My dad's funeral today and the day got off to a great start with my partner crunching my dad's car into a hotel car park pillar.
Car cost £7000 in Feb, was valued at about £6100 by a mechanic and one or two other sources.
Damage is to a rear bumper, rear passenger door and wheel arch. Have taken it to one repair shop and he thinks it will need a new door+bumper plus restoration of the arch. Full estimate inbound Monday but a finger in the air guess of £3500-4000 (It's a Lexus).
Car insurance company wanted to call it a total loss and salvage it, I've politely declined.
I will get another quote or two but assuming the above estimate is accurate am wondering how to deal with the insurer.
The repair costs less than the market value so calling it a total loss is a bit of a piss take, although they made this decision over the phone without actually looking at the damage.
I don't care about NCD next year as I don't want to be a car owner in the long term - I will manage with car rentals and public transport normally.
There's an excess of £750 plus £250 if I don't use their repair network. I'm looking to sell it in the next year for as much as I can get for my mother, so would like to avoid it being given insurance categories that make that harder.
It was otherwise in excellent condition with service history etc.
As I don't crash cars that often I'm not very familiar with the MO of insurers and how they try to rip you off, so any advice on the most cost effective way to proceed and how to deal with the insurer that's so far told me the vehicle is a total loss would be appreciated.
I would personally like to get it repaired professionally and promptly and feel that this can be done for less than the cars market value.
Car cost £7000 in Feb, was valued at about £6100 by a mechanic and one or two other sources.
Damage is to a rear bumper, rear passenger door and wheel arch. Have taken it to one repair shop and he thinks it will need a new door+bumper plus restoration of the arch. Full estimate inbound Monday but a finger in the air guess of £3500-4000 (It's a Lexus).
Car insurance company wanted to call it a total loss and salvage it, I've politely declined.
I will get another quote or two but assuming the above estimate is accurate am wondering how to deal with the insurer.
The repair costs less than the market value so calling it a total loss is a bit of a piss take, although they made this decision over the phone without actually looking at the damage.
I don't care about NCD next year as I don't want to be a car owner in the long term - I will manage with car rentals and public transport normally.
There's an excess of £750 plus £250 if I don't use their repair network. I'm looking to sell it in the next year for as much as I can get for my mother, so would like to avoid it being given insurance categories that make that harder.
It was otherwise in excellent condition with service history etc.
As I don't crash cars that often I'm not very familiar with the MO of insurers and how they try to rip you off, so any advice on the most cost effective way to proceed and how to deal with the insurer that's so far told me the vehicle is a total loss would be appreciated.
I would personally like to get it repaired professionally and promptly and feel that this can be done for less than the cars market value.
