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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 19, 2012 20:28:45 GMT
That sounds about right Storm. The ones that are now giving '6 figure +' bonuses to the top brass, and probably patting each other on the back saying " well done old chap"! >  |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 19, 2012 19:51:37 GMT
Thanks again guys, Get this - my protected no claims is left intact and I still receive my 65% discount. This discount is applied to my base rate, which is the actual insurance cost. Because I have now made a claim my base rate is increased, which will continue to, over a 3 year period. My NCD is then applied to the increased base rate. There you go! Protected no claims discount, but still a large increase in premium. I may be wrong, but I think the £789 that was claimed against my insurance will be what's added to my premium over the 3 year period, so my insurance recovers their costs. I would have been better getting a 3 year loan and paid Dick out of my own pocket! Lilac - I thought 'lost keys' was a standard addition to any policy which didn't affect no claims etc? Damned small print! And damned cheeky insurance companies! Nicky - no wonder you sing the ombudsman's praises! £14k - Well done to you! (and them)  |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 19, 2012 18:22:42 GMT
can you give us a heads up of a time you're likely to be posting the part 2 please - I'd hate to miss the goodies!  |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 19, 2012 15:19:59 GMT
Thanks Nicky |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 19, 2012 13:48:53 GMT
34 minutes of my life I will never get back!
It turns out that there is absolutely nothing I can do!
Apparently the photograph of the parked vehicle we sent to the insurers in January was never received!!!! And Dick's insurers inspected his car and found that it had been damaged.
Apparently Dicks insurers were threatening me with legal action if their claim wasn't settled, my insurers, acting in my best interest (?) settled the claim and paid for the repairs. Which, incidentally, only totalled £789, but did include an alloy wheel refurbishment and a new tyre, amongst other things.
Although I emphasised the fact that there is no damage to our car and there is no way such damage could be sustained to a parked vehicle, the lady told me that a vehicle inspector would be able to find damage on ours that isn't visible to the naked eye! WTF???! And because the claim wasn't large enough to warrant doubt from our insurer, they just paid out.
They take fraudulent claims seriously my arse!!!
Anyway - she pretty much agreed that G4S would definitely be able to track their employees, but again, without a reg number there is nothing more they can (or will?) do.
Even if we were to see the vehicle now and gave the reg number, although our insurers could challenge G4S it would then be their word against ours, regardless of the witness statement.
Frankly, they have acted independently of me, they have telephones us only once throughout this debacle, all other times either me or my partner have had to chase them. They have kept us in the dark when important milestones have not only been reached, but have passed, and even though this is now closed they still are yet to contact us?!!!
My partner called them yesterday to find out what was happening and was told the case is closed, "but we wrote to you yesterday"(Tuesday)....still waiting for that letter to appear!
Will the financial ombudsman be able to help?
There are 2 reasons we have insurance.. 1 is because we have to, but the most important reason is to give us protection to help and guide us through a claim. Well thanks DIRECT LINE - you failed on all counts, and out of the 3 people involved we were the only ones acting honestly and within the law, yet we end up as victims and have to pay the penalty and are left feeling alone and like no one really cares!
No wonder you're not on comparison websites, because, quite frankly - no one compares to you!
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 19, 2012 8:41:22 GMT
Thanks Perps. Nicky - I would never have thought to use the ombudsman service for this...I will see how my phone call with the insurance goes in a minute, then look into it if needs be. Bel - how can an insurer operate like that? "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do as she isn't answering her phone"! It really is laughable isn't it? So whilst she plays 'silly buggers' you have to either find another means of transport, or make do with a damaged car?! Okay, there may be a genuine reason she isn't communicating, but the insurers (yours or hers) must have a contingency strategy in these situations? And throughout this period you and hubby are expected to accept it? Hmmph! It does make me cross! > Sandra - it seems that we live in a society that offers anyone free money through claims etc because it's a loop-hole solicitors can manipulate whether its deserved or not! My partner had an accident a few years back with a car slamming into the back of her, and pushing her car under the trailer of the lorry in front. She was in a SmartCar and I'm surprised she didn't sustain any other injury than whiplash. She didn't feel it at first, and it only became noticeable the next day and gradually got worse, until at the end of the week she couldn't move her head/neck. What surprised me the most though was her insurers legal team kept calling her and telling her they could 'get more out of them' as settlement. Okay, so my partner didn't have loss of earnings, but she had to take holiday to cover her off time, and all the times she saw the doctor, but she had so much work on she wanted to go back sooner to catch up, yet she was told over the phone that she can take as long as she felt necessary and the settlement would reflect this! She didn't take much time off (less than a week) and returned to work in a little pain, but again she was told that its perfectly acceptable to be off work for a number of weeks with severe whiplash! No wonder our premiums go up - anyone could experience a little whiplash, which under normal circumstances, wouldn't affect their health, but after the insurers have finished wth them, it would be all too easy to 'play on it' and take 2 - 3 weeks and then receive thousands as compensation! Now I've taken too long writing this that I have no time to call the insurers, but it can wait until lunch time |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 18, 2012 22:03:29 GMT
You know what guys - haven't got enough time to reply to each individual, but thanks for your comments. Its been a busy night sorting the insurance for the latest bump, but that should be taken care of for the time being. One thing that I will mention now is regarding what Blakey said, and he has echoed my thoughts entirely! Not once has the insurance company offered to actually inspect either vehicle, even after emphasising the difference in damage that the vehicles sustained, and asking them on several occasions to actually 'look' at the photo instead of paying it lip service! It beggars belief that when we contacted the insurers for my partners car earlier this evening (Different insurer) they will be contacting the 'hit and run' driver from today tomorrow morning, and if the driver doesn't accept liability the insurance will send an inspector out immediately to check both cars to compare damage etc. as, in the words of the insurance "they want to reduce the amount of time available for someone to cover anything up". Now why can't my insurance take a stance like that. Its obvious to anyone that something just doesn't add up!!! So I will be contacting my insurance tomorrow and telling them I don't accept the outcome, that they are in effect, working for me and that they actually have to investigate this further! These days we are all expected to accept being shafted. I don't expect anything to come of it, but if you don't even bother in the first place then that's a guarantee! Grrrrrr! As an aside, this is all taking preciuos vaping shopping time away and is just not acceptable! |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 18, 2012 15:13:56 GMT
QB - I'd be tempted to be a 'Dick' too, but in the cold light of day I am too honest and wouldn't be able to look them in the eye.  Karma - Garages see us, damaged vehicles, MoT's etc etc as a license to print money!  |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 18, 2012 15:08:56 GMT
I'm the first person to hold my hands up if I've done anything wrong, and although accidents do happen, if I am ever at fault, no matter how difficult it is I always own up. I don't make excuses, i just own up. And I kind of expect other people to do likewise.
Now I'm not naive, and do realise there are dishonest people out there, but they are the minority (I'm perhaps being naive in that statement?) and I don't expect people to react that way, like Dick for example. He was lovely initially, and my partner spoke to him on the phone and copied him in all emails and all was well, but the moment he gave us the quote and we questioned it, as is our right, he became quite aggressive in his emails.
If my partner would have caused that damage there would be no problem.
Now my partner couldn't say whether there was damage before she hit the car or not, but looking at a) the lack of damage on our car, b) the extent of damage on his and the white paint marks, c) what he was claiming was damaged, and d) the speed in which the collision happened ( less than 20mph) I believe it is obvious this has happened before and that person drove off without leaving any details and he's trying to cash in on my partners good nature.
It just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Looking at the facts I don't think there was anything my partner could have done differently, other than not swerving and hitting G4S head on, which thinking about it would have probably given us the better outcome...though I doubt anyone in their right mind would do that?!
If he would have been travelling at the speed limit there would have been enough time to for them both to slow down and not have to take evasive action.
Anyway - my partner wrote to G4S with all the details, including the time and a list of businesses that are in the industrial estate - surely they must be able to look up what services they provide to any one of these businesses and know which of their employees carries out the service. What business can't trace employees in this 'Big Brother' world?
The car that was damaged today only suffered a dent and a scratch, but it means we have to go through the insurers, then to a garage, be without the car for a day or more and it's an inconvenience. It's not the end of the world but we are looking at selling it in the next month or 2 and could really do without the (minor) hassle.
Nicky - yes she has a clear conscience, and I can sit here and smile at that and know that in our little bubble at least, we've done all we can (more her than me) and regardless of anybody else, we've done right by us!
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 18, 2012 14:10:16 GMT
In October as my partner was leaving work in her car (Leaving a cul-de-sac with an industrial estate at the end) she was forced off the road by a G4S vehicle speeding round a blind bend.
The road is in a large residential area where residents park on one side of the road. Some parts are left clear to pull in to allow oncoming traffic to pass. However, because of the G4S guy travelling too fast (30mph limit) my partner had to react quickly to avoid a head on collision. In doing so she clipped a parked vehicle. The G4S vehicle ground to a halt and then proceeded to gently squeeze through what gap was left, then sped off.
My partner didn't get a reg number of the G4S car BUT her colleague was in the car behind her and witnessed the full event, and being as the G4S was obviously emblazoned with the company logo she (and I) thought there would be no problem following this through SHOULD it go to the insurers.
There was NO damage to our car - the dirt had been rubbed off where it had touched the parked vehicle, but that was it. Luckily my partner took a photo of the damage sustained to the parked vehicle, which had a dent on the front wing and white paint marks along the damaged area. (Strange as our car s dark blue!).
Being a model citizen, my partner went knocking door to door to find the owner of the vehicle, but no avail, so she left her details on his windscreen and came home. She then spent hours that evening writing the full account in an email to G4S in the hope they would be able to pin point the vehicle in question that forced my partner off the road.
The next day came a reply from G4S and an email from the owner of the parked vehicle, lets call him Richard!
G4S stated that although they could sympathise with my partner they have no way of knowing which of their vehicles are where at any time throughout the day, and without the reg number they would do nothing. Not what we hoped for but the email we received from Richard was rather pleasant, and he was very thankful contact details were left for him.
My partner CC'd him in all email correspondence with G4S, s that he knew what she was trying to do, and at the same time we asked him to get 3 quotes, which, should the need arise she could give them to G4S to settle.
We obviously got nowhere with G4S so we offered to pay for the repairs to Richard, upon production of his 3 quotes. (It wasn't as informal as this suggests) which he was happy with.
We were as astonished when he came back with quotes for work totalling almost £2000!!!
Looking at the breakdown he was claiming for a new alloy wheel and tyre, a new front wing and bumper! Now remember - there was absolutely no damage to our car what-so-ever!
We questioned this with Richard and he became not a very nice man at all, threatening us with the police and legal action etc etc. Lets now call him Dick!
Suffice to say, we passed it to the insurers.
All this happened in October last year, and today our insurers have come back to say that there is nothing more they can do without a G4S reg number. They also say that they will not be questioning the quotes provided by Dicks insurers, even though they 'Take fraudulent claims very seriously', and as far as they are concerned the case is closed! Oh, and by the way - your insurance will be going up by several hundred pounds for the next 3 years! Even with over 12 years no claims and protected NCB. Nearly £700 a year for a 1.3 Diesel Fiat Punto!!! (It is my car, which my partner is a named driver on my policy, and who used it for work that day)
And just in case we weren't hacked off enough, I kid you not, today my partner is at work with my car and someone has reversed into her car which is parked up outside the house! And driven off with not so much as a by your leave!!!! (This time though, a friend saw it happen and got the registration number!) Little justice.
So, is there a moral to this story....
....
...
...No. I don't think there is? You're damned if you do, and damned if you don't!
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 13, 2012 18:21:55 GMT
Like Alvo I keep a spreadsheet and I have an Android app on my phone which I update with every purchase I do a spreadsheet but an Android app would be great. Which app dp you use? 'E-smoker calculator' which is relatively in depth but the widget is just a small heads up with numbers I also use 'Quit Now'. The widget is quite big and shows days quit, cigs not smoked and money saved. I find it encouraging and its great having the information to hand all the time. HTH |
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Men!!
Apr 13, 2012 18:15:46 GMT
Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 13, 2012 18:15:46 GMT
Those damn pin numbers! |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 13, 2012 7:45:29 GMT
Sod the job, where do we sign for the free weeks holiday accomadation  lol ? Best of luck to you out there Kev! I'm sure it will be quite the adventure for you both  How about if Kev was to offer a weeks accommodation in return for a weeks work? A working holiday, and all you would have to buy is your flights and food....? What says you Kev? You could have an army of helpers all year through! |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 12, 2012 6:50:40 GMT
A day late but what the hell - Happy Birthday mate. To celebrate I've just bought some goodies! |
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Post by gizmondothefirst on Apr 12, 2012 6:48:29 GMT
Like Alvo I keep a spreadsheet and I have an Android app on my phone which I update with every purchase, and although I have spent over £200 more than I have saved, the break even date is starting to get a little closer (8thJune at mo).
But the way I look at it is that I am a lot healthier and should live longer without the nasties, therefore I will be able to work longer, and earn more, which will give me better chances of breaking even and eventually save!
Every purchase, large or small, is an investment into my future. I live within my means so won't need the 'second mortgage', but push the boundaries every once in a while!
You only come this way once - enjoy it whilst you can!
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lol ?