Accident Management Companies

[Pjrunner]

please be mindful that I’m really stressed already

Had an accident on the motorway on Tuesday. Me and my toddler in the car. Nobody seriously hurt thankfully. Other driver took responsibility straight away. There really was no doubt!

Was seriously shaken up and trying to keep hold of and keep calm my almost 2 year old.
I googled my insurance company (Churchill) and called the number it provided to report the accident. Got put through to ‘accident claims helpline’. - recovery came in 30 minutes. Asked if I needed a replacement car. Said it would all be sorted out asap. Got a car the next day 4pm. Great service from my insurance - except yep, it was an accident management company not my insurance company at all! By the time I realised this it was two days later! Now I’m stuck. They’ve sorted recovery, storage, hire car, recovery of my car from storage to garage. it’s been great service HOWEVER I’M STRESSED!!

They’ve sent me a ‘credit Hire Car’ (I thought it was a courtesy car from my insurance’)
The paperwork states £170 + VAT a day!! And that I am liable for all costs (plus repair costs of my car) if they are unable to claim it back from the 3rd party insurance.

The 3rd party insurance called the day after the accident accepting liability offering to deal with the claim. I said I was dealing with my own insurance (because I thought I was) and they had already sorted recovery and a replacement car. They told me to be careful because they will only pay £34 a day for a car and I would be liable for the rest!

So now I’m panicking. I call back ‘accident claims helpline’ (at this point I still think it’s the Claim Line of Churchill) and they reassure me that this is a scare tactic used and not to worry this will all be negotiated and dealt with and I won’t be paying a penny.

i’ve since gone down a rabbit hole on the internet of various forums of people saying ‘don’t worry about it’ others saying they had to go to court when the 3rd party refused to pay but it seems nobody ever ended up having to pay these costs.

As soon as I realised I hadn’t called my own insurance I notified Churchill of the accident. They said it was fine to use an Accident Management Company. I’ve since read a lot of Insurers direct their customers to them for non-fault accidents.

I’m not sleeping. I’m so stressed. I’m frightened this will drag on as I’m sure it will take a good few weeks to repair my car.

what do I do?

Misled by credit hire company after accident, told I may be taken to court for 35K!! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_matters/4797411-misled-by-credit-hire-company-after-accident-told-i-may-be-taken-to-court-for-35k

Hi
Just linked to a previous thread so you know u aren't alone
You are right, it works for some people and not for others
I too was up all night panicking. Gits
I was able to revert to using my insurers though. They paid for the recovery cost. I cancelled the hire car as it was within 14 days
You might be able to do the same, although they don't make it easy and there may be contracts within contracts
Did the achl deal with it all themselves or pass you on to someone else? Are they based in Manchester?

This shit has got to stop. How can it possibly be allowed for these companies to trick people into thinking that they are people’s insurer? How is it not fraud?

It's scandalous isn't it. I hope you can get it sorted. Do you have legal cover on you home insurance? Or Which membership. Maybe one of them can give advice.

Can you ask them for recordings of your call? If they deliberately misled you then there might be more you can do.

I’m still within the 14 days and I actually haven’t submitted the hire/repair paperwork yet stating that I’m liable. They passed me on to Connexus. I called them today to say I hadn’t signed it because I’ve got really stressed about it and worried. She was very nice and reassured me and I felt much better but as the day has gone on I’m back where I started - stressed. Reading forums etc.
I’m debating whether to call the 3rd party insurers and say if you can cover all the costs that have been incurred from the accident management company up to now (recovery, storage, hire car) and liase with the repairers who now have my car then you can take over the claim?
or do I call my own insurance back and say please can you take over this and help??

I just know that there is already costs that have been incurred and I’m worried I’d have to cover these if I try and get out of the accident management company.

Call your insurers. Tell them you want them to take over. They can advise re costs to date and you can decide
If you do want to cancel the sooner you put this in writing the better