spec audi so that was a bonus.

  • +1

    Update - NRMA Insurance said after a while that they could not supply the equivalent i30 and the cash payout was the only option.

    • Sorry to hear. What will you replace the i30 with?

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