Do you have to use an insurance company's mechanic?

garv123

As the title says.. Do you have to use the insurance companies mechanic?

My girlfriends parked car, and another car were hit by a car outside work.

There isnt much visual damage, only a broken wing mirror and light scratches on a wheel and bumper, when I drove the car I noticed the steering wheel is crooked when driving straight, no pull left or right tho.

We want to get it looked at properly to be sure, considering the car at fault is written off.

The driver is going through her insurance, Aviva, They are saying we have to use one of their mechanics, in New Ross or Clonmel, both nearly an hour away.

Is this true or can we submit a quote from a more local mechanic?

whomitconcerns

If it's their fault, it's up to you where you get the job done. If they are being awkward a quote from your main dealer will fix that

garv123

whomitconcerns wrote: »

If it's their fault, it's up to you where you get the job done. If they are being awkward a quote from your main dealer will fix that

The person from aviva on the phone seemed fairly adamant that we had to use one of their mechanics, its an 08 Astra, apparently its all the way to Newross or Clonmel for a 15 minute check up.

Whats the process for going to another mechanic?

George Dalton

As you are the third party in this case you can bring the car wherever you want for assessment and repair.

You need to get the claim number from the insurance company and ideally an email address to send the estimate to. Then get an estimate done and sent in and take it from there.

Glass fused light

garv123 wrote: »

The person from aviva on the phone seemed fairly adamant that we had to use one of their mechanics, its an 08 Astra, apparently its all the way to Newross or Clonmel for a 15 minute check up.

Whats the process for going to another mechanic?

if you think there is mechanical damage stop driving it.

That's the job of the lad on the phone they have an agreed fee with the garages so it's cheaper if you row in behind what they want.

Pick your garage and arrange an appointment.
Call them back, the most important thing is that on the call establish that the other driver has admitted that (s)he hit the car.
They may try to BS as to why they have to do this or that.
In my case it was that as the driver had not filled the post accident paperwork, he was not insured.:rolleyes:
Ask them for their fax number and that they arrange for an assessor to call to the garage of your choice.
Then it's a matter of costs make it more expensive to them.
Eg Tell them if they want it in Newross etc that they can arrange for a tow-truck to and from its parking spot and car rental to cover from today to the day it's returned, and that at the moment you are only consenting to an inspection. And that no work is to be done.

whomitconcerns

As all above day. Go get your quote where you want. Send it to his insurance company. They may request a assessor visit... Well they will.. Either way if your quote is legit they will have to approve it.

seagull

Even if you're at fault, the insurance company can only recommend you where to go. Typically by only covering a part of the bill if you go somewhere other than their recommended repairer.

When you are the damaged party, you pick where you want to go. Tell Aviva to go whistle. Get your quote where you want, get the vehicle repaired, and send them the bill. Also ask them for a courtesy car while yours is being repaired, and then ask them for compensation for the drop in value of your car because of the accident. They probably won't give you anything on a 10 year old car, but you can ask.

garv123

Thanks for the replies,

Latest update is,

GF rang aviva and said she couldnt bring the car down to New Ross and that she was going to use her own mechanic, She had a more helpful guy on the phone who siad "you mean you feel your car isn't safe to drive" She replied with yes, and he said no problem, We'll send a tow truck.
2 hours later a toe truck and arrived and an hour after that europcar dropped off a 171 corolla, so happy enough to let them take it to their mechanic.

mickdw

Why allow your car to go to what is in effect the other parties mechanic. Its an absolute no no.

You have no contract whatsoever with the others insurer so you are on now way bound by their rules only the law of the land. What it amounts to really is that the other parties insurer is bound to pay to repair your car, cover a hire car and also compensate for depreciation so that you are not out of pocket at all.
Id be bringing my car to a bodyshop known to me or a main dealer who will surely have or use a good bodyshop.

They will have you down as a pushover now. No new body panels for you if they can be filled.
Something has been knocked out of line on the car and unfortunately now you have a mechanic who is not working for you in charge of fixing it.

garv123

An Update on this, lady from the mechanics rang last night,

The rear axel is broken, is it up to the insurance company to decide if its a right off or not when they get a quote from the mechanic?
What would the rough book value be of a 2008 Opel Astra SXi Sport 1.3 CDTi?

Toyotafanboi

mickdw wrote: »

They will have you down as a pushover now. No new body panels for you if they can be filled.
Something has been knocked out of line on the car and unfortunately now you have a mechanic who is not working for you in charge of fixing it.

Let's not scaremonger the OP either. I don't think he's now filed under "P" for push over with Aviva now.

If a panel can be cost effectively filled, it will be filled whether the car be 08 or 181. Usually only very light damage will be filled as in most cases (bar possibly rear quarter panels) it's often quicker and cheaper to replace the panel than pay a lad €55 an hour to go messing with the old one.

If the axle is damage or broken and a repair does go ahead, no insurance company is going to advise a mechanic to bodge a repair and to be fair even if they did, any respectable mechanic would refuse to do so as it'll be him who'd be in court of the poor repair failed.

They've collected the OP's car, he's in a courtesy car and their car will be repaired to a reasonable standard. There's nothing to suggest he will come out any worse of this, so far at least.

AviationUK

As long as the axle hasn't done any damage to any other components when it came out, its a relatively cheap fix