Thread: Insurance advice (damaged car)

So a woman pulled out on me a few weeks ago. The car is at a fine line of being wrote off or repaired. I have insisted that the insurance replace both side of the front suspension as one side was damaged to which they have refused. I have verbly told them to not begin repairs on the car as i wont accept it back without both sides of the suspension being replaced, this has also been comfirmed to them by letter. My car is an 02 S3 covered 78k.

Any comments / advice would be helpful

matt

It's not standard procedure to repair both sides when only one side of it is damaged, that's not how insurance works. For what reason do you want both sides repaired, and in the event of having both side repaired, does the bill for the repair makes the claim become a write off due to cost?

My reason is the original suspension is almost 10 years old & has covered fair amount of mileage, to then only replace one side i feel will affect handling mixing new & old suspension parts cannot be common practice. The wheels will also require re-alignment however a tyre needs to be replaced on the damaged side, the opposite side is half warn, how do they expect to align the everything based on this ? all i can see is more problems when i get the car back. I dont know what the value of reapirs needs to be in order to write off the car off.

Originally Posted by mattyboy199

My reason is the original suspension is almost 10 years old & has covered fair amount of mileage, to then only replace one side i feel will affect handling mixing new & old suspension parts cannot be common practice. The wheels will also require re-alignment however a tyre needs to be replaced on the damaged side, the opposite side is half warn, how do they expect to align the everything based on this ? all i can see is more problems when i get the car back. I dont know what the value of reapirs needs to be in order to write off the car off.

Not being funny, but no insurance company will repair the undamaged side for you, they will only payout for the side that's damaged, but you want them to repair the undamaged side for you because it's worn? You are asking a bit much are you not??

It's almost like asking for the rear bumper to be painted to match the front bumper because it's getting a lick of paint at the front! That's how I'm seeing it, and I reckon the insurance company thinks you're having a giraffe!<to put bluntly>

There's nothing to stop from requesting the left hand side to be renewed at your cost though...

I agree, if it was a case of fitting a new shock then you might have a case for the other side, as they should always be fitted in pairs. Like wise with crossply/radial tyres (back in the day) - having misworn tyres per axle might be annoying, but it isn't forbidden.

ok the tyres i m not concerned about its more the shocks & springs. These are mechanical components that the car relys on to drive straight & comfortably you cant compare it to paint.

they will repair the damage thats it
been through it on a b7
they changed all arms hub the lot car was spot on when i got it back

was on 101k

it was a non fault accident why should i have to pay for my suspension to match in terms of age & mileage when it did before the accident.

I understand what you're saying, but in my honest opinion I don't think you're going to get anywhere. You get two options with insurance:
1. Lose.
2. Lose.

It's sad but true.

i may not get anywhere i received a response to my letter which i have now responded to stating the car will not be accepted without the suspension being done & if total loss is an options to proceed.

how about you get the insurance to repair the damaged side and speak to the garage that it is being repaired at to replace the other side at cost? this way the garage will do it and the insurance will not have a problem. yes there will be a cost but peace of mind and all.
one side suspension shouldnt set you too far back.

Originally Posted by mattyboy199

i may not get anywhere i received a response to my letter which i have now responded to stating the car will not be accepted without the suspension being done & if total loss is an options to proceed.

i dont think that will do you any favous with the insurance
thats like saying repair something thats not damaged or pay out in full
so if they repair without the otherside done and you refuse to collect
your cars gona be sat in a yard chargeing you starage fees ?

Originally Posted by mattyboy199

it was a non fault accident why should i have to pay for my suspension to match in terms of age & mileage when it did before the accident.

And why should the insurance company pay for your left side suspension? It's not broke is it?!?

what about the rear that will be old will it affect the handleing
i dont think so

all i am asking is that both shocks & springs match in terms of age & mileage, you cant compare the rear suspension in this instance its unaffected.

yes but you are also asking for the insurance to pay out on parts that are not damaged through the claim... obviously they wont accept to pay that... regardless of whose fault the claim is under... its classed as fraud to fix something else in the claim other than the accident damage.

just ask the garage to do the other suspension parts and you will pay them for the non damaged side while the insurance pays for the damaged side... lets face it you want it done as a preference, not because there is any damage to it.

no one here is agreeing with you that the insurance should pay to fix the non damaged suspension!

Originally Posted by mattyboy199

all i am asking is that both shocks & springs match in terms of age & mileage, you cant compare the rear suspension in this instance its unaffected.

and the side thats not damaged is unaffected

seriously.... LOL!!..

Unfortunately the insurance won't pay out for wear and tear , there right buggers, they'll do as little as they can To make the car road worthy again and that's about it

I hate to prove you guys wrong but both sides of the suspension are being replaced by the insurance & its not costing me a penny.

Good work.

I've just come through an insurance fight too... as they wanted to write my A3 off after I was driven into.

You have to fight fight fight. I found making direct contact with the people doing the work helped...after initially pricing the job my car was deemed a total loss... so I had a chat, he re wrote the quote and it fell in just under the figure the insurance co would write it off at.

The body shop get the work, I get my car back... everyone's happy. Had it been written off I'd have a cheque for not much cash (not enough to get a car of similar condition) and the body shop would have made no money on it.

As it stands my car is now dent free and sat back on my drive.

Yeah there was many different ways to view my situation, the insurance company advise the garage used is an audi approved, what exactly does this mean ? when your broker controls what parts are replaced. In the death of it i wrote my broker & told them i will not collect the car if these works are not complete, i even suggested they write the car off. I think the hire car was costing more than the parts in the end.

Tom sounds like you did the right thing, so difficult to replace a car you can never be sure of its history without of course it costing you more money.

you'd need to do the rear now - otherwise your car will handle terribly !! get the garage to do the rears at your expense, dampers should be ok, but i;d get the springs changed if i were you....

Originally Posted by mattyboy199

I hate to prove you guys wrong but both sides of the suspension are being replaced by the insurance & its not costing me a penny.

Lucky you! If my car insurance goes up again come renewal time, I'm blaming you!

Nobody likes a smartass