Insurance - Equity Red Star scumbags

[BillyC]

When I spoke to Equity Redstar last year after my squash, I wasn't impressed. It was like talking to a small child! They couldn't read from their script, they kept repeating themselves, couldn't take on board what I'd told them. I will not be insuring through them again.

They handled your claim badly. But you should be able to claim the remaining policy value back from the 3rd Party etc.

I suppose that's the thing we all fall for - do we go with Bennetts, Carole Nash, etc. when at the end of the day we're really dealing with the insurer, and if you get a rubbish one then, well, you'll end up like I am right now.

I've never seen any info. on the good/bad points of the insurers themselves - it always seems to come down to which broker is cheapest, not which insurer offers the best performance when you need then

Originally Posted by SVeeedy Gonzales

This morning I wrote a stiff letter to Carole Nash over their shoddy handling of things - not getting me a hire bike for ages and then when they finally able to get me in touch with their hire people (this morning) they were "oh, sorry, you've been paid out for your bike so you can't have a hire bike now".

This is done by a third party for Red Star (can't remember name at mo), but they're a bunch of . Initially they phoned up to offer a bike, day after crash. Declined as I couldn't ride then, but they said phone them back when I was better. So I phoned them back a few weeks later (before settlement) and they asked a bunch of Qs which go like this:

Do I have car insurance?
Me: Yes
Well, you must have a car then.
Me: Ye-es (where the hell's this leading I ask myself)
Then you don't need a bike and we won't be supplying one.
Me: But I have the bike for different reasons than the car. I am not allowed to park a car at my out of town office (due to our 'green transport policy'), parking is only supplied for bikes. And I have a bike trip planned with mates.
Use your car instead
Me: I can't, I 've just explained this
Tough
Me: I want a replacement bike as that's what I paid the extra insurance premium for.
It's in the small print that we only supply if you have no other transport available to you. Goodbye. Hangs up

You wonder if these people ever do supply a bike as talking to other bikers in the past they've had similar experiences with some excuse to not provide.

Liam

Liam - it sounds like you spoke to my guy. No interest in injuries, etc. I had, just stated that if I lived anywhere near a train station or bus stop they wouldn't supply a bike. WTF? Who DOESN'T live somewhere near a train station or bus stop?? I'll bet there aren't many!

I think it's purely down to whether it looks like it's your fault right at the start (until I saw the witness statements it was my word against the car driver) and if they think they'll have any trouble getting their money back.

I think I'll go back to 3pft after this, at least it will be sorted easier (if there is a) next time, assuming it's not my fault... I'd say I was pretty safe and only took carefully considered risks on the bike, so I think it's more likely I'll have another non-fault claim in the future than need the benefits of comp insurance.

I guess it's really my own fault... I always assumed comp was just 3pft + you get money back even if you're at fault, when really it loses some of the things 3pft has in the process, like easily getting a hire bike and the legal (and other) people doing a lot of work for you to get your money back. With comp they know you'll get something back so they're not so bothered with you.

[timwilky]

Like I have already posted in this thread, I had my Bandit written off that was covered by an Equity Red Star (EQS) policy. I finally got a full settlement including lid, leathers, boots and gloves plus refund of X/S.

I then transferred the policy to the SV when I bought that 2 months after the smash. No mention that my policy was cancelled etc. Additionally at that point I had not settled my claim and had to pay £30 to upgrade the class of bike covered. When it came to renew, I got a reminder and there was no NCB applied, so got onto Bennets and the nice girl said she would check with the underwriters and come back to me.

Yeah like she really would!. Half an hour later she phones back. yes I am entitled to an NCB and new paperwork on its way. £200 cheaper than the letter they had earlier sent me. Although I only had one years NCB I guess they were also loading me due to a prior claim. When this was changed to a no fault that loading disappeared

EQS are a pain to deal with as the claim seems to go through an accident management company with EQS only being responsible for the settlement. In my case I did get a full settlement, but the negotiations were somewhat protracted at times.

Originally Posted by SVeeedy Gonzales

I think it's purely down to whether it looks like it's your fault right at the start (until I saw the witness statements it was my word against the car driver) and if they think they'll have any trouble getting their money back.

I don't even think it is about fault, they just don't want to pay anything under any circumstance. In my case Red Star had confirmed it wasn't my fault (I was stationary at school crossing when hit at 40 from behind, multiple witnesses including a copper, and the driver was charged). They're just

Liam

From talking to other people, a key point here seems to be the speed it's dealt with and the obtaining of a shiny hire bike. With the last accident when I had 3pft cover, they were only too happy to chase after the third party, give me a hire bike, etc. and knock the cr@p out of the third party insurance pub fund. With comp, your own insurer drags it's heels, fights for every penny, etc. because they don't want to cough up.

I'm not dreaming am I - Equity Red Star will be claiming back every penny they give me from the third party insurer, yes? The way they're acting, you'd think they couldn't claim it back...

They're asking for the original V5 (because the independant engineer is thick and probably couldn't identify the model properly ) and the purchase receipt (so they can offer £200-300 less than whatever is on the receipt, rather than the actual money needed to purchase a similar replacement bike)

On the plus side, my solicitor, carole nash and equity red star have all sworn oaths that I can cash the original cheque and they won't in any way treat that as my accepting any offer or giving up my ownership of the bike... so at least it's getting a bit closer.

Weird moment today was the solicitor calling to say the police report is back and there are two third parties (?) Am guessing she means the one who hit me and the one I subsequently got smashed into. "Can you remember which one was which?" - "Um, no, I was unconscious at the time... the one that hit me first was green...". Oh dear.