DarrenW
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 posted on 16/10/08 at 08:32 AM |
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Car accident
Had a bump last week. Car went into back of me at the roadworks near Wetherby on A1 southbound.
Im using accident exchange. My insurance company isnt involved at all and so far the have been fantastic. Ive even got a like for like hire car out of
them rather than a budget little car. The solicitor they appointed has even arranged a course of Physio that i dont have to outlay any cash for.
Just thought id give a public thumbs up for Accident Exchange.
The big downer is the various commission fees that all parties involved recieve. Other persons insurer did phone to offer me similar service which
could have avoided the other costs but it was too late by then. Im just happy that i dont have to involve my insurance as a renewal is due soon.
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 08:42 AM |
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Well i'm sure you'll find that strictly speaking you still need to inform the insurance companies of the accident when asking for a quote.
As its obvious that its 100% the other party's fault it wont affect your premiums so they'll simply note it. I'd definately let them
know anyway - seems like they'll use the smallest excuse to invalidate a policy these days!!
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 08:46 AM |
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not familiar with this, but to be honest I'd have definitely been suffering whiplash, neck brace needed off course and would have got suitable
compensation for my discomfort and most likely claimed back for the week I'd needed to take off from work...etc etc
As for this –
"The solicitor they appointed has even arranged a course of Physio that I don’t have to outlay any cash for"
- why the smeg would you ever had to pay for anything if you weren’t at fault?! That’s why you pay for insurance after all isn't it??
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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matt_claydon
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 08:49 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
not familiar with this, but to be honest I'd have definitely been suffering whiplash, neck brace needed off course and would have got suitable
compensation for my discomfort and most likely claimed back for the week I'd needed to take off from work...etc etc
Which is exactly why everyone's insurance premiums go up and up and up 
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eznfrank
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 09:11 AM |
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Just be careful things don't drag on for no apparent reason!! Some of these companies have a habit of making things drag on as long as possible
to increase their comission, so for example an insurer might take a week to inspect your car whereas they might take two all the time earning a cut of
the hire car costs. The problem comes when the at fault insurer quote unreasonable delays and refuse to pay the full claim which may leave you in the
lurch.
I can completely understand people using these kinds of service although, as you said alot of insurers will now match their service because they know
it will amost halve the cost of the claim. Eg on a typical whiplash injury if you get say £1200, the solicitor will get somewhere in the region of
£1500 (includes costs).
My previous job was motor claims investigation for a big insurer and we used to have no end of problems with people setting up these firms and running
a load of staged accidents through them. Whilst some of them are genuine businesses there are a scary number out there who are total crooks commiting
fraud on a massive scale.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 09:13 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by matt_claydon
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
not familiar with this, but to be honest I'd have definitely been suffering whiplash, neck brace needed off course and would have got suitable
compensation for my discomfort and most likely claimed back for the week I'd needed to take off from work...etc etc
Which is exactly why everyone's insurance premiums go up and up and up
like I care so much I'd lose out on a couple of grand just to keep others happy...probably the same twats who'd run into me in the first
place!
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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nib1980
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 09:24 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
not familiar with this, but to be honest I'd have definitely been suffering whiplash, neck brace needed off course and would have got suitable
compensation for my discomfort and most likely claimed back for the week I'd needed to take off from work...etc etc
As for this –
"The solicitor they appointed has even arranged a course of Physio that I don’t have to outlay any cash for"
- why the smeg would you ever had to pay for anything if you weren’t at fault?! That’s why you pay for insurance after all isn't it??
The only true test for whiplash injuries is to have a cross section of the spine taken, from the live candidate, allowing for true confirmation,
downside is this does cause death.
Doctors can only give a diagnosis of believed whiplash.
This is my argument in all cases, another wonderful little part of my job.
.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 09:28 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nib1980
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
not familiar with this, but to be honest I'd have definitely been suffering whiplash, neck brace needed off course and would have got suitable
compensation for my discomfort and most likely claimed back for the week I'd needed to take off from work...etc etc
As for this –
"The solicitor they appointed has even arranged a course of Physio that I don’t have to outlay any cash for"
- why the smeg would you ever had to pay for anything if you weren’t at fault?! That’s why you pay for insurance after all isn't it??
The only true test for whiplash injuries is to have a cross section of the spine taken, from the live candidate, allowing for true confirmation,
downside is this does cause death.
Doctors can only give a diagnosis of believed whiplash.
This is my argument in all cases, another wonderful little part of my job.
.
got compensation before for it and I'm still here 
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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02GF74
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 10:12 AM |
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bad luck but you're ok which is the main thing.
I never knew there were companites that would hire out 7 look a likes.  
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Bob C
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 10:23 AM |
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wearing a neckbrace for a week in order to get 2 grand compensation when you're OK.
It is FRAUD and it is THEFT. Victimless crime? like hell - I'm the victim; I've probably paid over 2grand in unnecessary inflated
premiums.
Everybody does it so it's OK. Wrong, Twats do it.
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jimgiblett
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 10:33 AM |
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I too can understand why people use these companies as it seems a simple and zero cost solution.
This in my experience however is not the whole truth. They may be no win no fee but they do cost the claimant.
An example is that they work for a fee which although not directly paid by the claimant they are awarded costs from the insurer. In the above example
say £300 costs and £1200 to the claimant in reality cost are regularly a higher proportion.
If you call up the insurers directly they will probably settle directly with you for a higher sum than £1200 in the knowledge that they can avaoid
legal fees.
This is not just suppostion. I actually handled a claim for a relative and they got close to twice the payout that one of the so called claims
specialists were suggesting.
- Jim
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DarrenW
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 12:09 PM |
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I informed my insurance immediately as a notification only so no probs there.
Car was picked up and taken to BMW bodyshop within a week so no hanging about there.
Ref Physio - last time i had to arrange myself and paid for each course. This time company called Traumacare is arranging for me so i dont have to pay
up front before settlement of claim.
Ref claim for injury. I have been hurt. Suffering quite a lot. Hospital advised ibruprofen and paracetamol. GP has now prescribed stronger pain killer
(Naproxen 250mg). Ref being signed off - GP advised against it as it is important to keep mobile (i have office based job). Same reason why neck brace
is bad idea. Hospital has actually given me exercises to do (unable to do until now due to pain, new tablets are helping a lot).
Only bit im not happy about is the commission charges everyone seems to be getting. This is out of my control but had Churchill (3rd party insurer)
contacted me earlier i may have allowed them to handle the claim to keep the total costs down.
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 12:15 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Bob C
wearing a neckbrace for a week in order to get 2 grand compensation when you're OK.
It is FRAUD and it is THEFT. Victimless crime? like hell - I'm the victim; I've probably paid over 2grand in unnecessary inflated
premiums.
Everybody does it so it's OK. Wrong, Twats do it.
Can I ask why the rant here??? Darren is getting physio for what we assume is a bit of whiplash and you go off on one without him even mentioning
compensation!!! Sounds like you are calling Darren a fraud from your first line there!!!
I can fully understand using an independant company to handle a claim anyway - especially so close to renewal time. I never bother with legal
protection any more as the only time i tried to use it, they were useless and tried settling a no fault accident as a 50:50!!!
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eznfrank
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 12:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6
quote:
Originally posted by Bob C
wearing a neckbrace for a week in order to get 2 grand compensation when you're OK.
It is FRAUD and it is THEFT. Victimless crime? like hell - I'm the victim; I've probably paid over 2grand in unnecessary inflated
premiums.
Everybody does it so it's OK. Wrong, Twats do it.
Can I ask why the rant here??? Darren is getting physio for what we assume is a bit of whiplash and you go off on one without him even mentioning
compensation!!! Sounds like you are calling Darren a fraud from your first line there!!!
I can fully understand using an independant company to handle a claim anyway - especially so close to renewal time. I never bother with legal
protection any more as the only time i tried to use it, they were useless and tried settling a no fault accident as a 50:50!!!
I think it was aimed at someone else!!
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eznfrank
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 12:23 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
Only bit im not happy about is the commission charges everyone seems to be getting. This is out of my control but had Churchill (3rd party insurer)
contacted me earlier i may have allowed them to handle the claim to keep the total costs down.
The problem for insurers is that they love to get in there as quick as possible and 99% of the time will provide an excellent service. The problem is
if they're too hsaty to accept liability and it turns out to be a fraud it can be a little tricky to retract. They have to weigh up being quick
enough to deal with you but not too quick that they don't have chance to do some checks first.
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Bob C
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 12:33 PM |
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No rant intended to original poster - just to an attitude expressed elsewhere, sorry if I was misunderstood.
I try not to rant too often ;^)
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MikeR
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 12:37 PM |
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It was aimed at someone else.
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Andi
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 01:11 PM |
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I can barely believe insurance company practices are legal, they are the biggest con this country has ever had to put up with and all the other
services involved catch on to the con to exploit it some more.
I claimed on a hot wire job before and the garage cleaned my car inside and out WTF?
Robbing tw**ts.
SWIMBO`s car got shunted while we were both watching TV. Totally the other persons fault, but her insurance went up as the conning filth said,
statistically once she had one accident she was likely to have another.
Then theres the Sheilas wheels type crap that us blokes put up with
Bet they couldnt get away with advertising different race or cultures that may have differing accident rates.
Seeth!
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DarrenW
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 01:14 PM |
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i didnt take it as directed to me at all. It wasnt until my neched starting hurting that i pursued the claim, i was in 2 minds at first. Like most
sensible motorists i dont agree about pursuing any claim unless absolutely necessary. I take a dim view of the ambulance chasing solicitors ans so
called specialists that are all too ready to chase personal injury claims.
Original post was purely to show ive been getting good service from Accident Exchange following a legitimate non fault accident.
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Vindi_andy
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 02:47 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6
I can fully understand using an independant company to handle a claim anyway - especially so close to renewal time. I never bother with legal
protection any more as the only time i tried to use it, they were useless and tried settling a no fault accident as a 50:50!!!
I have only used MLP ( motorist Legal Protection) once and they were great.
Had a sales rep run into the back of me on a roundabout. His company disputed the calim as I had been supplied a hire car etc and I think the company
repairing my car had spun things out so i think his insurance company were a little aggrieved.
We ended up going to judges chambers to have the dispute settled and MLP porvided me with legal representation in the form of a barrister, who
happened to be between cases. At one point it looked like we could have ended up winning the blame side of things, the rep didnt help himself when he
said he was 6 feet behind me on the roundabout, but loosing the costs of the hire car and storage of my vehicle prior to being repaired and being
lumbered with a £1500 bill when the repair was only £500 at worst.
In the end I could document the times I had chased the repair company as i wanted my car back as soon as poss and the judge deemed that I had made
every effort to expedite the repair so we won full costs phew.
IIRC it was one of these accident exchange type companies that contacted me saying they could sort evertything out in the first place so had
experiences of both sides.
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gingerprince
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| posted on 16/10/08 at 03:44 PM |
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Hmm, didn't know this sort of service was "free" (apart from what they claim obviously).
My breakdown company offers an Accident Management scheme, which I thought sounded like an added bonus, but I guess they're just getting
referrals or something!
http://www.motoringassist.com/Members-Area/Accident-Management
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