Will car be written off?

redsteveireland

Just a had a accident today. Some guy on bald tyres came sliding around a bend and pushed my up into the ditch.:mad:

Car:'97 A4 Diesel
Damage: Front right wheel hanging off, Front right Quarter panel, drivers door, drivers airbag gone.
Just realised I didn't even look at the left hand side that hit the stone wall so don't know what damage was done there.

Will the car be written off?

Was really attached to that car, have it four years and was just looking at a few bits to tidy up the inside before reluctantly selling it.
Heartbroken but no injuries apart from some Airbag burn, stings like hell!

Pkiernan

Even in great nick, your car would have been worth around €1500.

The damage you describe would cost far more than €1500.

It is a certainty that your car will be written off in my opinion.

Frynge

from the damage you describe it is almost certainly a write off.

couldn't have been worth too much cash though

redsteveireland

Yeah, I was thinking about selling after doing NCT next month. €700 was the most I would have expected for it.

unkel

redsteveireland wrote: »

Yeah, I was thinking about selling after doing NCT next month. €700 was the most I would have expected for it.

You'll probably get something like that from the insurance company. Try bargaining with them if they offer less

And anyway every cloud has a silver lining - you won't have to sell the car now yourself and you will be a cash buyer getting a new car

Pkiernan

redsteveireland wrote: »

Yeah, I was thinking about selling after doing NCT next month. €700 was the most I would have expected for it.

Go to carzone and look at the prices asked for your make & model - you should be looking for €1500 from the insurance company. Most cars on carzone are priced above 1500.

bazz26

Pkiernan wrote: »

Go to carzone and look at the prices asked for your make & model - you should be looking for €1500 from the insurance company. Most cars on carzone are priced above 1500.

There is a big difference between what people ask for their cars on carzone and what they actually sell for. Insurance companies do not go by asking prices.

bazz26

bazz26 wrote: »

There is a big difference between what people ask for their cars on carzone and what they actually sell for. Insurance companies do not go by asking prices.

I shared a house with an insurance assessor when I lived in Galway, he used to use Carzone, I often mentioned to him that the prices were looney on it, he said he used to get an average and knock a bit off and see how the reaction was, fingers crossed he deals with the OPs case :pac:

Pkiernan

bazz26 wrote: »

There is a big difference between what people ask for their cars on carzone and what they actually sell for. Insurance companies do not go by asking prices.

OP is entitled to the value of his car if it is to be written off.

Carzone or other selling sites are a good place to go to gauge the value of ones car.

The insurance co.'s as you know will automatically low ball. You negotiate with them based on prices that similar cars are being sold for.

If I was getting lowballed I'd simply bring the other driver and to SCC for the value of my car based on an average value of cars found for sale on the internet. I'd print out the ads and let the judge decide what he wants to award.

redsteveireland

To be honest I just want everything to go nice and smooth. I work with someone who goes to small claims court all the time and i don't want to be that kind of person.
What happens to the car if/when it is written off?

redsteveireland

unkel wrote: »

You'll probably get something like that from the insurance company. Try bargaining with them if they offer less

And anyway every cloud has a silver lining - you won't have to sell the car now yourself and you will be a cash buyer getting a new car

Bangernomics here i come! :-)

Del2005

redsteveireland wrote: »

To be honest I just want everything to go nice and smooth. I work with someone who goes to small claims court all the time and i don't want to be that kind of person.

I doubt you can go to the SCC over this anyway. The insurance companies won't let you.

What happens to the car if/when it is written off?

The insurance company will either keep the wreck and pay out the agreed amount. Or they will reduce your payout by the scrap value and let you keep the wreck, you can then repair it or sell it yourself.

karlram

print off some models of the same from selling sites and argue with the insurance company. dont accept their first offer. they will rip you off if you let them. dont be nice in any way to them. fight for more. worked for me before. but takes a few weeks to sort out. were the gaurds called to the accident? will you be claiming for your car off the ejit with the bald tires insurance? listen to pkeirnan.

slimjimmc

Del2005 wrote: »

I doubt you can go to the SCC over this anyway. The insurance companies won't let you.

Only if you accept the insurance offer, as it will have a contractual condition of full and final settlement.

However you are free to reject the settlement offer made by the other guy's insurer, bypass them completely and go with a private suit if you wish.

redsteveireland

karlram wrote: »

print off some models of the same from selling sites and argue with the insurance company. dont accept their first offer. they will rip you off if you let them. dont be nice in any way to them. fight for more. worked for me before. but takes a few weeks to sort out. were the gaurds called to the accident? will you be claiming for your car off the ejit with the bald tires insurance? listen to pkeirnan.

Yes, I called the gaurds, Garda said "it's quiet clear what happened here" while looking at the other driver. Told him he was facing dangerous driving charge.
I will only be claiming for the car off his insurance, thankfully no injuries.

marzic

I was involved in an accident in 2004, other partys fault. I was driving a 1995 carina worth about 1500 at the time and the damage was front wing and headlight, bumper and bit of bonnet. Anyway the insurance compant I was claiming off was quinn, and they were keen to settle quick and write it off cos the repair quote from my repairer was 2500. but i played hardball, saying I couldnt afford to change the car and that i wanted it fixed that nothing less would do me. Ended up getting 2400 and fixed the car for 450. The key for me was insisting on a repair.

barura

marzic wrote: »

I was involved in an accident in 2004, other partys fault. I was driving a 1995 carina worth about 1500 at the time and the damage was front wing and headlight, bumper and bit of bonnet. Anyway the insurance compant I was claiming off was quinn, and they were keen to settle quick and write it off cos the repair quote from my repairer was 2500. but i played hardball, saying I couldnt afford to change the car and that i wanted it fixed that nothing less would do me. Ended up getting 2400 and fixed the car for 450. The key for me was insisting on a repair.

That fraud, surely?

marzic

no its not fraud, my point of view won out, it was marginally cheaper for them to give me what I wanted than repair the car. I didnt mislead or misrepresent.

slimjimmc

barura wrote: »

That fraud, surely?

Nope,
the body shop, knowing it was an insurance job, would have quoted full price for brand new genuine parts (insurance companies don't accept second-hand or spurious parts), and labour rates.

The insurance cheque is to compensate for the damage and loss in value of the car. However that does not compel you to go with the same or any body shop or even get the car repaired at all. The owner has sustained this loss regardless, he's not really making any gain from it, his car is still worth a lot less now than before the crash or if it was repaired by the recognised body-shop.

unkel

barura wrote: »

That fraud, surely?

No it is not fraud. It's called negotiation.

barura

Right oh! That's cleared up so.

marzic

barura wrote: »

Right oh! That's cleared up so.

Actually I read my post back, and i left out some relevant facts - sorry about that. The quote i got was 2500 on the basis of all new parts and panel spraying plus vat. I bought the wing, bumper and headlight 2nd hand and put them on myself leaving only the bonnet to be straightened out and then spraying of wing and bonnet.

wee truck big driver

i think when your in the right the insurance company hasnt agreat bargaining position if they where arguing with me over value of car cost of repair i would mention i was getting a severe headache

redsteveireland

Should I be entitled to a rental car at his insurance companies expense until I receive the compensation now that he has accepted liability?

Also someone mentioned somewhere elsewhere that I should mention to the assessor about recently fitted new parts, brakes discs, ABS sensors etc...which should be considered

wee truck big driver

you would be entitled to some car rental and sure would show any receipts for work done

redsteveireland

wee truck big driver wrote: »

you would be entitled to some car rental and sure would show any receipts for work done

Cheers, it's my first crash in 14 years driving so i'm a bit clueless about it.

cml387

wee truck big driver wrote: »

i think when your in the right the insurance company hasnt agreat bargaining position if they where arguing with me over value of car cost of repair i would mention i was getting a severe headache

Now that's fraud;)

redsteveireland

update:

It's confirmed as Cat B. They offered me €1200. So I sent them some receipts for recent work done and a couple of adds for similar cars, alot of the cars have been skangerised and sold around the 1500-1800 mark(advertised price, not sure of selling price).
Mine was unskangerised and in good condition so, more appealing?

They also said that the towing company have offered €150 for the written off car which he will dispose of. This €150 seems to be to cover his costs of towing and storage. Is this standard practice?

wee truck big driver

regards towing costs you wouldnt be responsible for them and wouldnt be the one paying them. realistically 1200 euro is a lot for a 95 carina but the question is are you happy enough with that

patrickc

wee truck big driver wrote: »

regards towing costs you wouldnt be responsible for them and wouldnt be the one paying them. realistically 1200 euro is a lot for a 95 carina but the question is are you happy enough with that

it's a 97 A4