To an insurance company a grand or two on a fairly uncommon claim is fupp all

no, its not, because they will fight and block for every penny. I’ve copy and pasted a summary of my claim which I posted on club FB page below, but to highlight how tight they are they argued a £15 sportif entry fee on the grounds my period of sick leave had run out the Friday so surely I could ride 100 miles on Sunday. They accepted the bike was a write-off but argued some of the parts would be re-usable and have value, and ignored the fact that whilst the bike was 18 months old, the wheels were 4 weeks old.

Thought I’d post a brief summary of my experience of claiming via British Cycling legal support for members’ future reference. Knocked off my bike in June, driver admitted liability and was prosecuted so no issues there. I was initially only after my bike and kit being replaced, but her insurer blanked me (standard practice to dissuade claims) so I ended up going to BC who referred me to Leigh Day (LD), who called me back within an hour of me calling BC. As I ended up off work for a month that passed LD’s threshold for pursuing a personal injury (PI) claim so I also had a medical at a local doctor agreed by both parties. We completed a claim form with damage photos, receipts (including a ‘write off’ valuation by a bike shop) and even just web links to replacements when I had no receipt, and they submitted the claim to her insurer. LD gave me a ballpark PI figure to expect based on experience, guidance tables etc. Her insurer made a first offer which was pretty close to what I’d expected, at the higher end of the P.I, but as far as I and the bike shop valuation was concerned undervalued the bike. LD (with my agreement) rejected the offer and proposed a counter offer. Her insurer declined that and stood by their first offer. So LD began court proceedings. At that point the insurer has to pay out their original offer, so from my perspective it’s a win-win; I’ve already got that money regardless of the court hearing.

Well, the hearing was Wednesday, and LD just emailed me to say to expect a cheque for another £500. The judge has upped the P.I to the very top of the range I was given, and increased the bike valuation to that given by the shop that wrote it off. The total payout is pretty much bang on what LD initially proposed and is also higher than the counter offer we made (and now throw in all the legal fees her insurer has incurred…)

Their legal fees would have been more than the extra we were claiming and were ultimately awarded.

So I’d be taking legal advice, from free cover provided by BC/CTC/home insurance if applicable, and letting them fight with the insurance on a combined personal injury/losses claim including a new bike.

When I phoned her insurer I’d have taken £650 for a new bike and kit. They ended up paying out nearly £3.5K. Plus probably the same again in legal fees.

It is all very well saying you can pick up some CF and use ultrasound to inspect it but to get to that point takes £1000’s of work on samples of the SAME material made in a comparable process with known defects. Composite is not the same as metal.

If the insurance co’s are faced with someone saying “we can save you X thousand £ by repairing these expensive play things that are costing you lots of money” then they are going to listen. It then takes someone who knows what they are talking about to explain to them that is not right. They probably then wont listen until a solicitor (who costs even more) turns around and says “yeah if it breaks again and its the repair to blame and they get hurt/die then you are in trouble”.

When I claimed for a new bike following a crash on my insurance policy, they couldn’t have been more helpful. I even asked for the old written off bike and offered to pay for it, but they declined payment. Of course they are chasing the £4K from the insured driver involved in the accident.

If you are in the same position, this might be a better course of attack. Claim new for old, then let your own insurance company fight it – the costs will soon escalate. I think the OP’s position is strong on this and the car driver’s company is trying it on. I’d also second renting a road bike for the period, that would instantly negate any savings of repair! You are entitled to be put back in the same position that you were before the accident. Simple as that.

@andyl

I think from the 100+ RTC assessments I did last season, only 1 tried to go the carbon repair route with the motorists insurer insisting it was suitable…we put them onto the distributor’s warranty department. Customer got a new bike…

Re. “stronger than original” this might set alarm bells ringing, and could cause problems if not done right, but can be done in such a way that it doesn’t compromise the remaining parts of the frame (essentially by gradually reducing the number of repair plies, which is a good idea anyway).

we put them onto the distributor’s warranty department. Customer got a new bike…

Good suggestion.

They should be willing to help educate the insurer, if there’s a strong likelihood of a sale out of it.

we put them onto the distributor’s warranty department. Customer got a new bike…
Good suggestion.

They should be willing to help educate the insurer, if there’s a strong likelihood of a sale out of it.

I agree that is a good idea. They keep asking for details of the warranty so Specialized can explain it to them.

Your bike is built under pressure and bagged from the inside to squeeze out any air. Any repair will just be a wrap around and fill. it might look the same but the construction in none continuous, so much weaker, and won’t be the same grade of carbon. I wouldn’t touch a critical tube repair on a bike from any repairer who can’t do the repair at the original frame manufacturing temp, with the same resin system and at the same pressure. It’s no better than putting bondo on a car. – test results from repaired frames show this.

Actually, I’m in a similar situation myself, just about to go to court over a RTA where I was hit from behind by a car on a roundabout as the driver attempted to turn across two lanes to exit the roundabout. Suffice to say i’ll not be taking a repair to my made to measure italian road frame with less than 1000 miles on it.

Well, my bike is back and looks great 8)

First I paid for Healthcheck Level 2

http://carbonbikerepair.co.uk/#healthcheck

Then I received a full report that gave the frame a clean bill of health and a quote to refinish the frame and forks and replace the damaged shifters etc.

Quote was very detailed and enough to get the driver’s insurance company to immediately forward a cheque for the full amount including the healthcheck.

2 weeks later and the bike is finished and it looks as good as new.

Went out for my longest ride of the past 12 months (65 miles) and it was great to ride a light bike again 🙂

Dont repair a carbon frame, a mate had a carbon fork fail and broke her back in an accident. Had to go to court for damages so well rewarded but still has no flex in lower back. Just not worth it, i think she was lucky

Dont repair a carbon frame, a mate had a carbon fork fail and broke her back in an accident.

One that had been repaired?