After a taxi taking a U turn collided with my car - I have been offered £450 by my insurer - should I decline?

Question

the insurance is comprehensive & and the alternative would have been a total write off. I need a car as I am partly disabled and unable to walk far, to even catch a bus.

Answer 1

No way, you should get a lot more than that.

Answer 2

It sounds like you have opted to retain the salvage of the vehicle. Is this right?

Following a write off (eg. repair costs exceed the replacement value of the car), insurers will offer your the replacement cost of the car, in the condition immediately prior to the accident, less the policy excess.

If this is accepted, they will then sell the car on and receive some money from a 'salvage yard'.

If you have opted to keep you car, Insurers will offer the original write off value, less the excess, but will also take off the amount they would have received from the salvage.

You should be able to get the excess back from the other parties Insurer, but you may have to do this yourself, and this will take time.

After making any payment to you, your Insurer will ask the other parties Insurer for reimbursement.

Your question was - should you decline the offer.......My advise is, that if your car is a beat up old banger, but is still drivable, would pass an MOT and is legal. Then take the money and run - there would be no obligation on you to carry out the repairs.


Good luck.

Answer 3

DECLINE. Did you get insurance information from the taxi driver? If not, I can't understand why your insurance offered anything. Your insurance company should file a claim with the taxi driver's insurance,( who is obviuosly--from your statement--at fault), & HIS insurance company should pay for your car, whatever its current value. Do you have a provision in your policy for rental car payments? They're usually for a specific length of time, but REPAID to them by the other party. You'll never get more than the Blue Book value, or an offer for another vehicle EQUAL to your car's value--which is very frustrating since you'll probably not be able to replace its value to YOU. If you have any confidence in your insurance company, they should explain why they offered $450., & advise the best thing to do. Try not to jump the gun. As for being unable to walk to a bus: you can order, for example, groceries online to be delivered, & if you need to go to medical facilities, check what your community offers in the way of transportation. ANY friends who could drive you? The best I can suggest is that you find alternatives to not having a car, (I understand; I have fractured toes & can't walk far either--I got a temporary disabled placard from DMV & it helps), until this is PROPERLY sorted out to compensate you. & ALWAYS get a police report on the spot. They say they won't come out unless someone has been injured, & the last time, (I have a cell phone only for such emergencies), I told them MY CAR WAS BLOCKING TRAFFIC & I WAS NOT GOING TO MOVE. It worked. Don't deal with the "other" insurance company PERSONALLY. They'll really try to scam you, & this can interfere with whatever your insurance company is doing for you. (If they are.) A Good luck.....

Answer 4

Depends on the make, model and age of the car. be more specific. Check your car against other similar ones on autotrader.co.uk and see what they are going for. If you disagre with the price, send copies of any evidence you find to your insurer. If they have valued it incorrectly, they will re-evaluate the price.

If you are still unhappy and they cannot show you evidence of where they obtained their price from, contact the insurance ombudsman who will review the claim.

The price given by the insurer is the market value, not the price you would pay at a dealer as dealers have overheads which they add on to the price. The price you are quoted by insurers is the private retail value, so bear that in mind when you are checking prices.

Regards a curtesy car, it may not be included in the policy, people just assume you get one if you have comp cover. Wrong! You need to check your policy first.

A lot of the answers on here show that they dont know how insurance works, if you want to email me feel free to do so. I dont work in insurance any more, but have 15 years experience doing valuations on write offs.

Regards lack of transport, if the third part admits liability, you should be ale to claim back costs like taxi's etc. so keep receipts in the meantime.

Answer 5

If your fully comp you should get a curtsey car
When I had my first accident as a taxi driver my boss advised the car I hit to sue him cos he wouldnt pay otherwise
He did and was very happy with the outcome
If the taxi is driven by an owner driver not a company then you may have to work a bit harder but £450 sounds way to low

Answer 6

Under no circumstances accept this offer. U turns are extremely dangerous. This taxi should get the book thrown at him. Push for a lot more. Make sure you have not suffered any personal injury too which may not be immediately apparent!!Best of luck.

Answer 7

No tell them your predicament more money for new car plus cost for hire car,sue taxi driver,get every penny you can best of luck e

Answer 8

your insurance will write the car off if it would cost more then 60 % of value of car so i would take the cash

Answer 9

always decline the first offer from insurance companys

Answer 10

Why !!! is YOUR insurer offering you money & not the Taxi's Insurance company

Answer 11

insurance should give you a courtesy car and you can sue that taxi driver