Engineers report after crash

[Winder]

Just got a letter telling me the bike is a cat c write off after the crash. I expected this. It says the bike was worth £1800 before the accident. No where does it tell me how much i will get or how much less I will get if I keep the bike. Anyone know how long this takes or how they work it out?

Thanks

[Bibio]

1800 less your excess

[Winder]

Sorry forgot to mention the person that has hit me has admitted liability. Do I still lose me excess if thier insurance company are paying out and not my insurance company?

No you dont lose your excess. I have had 2 bikes written of (neither of which were my fault) and the buy back (ie how much they keep so you get the bike) has been about 20% each time. so probs £350-400. This is merely speaking from experience, I am in no way in insurance, just what i have had twice in the last yr.

[SoulKiss]

You dont HAVE to accept it being written off as its the 3rd Parties fault.

You can insist having it repaired to like new standard.

Or at least I believe this is the case.

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

You dont HAVE to accept it being written off as its the 3rd Parties fault.

You can insist having it repaired to like new standard.

Or at least I believe this is the case.

Really? I would have gladly accepted a fully built V50 when someone crashed into it and wrote it off when my brother was using it (woman drivers fault). Don't think the insurers would see it that way since the parts are impossible to find unless you travel to Asia to find them D:

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

You dont HAVE to accept it being written off as its the 3rd Parties fault.

You can insist having it repaired to like new standard.

Or at least I believe this is the case.

This is the case. It's your bike, your choice, regardless of what they say. You may have a fight on your hands - at the end of the day they cannot make you do anything, but you can make them rebuild your bike to pre-accident condition whether it is uneconomical or not.

99% of the time they make a payout and still make a profit, but every once in a while they come across people like you or me who were the third party and wants the bike back to how it was... and they have to do it whether they like it or not. That's what the insurance company calls a risk - without risk insurance companies wouldn't be able to trade.

About 3 years ago a mate's mum had her owned from new 1986 Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia rebuilt after a young lad ran into the back of it. The car was low mileage and absolutely immaculate before the accident but the youngster's insco wanted to write the car off and pay her 500 quid maximum. She refused and fought them on it because she wouldn't have got anything like the car she'd had before for 500 quid, but that's all it was really worth as an old motor. They did eventually rebuild the car with all new panels for the tailgate surround, boot floor, tailgate and the two rear wings. The car looks immaculate again and has just been valued at £4,000 for her classic car policy.

[TamSV]

If you are thinking of taking the bike back to fix up yourself then get it repaired properly by the third party. Don't let a third party insurer write off your bike - it kills the value.

When you claim from your own insurance the insurer has a choice of how to settle. It's in the contract (policy). You've got no such contract with the third party.

Of course if you can get £1500 and fix it up enough to use for £200 then that might be a worthwhile profit. Do what's best for your particular situation.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by TamSV

Of course if you can get £1500 and fix it up enough to use for £200 then that might be a worthwhile profit. Do what's best for your particular situation.

It usually is.

I don't think a cat C against a £1000 bike makes a difference really.

[timwilky]

In my previous guise. We used to agree in exceptional cases to a "contract repair", to which the owner or their agent would accept a certain sum to facilitate the repair. This could be the breaker that would stop me writing it off.

Typical would be specialist vehicles where the owner had prepared it and there is no way a run of the mill body shop could ever recreate the damaged vehicle.

I think back a few years ago Mrs Fuds (Jo) dad was hurt when his Magni went down the road on his way to the peak district AR. From memory, the rebuilder had to manufacture about 6 sets of pipes before he got a matching set. The real labout cost of that job should have written it off. But sometimes the insurance has to take a hit to restore something back to its pre accidental condition. (An incompetent inspector helps)