Help! Insurance coming to take and auction my bike!

[brodie]

Last August - yep it's taken this long, with fully comp insurance as well - my parked bike was knocked over by a car. Since then i've been going through the motions, it' essentially a cosmetic write-off but totally working.

Today, the first time i've heard from my insurance company is actually a voicemail from an auction house asking to arrange collection. I haven't yet called my insurance co. (came here first) but i'm wondering about stripping down all the mods on my bike and putting it back to OEM.

I'm hoping that I can buy it back, but just in case I want to strip all the expensive additions I've made over the years: exhaust, brake levers, alarm, fairings etc.

One of them is a renegade air box kit. I have the original OEM and i'm wondering if it's a simple swap?

I know when George(?) at Renegade fitted it he dyno'd it and I assume remapped it. Is refitting the OEM going to create issues? Will it create issues should I need to then refit the Renegade kit back?

Thanks in advance.

[jambo]

OK, back up.

1) For the insurance company to own the bike you need to have accepted a settlement from them, and agreed to sign the vehicle over to them.
2) Have they yet paid you? If not I'd be releasing the sum total of nothing.
3) Phone your insurance company, and run through this with them. You own the bike until you sign it over to them. You do not have to do this, but obviously it may significantly alter they pay out you get if you keep the bike.

Jambo

you seem awfully calm for the fact they could be taking your bike. i know if i was in this situation i definitely wouldn't be thinking about stripping the bike and buying it back. i'd kick up a fuss and challenge them, i think you need to call your insurance company and ask them what the eff is going on and make them explain it

[Bibio]

if you have claimed on your own insurance and no third party involved then the bike belongs to them.

if you have claimed threw your insurance on behalf of to deal with a third party then why did you not get the third party insurance to put right the bike.

either way if you have had a settlement the bike belongs to whichever insurance company paid you.

if you have not had a settlement from either then the bike belongs to you, no iff's no buts until such time you get a settlement.

[brodie]

Hi All - thanks for the responses.

Just got off the phone with my insurance brokers. They say that my insurers have probably taken the repair quote i gave them and written it off, and have already begun 'salvage'.

I've been through it all with them, as I understood it I was using my FComp to claim from the third party, they told me no, I was claiming on my insurance and they would claim it back, as if I wanted to claim from the TP I would have to do it myself and I quote, 'it could take years'.
This is news to me, lesson learned.

So, my situation now is I have to write to my insurers, supplying copies of all ownership docs/MOT etc. and state that I wish to by the bike back against my insurance. They (broker) assured me that I was not giving up ownership of the vehicle by doing so, but that if I refused the buyback option it would go to salvage, OR I would be liable for costs in cancelling the claim.

I will await their response. In all likelihood it seems that this is going to end up costing me (beyond my time wasted), which is a bl**dy joke.

[timwilky]

Ok for small stuff like bikes at the insureds home address. But you will find that having decided something is a write off. Most insurance companies like to get the vehicle moved to "Free" storage whilst they negotiate a settlement.

You will find that whilst something is stuck at a repairers awaiting the authorisation to proceed with repairs and it doesn't happen. the repairers tend to apply a storage charge to cover their inconvenience. Moving to storage with their pet disposal agent minimises this charge.

As in my own case when I was arguing valuations this can work in your favor. Right I arrange for my own independent valuation. Can you please advise when and where an engineer can inspect it. Yes we will phone you back.

10 mins later, errr Mr Wilkinson it would appear our disposal agent has scrapped your motorcycle, could we agree to settle at you pre accident value please.

[timwilky]

Claiming off a third party is easy if they play ball. You simply write to them advising you hold them responsible for the damage to your vehicle and to provide details of their insurance. It can help to also provide the third party with a copy estimate to pass on with their accident report form.

Then write to their insurers advising you hold them liable, be firm but polite. Know at day one your valuation and stick to it.

[Red ones]

Mine was knocked over in September. I claimed off the third party. The claim was simple but took a month to get to having the bike fixed - this was largely due to the availability (or lack of) parts.

I'd be careful stripping an 'expensive' aftermarket exhaust and putting the OEM on. The OEM can costs £1,400 new if it's an SV you have.

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by brodie

Hi All - thanks for the responses.

Just got off the phone with my insurance brokers. They say that my insurers have probably taken the repair quote i gave them and written it off, and have already begun 'salvage'.

I've been through it all with them, as I understood it I was using my FComp to claim from the third party, they told me no, I was claiming on my insurance and they would claim it back, as if I wanted to claim from the TP I would have to do it myself and I quote, 'it could take years'.
This is news to me, lesson learned.

So, my situation now is I have to write to my insurers, supplying copies of all ownership docs/MOT etc. and state that I wish to by the bike back against my insurance. They (broker) assured me that I was not giving up ownership of the vehicle by doing so, but that if I refused the buyback option it would go to salvage, OR I would be liable for costs in cancelling the claim.

I will await their response. In all likelihood it seems that this is going to end up costing me (beyond my time wasted), which is a bl**dy joke.

Don't let them scare you. The facts seem straightforward and liability clearly rests with the other party.

Call your insurer back and tell them straight that you were never claiming against your Fully Comp cover and that they have made a mistake in processing it that way. Insist that your initial contact was simply complying with the legal requirement to inform them in the event of an incident and that you came away with the understanding that they would be pursuing a third party claim against the other party's insurance on your behalf. You should not have to pay to cancel a claim.

If they are not making a third party claim on your behalf then it's simple enough to make contact with the other insurers yourself and make a direct claim. (I assume you have the insurer's details etc.) It's your choice whether you allow them to actually repair your bike or pay cash in lieu of repair. Get some good estimates and decide what you are willing to concede in order to settle. Whichever option, stick to your guns, even if they have to pay more to settle than a market value - don't let them try to "write off" your bike and physically take it off you. Yes, it may take some time and negotiating but if it's only cosmetic issues you can still use the bike and so, apart from vanity, does that time delay really matter? You can take as long as they want to argue!

(As it happens I am dealing with something very similar for my son. I am basically claiming for cash because it's cosmetic damage and an old bike, plus I don't actually want anyone else to work on it. For the impending negotiation, though, I am basing my expected settlement amount on genuine parts prices and will concede labour fitting costs etc. because I am unlikely to replace all the damaged parts on such a low value machine. However my initial claim has included estimate for the lot, all parts plus fitting, on the principle that the other driver is liable for restoring the bike to the condition it was in before it was knocked over.)

[brodie]

third go at typing this, damn page reloads!

Thanks for the replies. I've written to my insurers telling them I want to keep the bike and asking for 'further instruction'. Let's see what they say, if they come back with a crap figure I may well claim I understood them to be pursuing the claim on my behalf not my insurance.

Ruffy - i'm hoping to do the repairs myself, although I wasn't looking for a 'lovingly restored' project this winter!

Red Ones - I have a pointy with a Renegade can, and the S/H OEM's I have seen go for £35-50 so it's a no brainer for me! I'd be interested to know how your claim went, was yours a write-off and did you get everything you claimed for?