Can I see?

Bugs, bumps and daylight robbery.

Aaarggh I'm cross, and yes I know it's all my own doing but I feel the need to let off some steam.

Car Insurance. What a palava and a hassle and for what??

To set the scene..... The Bug has a bump.. Oh and a scrape oops. A concrete wall at the carpark. Anyways, as I am thinking of trading the Bug in for something more *sigh* practical... What a rubbish word when talking about cars.... I thought I best get the bump and scrape sorted before I try to sell.

My cousin recommended a really good repair garage, she's known the owners for years and I have protected no claims on my insurance so wouldn't lose out by claiming.

I took the Bug to the garage for a consultation and the owner said that it would cost about £800 to replace the sill and do all the paintwork. I rang my insurance who wanted £350 from me as a voluntary excess!!!!!!! My premium for the whole year was only £280!!!

So, I said I would cough up for the repair... An engineer came from the insurance company to inspect the damage to make sure I wasn't making it up, and agreed the cost with my repairer. My repairer said that he would sort out a little hire car for me to run about it with whilst the Bug was off the road. He arranged me a Vauxhall Corsa and told me to ring my insurance company to give them the registration plate to get my insurance transferred onto the replacement car.

So on Monday I dropped the Bug off for it's body work and rang my insurers. Gave them the registration plate details and said that I'd have the car for about 3 days whilst mine was off the road.

Right they said, can you tell me the value of the car?
Me: Um no,
Ins: Well you have to tell us
Me: Can't you look it up, you have the details from the registration plate.
Ins: No YOU have to tell us it's the LAW. The garage should have told you this information
Me: Well they didn't, so you will have to tell me.
Ins: Ring the garage and ask them and then ring us back
Me: Oh for goodness sake, pretend it's £10,000 frantically googling the cost of a vauxhall corsa.
Ins: Right that's £62 for a weeks cover
Me: Hahhaahahahahahahaha
Ins: What is funny?
Me: How can it cost anything, when my policy says that I get a replacement car when mine is off the road.
Ins: Well you are going to your own garage, and not using our authorised repairers.
Me: But your engineer came and agreed the work with my garage!!!!!!!!!!! I could get a ton of taxis for £62 for 3 days!!!!!
Ins: As a special gesture we can change this to £30 with £10 administration fee.
Me: Grrrrrrrrr, you robbers.
Ins: Can we interest you in home insurance today??
Me: [hangs up]

So this bump has cost me £350 excess, £40 car insurance plus I had to stick £12 of petrol in the replacement car as it was under empty when I picked it up.

Yes I know that the bump was my fault. But they totally make you pay for your mistakes in all senses of the word. Don't worry come renewal time I'll take my bumps elsewhere, that will show them. Meanwhile, I went the long way round to baby club - got to make the most of my own petrol and £40 insurance for 3 days.

I hope that Bug is enjoying the little bit of body repair and comes back looking fabulous.

Labels: bumps, insurance, robbery

posted by Pixie @ 10:47 AM