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Original poster

advice about car write off, (and sympathy) please;)

70 replies

psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:15

I got squished in my car last week. Was not my fault, and am injured with severe whplash and entire body in bad muscle spasm, as is my 10yr old daughter:(.

Car is a write off!

Advice now needed (please) for car issues.

Car was an M reg toyota previa. We have been offered £2000 for it, as the insurance co. say that is what it is worth.

Looking on the internet previa's of the same age and milage can't be found for less than £2995.
I don't therefore think we should accept the insurance offer, but DH is being soft and does. (altho he is fuming about lack of decent offer!)

I would like to know if we can challenge the offer, and whether if we do they will then with draw their offer completely.

Do insurance co. expect people to challenge them, and if they do would they be likely to listen to us if we provide proof of not being able to replace our car with what they are offering us.

sorry if I am rambling, but on many strong painkillers and feeling rather odd!

Thankyou in advance.

OP posts:
TheHonArfy · 31/05/2006 15:18

Well lots of sympathy here from me!

when my car was written off last year they offered me more than it was worth so I obv kept quiet

however I see no reason why you cannot challenge them. They should give you 'current market value' usually so if you can prove what the current market value is I'd give it a go. Gather any evidence you can - internet and maybe call some dealers

Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:21

thankyou for the sympathy:)

I am printing lots of similar cars of the PC, but hadn't thought about phoning dealers too. will go find yellow pages...

OP posts:
Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:21

it next to me in factBlush!

OP posts:
TheHonArfy · 31/05/2006 15:22

you can also try to find out the Glass's second hand value to check what it says - think that is usually the standard guide. and ask the Insurance company on what they based their offer

JonesTheSteam · 31/05/2006 15:23

I think I've challenged them in the past and I think they raised the offer by about £200.

Can't remember how we went about it and whether we needed proof that you couldn't buy a similar car for less money.

I was only about 19 at the time, so quite a long time ago now.

More recently with Direct Line, we raised the issue of more money and they refused point blank to offer any more.

Gem13 · 31/05/2006 15:23

No advice but sympathy to you. Sounds very scary!

Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:25

hmmmmm.......just went to find glass, and it doesn't go beyond 1998 cars! Or am i checking it wrong?

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 31/05/2006 15:25

yes, agree re the Glass's guide (you can look it up online by regestration plate but I think you have to pay? not sure)

TheHonArfy · 31/05/2006 15:28

I think you have to pay for Glass after a certain year (typical)

Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:29

Gem13, was very very scary. especially as i had my DD with me. Makes it all so much worse!

Issurance co. that is offering money is MMB. that is the other partys co. tho. We are with direct line and we not happy with them. we had a like for like policy with needing hire car etc, they offered us vuaxhall astraShock, which with 5 kiddies is obviously not ideal!

MMB offered us safira on the same day so we using them now:)

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 31/05/2006 15:29

what milage has it done?

Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:30

why oh why is it always the money Angry grrr at glass!

Does anyone know where they would have been likey to look?

OP posts:
Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:33

not sure on the milage exactly but it is high.

over 120,000 tho i know that, but looking at others roughly the same age it isn't an unusually high amount!

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 31/05/2006 15:33

mileage? model? (will see if I can find a Parkers guide in our huge pile of mess)

they look at Glass I think

serenity · 31/05/2006 15:35

I challenged on my previous write off. They wanted to offer me £1k, which I thought was rubbish. I printed off a Parkers evaluation (the one that gives different prices for trade/private/good/bad/indifferent condition) and then found traders selling the same model and year to show that I would have to spend between £1500 (for a crappy high mileage one) and £2500 (for a excellent one) I asked for £2k and got £1800 in the end Grin It's always worth asking, just provide some proof.

My last write off (I get driven at by people a lot!) I was very lucky. I'd only had the car 5 months and they gave me more than I paid for it!

Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:35

it is a white toyota previa 2.4gl 4 door. milage over 120,00.

OP posts:
Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:35

ooh, tis a 1995 m reg!

OP posts:
Freckle · 31/05/2006 15:35

Has anyone actually examined the car? If so, they could be offering less because of its pre-accident value.

If you are satisfied that it was in decent condition, I would ask your insurers to provide a report - I presume they have the car at the moment. The other ins. co. is obviously going to offer the minimum they can get away with, so I'd definitely challenge backed up with evidence to prove your case.

Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:36

this is my third write off in 6yrs:(

I think i must have 'hit me' written on all my cars soemhow:(:(

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 31/05/2006 15:37

I shoved in 150,000 miles in 'what car' and it came up with £2295 private (£3045 dealer). Can't find the Parkers but will have a thorough look later.

Have you spoken to the insurance company yet? I would just say that you think their offer is low and ask them to reconsider (and see what they say).

foxinsocks · 31/05/2006 15:40

you poor thing

\link{http://www.whatcar.com/used-car-valuation.aspx?MA=42&MV=24436&ED=11479&UP=1712949&ML=125000\here's the 'what car' valuation}

someone's dh is bound to have a Parkers guide sitting at home (someone like hub2dee!)

Original poster
psychomum5 · 31/05/2006 15:40

an insurance man came out and looked at damage and said that for its age it was in (previous) very good condition. we only got it 2 yrs ago and then paid £3995 for it. surely it can't have lost that much value in that amount of time, and also bearing in mind i can find J and K reg cars the same make for more between £2495 and £2995, and M reg (same as ours) from £2995 to £3995.

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 31/05/2006 15:41

I put in 125,000 for the last valuation.

serenity · 31/05/2006 15:42

Oh I beat you Psychomum

Jan 2001 - totalled by hit and run bloke who didn't look before pulling out in front of me on a mini roundabout

Jan 2003 - totalled by MPV that lost control in the first bit of snow of the year

Feb 2006 - totalled by drunk driver on the way back from work

I think I should avoid driving at the beginning of the year tbh!

foxinsocks · 31/05/2006 15:44

have you looked at \link{http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/cars_search.asp?UCSbuying\autotrader} for others for sale?