|
S40 / V40 '96-'04 General Forum for the Volvo S40 and V40 (Classic) Series from 1995-2004. |
Information |
|
Insurance - a heartfelt warning!Views : 4320 Replies : 51Users Viewing This Thread : |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
Apr 13th, 2015, 14:57 | #1 |
New Member
Last Online: Apr 13th, 2015 15:26
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Grimsby
|
Insurance - a heartfelt warning!
Good afternoon all,
I'm a long time lurker on this forum, but have never posted before - I just wanted to share a cautionary tale about insurance... About 2 months ago I was involved in an minor accident - a car pulled straight out in front of me from a side road and i ploughed into the side of them, I'm sure that the other driver was fully at fault, but as the other driver and 2 independent witnesses both said I appeared to be travelling "at speed" the claim was settled 50/50. I was driving my 2003 S40 diesel which sustained damage to the front wings, bonnet, bumper, grill and radiator - the other car (an Astra) had severe damage to all the O/S panels. My insurer (Admiral) sent someone to examine the car - he had a look round, took some photo's and told me the car would be a write off and that they would be in touch with an offer and to arrange collection. Before he left he remarked that the stereo looked like an aftermarket one - I told him it was, and that after the original Volvo stereo had broken I had fitted one that I had in the shed from a previous motor - nothing expensive or fancy. Anyway, a week later I hadn't heard anything and so phoned them to query this - the guy I spoke to said there was a problem with my claim and he would get someone to call me back. A couple of hours later I took a call from someone from their fraud department - he told me that they would be declining my claim because I had fraudulently insured the car without informing them of some modifications - when I asked which modifications he told me that I had upgraded the stereo and fitted non-original alloy wheels. I agreed with him that I had changed the stereo, but only because the old one had broken. However, the wheels were genuine Volvo items and were fitted to the car when I bought it. I was informed that as part of the claim they had requested the original build spec for my car from Volvo UK - they had supplied this and confirmed that the car was originally sold with 15" wheels and that the current 17" wheels had been fitted at a later date. The end result of this is that Admiral have refused to pay out for my car, have billed me for 10 days hire of a courtesy car (£800!), cancelled my insurance and lodged a fraud marker against my name. Last year my insurance cost me about £200 fully comp, the cheapest quote I can now get with a history of cancelled/fraudulent insurance is £2100 to insure a Fiesta - Third Party only. I also have a classic Beetle which I have previously insured on an "agreed value" policy for under £200 per year - the classic insurance comapny I was with have now cancelled this policy and I'm looking at another £2,000 to insure the Beetle... A family friend who has always worked in insurance has helped me to appeal this via Admiral and the ombudsman, but to no avail - I have now discovered that I will have to declare the cancelled insurance for the rest of my life, and that it is unlikely that any mainstream insurer will ever touch me again. Ironically, I only moved to Admiral on a friends recommendation, even though my previous insurer (Hastings) were brilliant the only other time I had to claim (after a hit and run when my car was parked up). |
The Following 11 Users Say Thank You to EMPI VeeDuvb For This Useful Post: |
Apr 13th, 2015, 15:09 | #2 |
Master Member
Last Online: Apr 3rd, 2022 15:09
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Derbys
|
That is absolutely awful. Just another way of normal people getting shafted!
I think as insurance is compulsory and your breaking the law by not having insurance, the government should be stepping in to stop this criminal overcharging and bring some commonsense to what is a license to print money. I had a young lad run into the back of me, because it still hasn't been finalized and I had to renew my insurance, it comes up as a fault incident, so I have to pay more and no doubt the young lad is paying s**tloads more.
__________________
2016 V60 SE Lux Nav 2001 V40 T4 S - All The Fun of The Fair The big print giveth and the small print taketh away |
The Following User Says Thank You to V40DSchariot For This Useful Post: |
Apr 13th, 2015, 15:12 | #3 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Dec 26th, 2021 13:42
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Crewe
|
If your insurance cancel you, do you get a refund of your year's premium because they haven't actually been providing you with anything?
__________________
2002 S60 SE D5 Manual 209000 miles |
The Following User Says Thank You to cheshired5 For This Useful Post: |
Apr 13th, 2015, 15:25 | #4 |
New Member
Last Online: Apr 13th, 2015 15:26
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Grimsby
|
I guess if there hadn't been a claim paid, then probably yes (minus whatever sort of admin fees etc. they would apply). In my case there was only a couple of weeks left to run, so any refund would doubtless have been swallowed up anyway...
|
Apr 13th, 2015, 15:49 | #5 |
I've Been Banned
Last Online: Mar 4th, 2023 12:36
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: paignton
|
Crooks they really are
|
Apr 13th, 2015, 15:51 | #6 |
Senior Member
Last Online: Sep 6th, 2017 00:32
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: london
|
After recent problems with admiral insurance I will never use them again they are scum
__________________
Ferrari specialist/restorer Ex etype jaguar restorer Car 2003 v40 1.8 gdi |
Apr 13th, 2015, 15:57 | #7 | |
Premier Member
Last Online: Dec 26th, 2021 13:42
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Crewe
|
Quote:
Either you have a policy with them and they stump up for everything or you don't have a policy and they don't pay anyone. If I caused a bump tomorrow, Admiral wouldn't pay the third party because I don't have a policy with them, so why pay the third party on yours? I find their stance on their own liability very odd.
__________________
2002 S60 SE D5 Manual 209000 miles |
|
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to cheshired5 For This Useful Post: |
Apr 13th, 2015, 16:26 | #8 |
Master Member
Last Online: Today 12:07
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: York/Selby
|
I find this highly suspicious that they wouldn't pay out and cancelled everything and put a fraud marker on you just because of a different stereo and wheels (not even sure the s40's came in 15's) that you were not aware weren't 'genuine' at the time you bought a second hand car, especially as it was 2 months ago yet you put a complaint in to Admiral and got a reply and then went to the ombudsman to complain and got a reply. All in two months?
__________________
'08 V50 2.0D Last edited by Haizum74; Apr 13th, 2015 at 16:32. |
Apr 13th, 2015, 16:42 | #9 |
Tight arse Yorkshireman
Last Online: Feb 25th, 2017 23:51
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: YORK
|
Used admiral plenty of times and never had a problem.. they are currently sorting a claim on my behalf against the tosser who put me out of action for 5months.. declare everything! Chances are the set of alloys and stereo wouldnt even have effected your premium.
|
The Following User Says Thank You to PETE S40 For This Useful Post: |
Apr 13th, 2015, 16:53 | #10 | |
Master Member
Last Online: Mar 24th, 2023 08:58
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Lincoln
|
Quote:
__________________
'02 (51) silver Volvo S40 1.9D - RIP (Turbo) '02 (52) blue Volvo V40 1.8 - RIP (Head Gasket) '04 (54) blue Volvo S40 1.9D Sport - RIP (RTA) '18 (68) silver Volvo V40 T3 R Design |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|