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Just had a message saying my car has been written off after someone reversed fairly slowly into it. The damage was minimal, dented bonnet, cracked bumper, broken light and radiator. Its worth about a thousand pounds but ive only just paid 400 quid to get it through the mot, so its really worth more than that too me. Plus i live in a remote area with few cars for sale and no way to look at them. How much negotiating power do i have? What happens if i refuse there offer and they refuse to pay what i think the cars worth?
Other option is to buy the car back off them and have it fixed myself. Im not fussed about how it looks, respraying bits etc just that its safe and legal.
Make sure the recent service is taken into account for value.
How much have they offered? Get busy researching similar cars.
Prepare ALL paperwork - get it copied, reprinted, and get ready to send that on -- what my boss used to call the 'doof' factor (bulk).
Don't accept first offer. Depends if write-off is economic or structural (not sure of the category numbers here).
You have to haggle. Their first offer will be rubbish, as will their 2nd and 3rd most likely. I think they rely on people just losing the will to live and giving in.
If it was non-fault I'm fairly certain that they can't write off your car without you agreeing... If you like the car and know it, you can insist that it is repaired...
At your valuation of £1000 and the insurers database, it's probably uneconomical to repair. Meaning that the cost of repair is greater than the value. Because it's no fault you can negotiate the value to get classed as Cat D, the insurer pays you the value minus scrap value, you keep the car, get it repaired yourself.
As above, don't settle of first, second, third offers. They can't force you to accept it as a Total Loss.
Well it worked out quite well, got a grand and the car back which ive fixed for 15 quid.
That was quick.
Win! Glad to hear someone with a little good news! Thanks.
Yes, amazingly its actually worked out very well!
Well it worked out quite well, got a grand and the car back which ive fixed for 15 quid.
Nice one 🙂
😆
Win. 😀