Post crash issues- write off

[cbay]

Owenski, that wasn't aimed at you or anything. Just passing on what I've learn't and been told in the past.

[jchu1988]

Minor update. Insurance informed that dvla shows I am not the registered keeper even after visiting the local dvla office so the claim is on hold. I have got the bike back from copart (savage company) and the actual damage is as follows:
Front fairing scratched and scuffed
Rear fairing scuffed
Rhs rearset slightly bent
Minor scratch on end can
Broken brake levers
Rhs indicator missing
Rhs mirror plastic scratched (glass is intact)

I've replaced the brake levers and indicator and I feel the rest are just cosmetic damage.

I took it down to a local Suzuki dealership to get an estimate. They wanted about 1300 to repair everything including labour and vat but the end can will have to be an aftermarket one (of which I have no objections to).

Insurance's preferred engineering company enter 2300 for repairs. I rang up the insurance company to inform them of the lower estimate and asked them what the upper limit of the claims before its a cat d. They said 1600 for a bike valued at 2000.

Their engineering wing now wants to inspect my bike again to check for damage.
I now have two issues.
1. If they approve the new lower estimate, can I specify which repairer I use even if its slightly more expensive?
2. I assume based the engineers response, the scrap value of the bike is probably closer to 400 quid and that I should haggle over that.

Anything I might have missed?

Bike has been through MOT and needs new rear pads, otherwise it is considered roadworthy.

[timwilky]

Due to your extremely high excess, and the light damage. I would suggest you abandon your claim and look to fix using second hand parts.

when I used to top up my income doing assessing, we would occasionally agree a contract repair. Whereby the 3rd party would be allowed a set figure to repair their vehicle. Obviously this doesn't apply in your case.

Question. Why did you take out comprehensive insurance with such a high excess for a bike with a declared value of £1500? As you have seen this excess makes a claim almost worthless.

[jchu1988]

stupidly naive to believe that I won't crash my bike within the first year.

I have learnt that tpft is the best way to go from now on, until the premiums go down significantly.

[jchu1988]

Actually, the stated excess is 900, but 400 can be claimed back through Swinton's rider's legal protection scheme which has a guaranteed excess refund of 500 quid when it was sold to me.

How does one proceed to abandon the claim? Just ring up the insurance company and tell I don't wish to claim?

Would that affect the insurance policy?

[DJ123]

don;t give yourself a high excess, this is where many people fall at the 1st believing they won't be the cause of an accident. Compare quotes of high excess vs the premium, and a low excess vs the premium. There is not much in it, especially for having to shell out a few hundred quid more if you crash.

I'm in a similar situation at the moment. Although someone else caused my crash. BLD have my bike at the moment and have sent an estimate to the 3rd party's insurers (although they haven't told me what this is yet).

I'm still waiting to hear back from BLD or the 3rd party but I think I'll be interested in buying back my bike, as long as they don't take the pish with the scrap value - £850 sounds outrageous, scrap metal is not worth that! I'd argue like mad on that one.

If you've insured the bike for £1500 then you may be stuck with that valuation - I think you can also insure to "market value" which gives you bartering room should your bike be written off....but I'm pretty sure you could argue on the scrap value. All you need to offer is £5 more than the scrap man would give them for it and you're a more profitable route. If you've got your bike back how about asking around some local scrappies to get a feel for how much it's worth in scrap, take an average and offer that to the insurance company.

Otherwise, as suggested, drop the claim. It doesn't sound like you're going to get much money out of the claim and you'll loose value on your bike by it being Cat D'd anyway. Plus your premiums will go up by claiming - I'd be careful they aren't going to up them anyway now they are aware of the incident.

Good luck with it.