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So on Saturday my daughter achieved a little personal dream of owing a (2017] Abarth 500… we found a good one in the colour she wanted 20,000 miles, full Abarth dealer history.

Yesterday after owing it for 2 days she was waiting to turn into our home turning (stationary) some d*ckhead smashed straight into the back of her, she was fine, but devastated as you can imagine, 2 days FFS!!!

We did the usual exchange if details stuff etc, then called her insurer, Churchill.Have to say the chap we spoke to was good and very helpful. They are sorting out a hire car and arranging for it to be picked up for repair.

Here is my question, the body shop they want to use has pretty poor reviews, so are we obliged to use their recommended shop or can we object somehow and get it done somewhere else with a better reputation.. or even by a Abarth themselves?

Any advice welcome.

Sorry that's happened to your daughter so annoying. So long she is ok and unhurt.

Some advice here on the pros and cons on insisting on your own repairer,

https://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance ... repairers/

Basically you don't have to accept the insurers approved repairer, the only thing it might do is make the whole process less smooth and make take longer to resolve.

I guess it's weighing up the pros and cons.

Tim.

You lose your hire car for starters if you don't use their approved repairers.

However, as the victim, you have all rights to chose who to use for repairs.

I believe as this is a “no fault claim” we can argue the bit around losing the courtesy car. Also I have a local contact in the body shop / insurance claim world… he says of the proposed insurance company repairer…” wouldn’t touch them”… so it seems any extra hassle is worthwhile.

Absolutely, the pain of a bad repair (especially with that structural boot damage) is not worth the quick and easy approach.

The only time I had to put the car in for a repair I just put it straight in at the BMW dealer and let the insurance company deal with them, didn't even consider a back street insurance garage that uses second had parts etc.

Damn ! what a bummer. Especially after just 2 days

When my old M135i was damaged by a hit and run it was alot more convenient being with BMW insurance at the time so it was all handled smoothly and car went into a BMW bodyshop.

Only downside come renewal time the policy premium doubled

You always end up worse off even if its not your fault with any claim being recorded on your insurance history for the next 5 years which is a great excuse to up your premiums.

Tim.

Welcome to the UK, the only country in the world (that I know of) where they hike your premium due to a non fault claim.

pvr wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 12:06 pm Welcome to the UK, the only country in the world (that I know of) where they hike your premium due to a non fault claim.

A few years back, I drove my wifes car as a named driver, parked it up on the street, three days later a skip lorry drove into it whilst reversing down a straight road and drove off. Caught it on cctv, had to go through the legal route as they denied everything until the final day before court and they crumbled and admitted it.

I then got a non fault claim put against my name because I parked it. So I wasn't in the car, it was there for three days, then gets hit by a numpty that cannot drive in a straight line. And up goes my insurance...

Quick update, we insisted on using the repairer recommended by the main dealer (they don’t do crash repairs themselves) but we were still given a courtesy car the same day, an Audi A3.

The car was picked up by the repairer, again same day, the estimate has been done and we are waiting for the 3rd parties insurer to give the go ahead…..hopefully.

Interestingly I have just switched to Churchill and one of their conditions is, if you use a repair garage not on their pre approved list, there's an extra £250 to pay on top of your excess. It would be interesting to see how this works in practice, hopefully not something I will need to find out

Vonlipvig wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:33 am Interestingly I have just switched to Churchill and one of their conditions is, if you use a repair garage not on their pre approved list, there's an extra £250 to pay on top of your excess. It would be interesting to see how this works in practice, hopefully not something I will need to find out

Excesses only usually apply when you make a fault claim.

mmm-five wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:37 am

Vonlipvig wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:33 am Interestingly I have just switched to Churchill and one of their conditions is, if you use a repair garage not on their pre approved list, there's an extra £250 to pay on top of your excess. It would be interesting to see how this works in practice, hopefully not something I will need to find out

Excesses only usually apply when you make a fault claim.

Yep - never applies in situations like the OP

pvr wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:57 am

mmm-five wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 8:37 am

Vonlipvig wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 7:33 am Interestingly I have just switched to Churchill and one of their conditions is, if you use a repair garage not on their pre approved list, there's an extra £250 to pay on top of your excess. It would be interesting to see how this works in practice, hopefully not something I will need to find out

Excesses only usually apply when you make a fault claim.

Yep - never applies in situations like the OP

Oh I do know that. Only thoughts slightly relevant with the directing you own garage part which is your right to do it making a claim. With Churchill is the only time I've seen that stipulation of an additional excess. I wasn't implying that we would see how it works with the op, more my own musings.

I'll go sit myself back in the corner and put my gag back in

Vonlipvig wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 10:02 am I'll go sit myself back in the corner and put my gag back in

Kinky