Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Minor Accident: Advice please!

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Of course, no claims discount is just a discount. It doesn't stop the cost before the discount going up, offsetting any discount.

Thereby, no claims protection never meant the cost of insurance can't go up after any claim, unfortunately. And yep, the cost is based upon risk and statistically any claim increases the chance of another.

The insurance companies don't ever want to loose.
 
I'm going to have a chat with a few claims management companies; this does seem to be a preferential way to proceed rather than via my own insurer, Churchill.

The first - Crystal Claims Management (www.crystalcm.co.uk) [good online reviews]

The next - Road to Recovery (https://accidentmanagementcompany.com/) [better website lol].
We didn't try a claims management company that you select, I would be interested to see how you get on. I've heard good things about Novo managing claims.

The claims management company (Incident Management Solutions) through my wife's insurance (Halifax) when she was written off by another driver was a nightmare, they clearly had no interest other than creating the largest possible cost for the other insurance. Very slow to do anything, largely unhelpful to us. They tried to screw us by replacing the other parties scrap price with their own much lower figure until we told them to do one, also had some kind of 'special' deal with Enterprise to pay a far higher daily price on a rental than is remotely reasonable. The other insurer disputed the claim, lawyers were then involved and we were told we 'may' have to go to court to prove we had a financial need for the dodgy financing arrangement around the loaner, we answered clearly that we didn't and never stated that we did. Never again for Halifax or IMS.

The claims management firm appointed by the other driver that rear-ended me were better (this was before Tesla), it was slow but I was in a reasonable replacement (also through Enterprise) and the repair was satisfactory. No hassle as it was all them paying, I just left the rental at the place where my car was repaired and job done. I spoke to my insurer about this first, they advised me it was generally the best thing to do.

I do think you can claim through your own insurance, but they really try hard to push your elsewhere to avoid excess and no-claims impact.
 
Of course, no claims discount is just a discount. It doesn't stop the cost before the discount going up, offsetting any discount.

Thereby, no claims protection never meant the cost of insurance can't go up after any claim, unfortunately. And yep, the cost is based upon risk and statistically any claim increases the chance of another.

The insurance companies don't ever want to loose.
The injustice I found was that my insurer increased my cost despite my 'no fault claim' not being made against them. I claimed against and was settled by the insurer of the car that hit mine. I wasn't in the car when it was hit, my insurer didn't have any cost, yet they still increased my subsequent premium.

Your last line almost covers it - The insurance companies don't ever want to loose a chance to profit.
 
The injustice I found was that my insurer increased my cost despite my 'no fault claim' not being made against them. I claimed against and was settled by the insurer of the car that hit mine. I wasn't in the car when it was hit, my insurer didn't have any cost, yet they still increased my subsequent premium.

Your last line almost covers it - The insurance companies don't ever want to loose a chance to profit.
Memories of the classic entry on a claim form by a lady who hit a parked car. Where it asked 'what could the other driver have done to prevent the accident' She wrote: 'Parked somewhere else.'
 
  • Funny
Reactions: OneTinyFish
I've contacted a few CMC's to see what their process and t&cs are. Worst case scenario is I'll represent myself against the other party's insurers.

In case anyone else is searching for this topic in the future, I'm asking each CMC the following questions;

---

Can I ask the following questions;
  1. Do you have experience handling claims that involve a Tesla?
    1. (This is because Teslas can only maintain their warranty if repaired using the Dartford Tesla Bodyshop or Tesla authorised body-shops across the UK)
    2. Replacement Tesla parts can take up to two months from order to receipt at the bodyshop(s).
  2. My car is in the Isle of Man.
    1. (This is important because the Tesla Service Centres and Bodyshops are in England and ferries/accommodation/etc will need to be arranged)
  3. What is your deductible on cash settlements?
    1. I might arrange repairs myself; however, any cash settlement will need to cover transport costs and have sufficient overhead for unexpected fees or findings from Tesla, loss of earnings, and so on.
 
I've contacted a few CMC's to see what their process and t&cs are. Worst case scenario is I'll represent myself against the other party's insurers.

In case anyone else is searching for this topic in the future, I'm asking each CMC the following questions;

---

Can I ask the following questions;
  1. Do you have experience handling claims that involve a Tesla?
    1. (This is because Teslas can only maintain their warranty if repaired using the Dartford Tesla Bodyshop or Tesla authorised body-shops across the UK)
    2. Replacement Tesla parts can take up to two months from order to receipt at the bodyshop(s).
  2. My car is in the Isle of Man.
    1. (This is important because the Tesla Service Centres and Bodyshops are in England and ferries/accommodation/etc will need to be arranged)
  3. What is your deductible on cash settlements?
    1. I might arrange repairs myself; however, any cash settlement will need to cover transport costs and have sufficient overhead for unexpected fees or findings from Tesla, loss of earnings, and so on.
Someone should just come and take your car away leaving you a rental until it's returned, so you have no personal loss. I would expect trying to prove a value of loss of earnings to be a massive headache.

There is a point that the claim has to be fair, and you are responsible for keeping costs as low as possible while not creating financial or other hardship to yourself. You will not profit at all from this hassle, focus on minimizing the hassle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OneTinyFish
Update

Thank you everyone for your assistance and advice.

It's been a very busy week! But the upshot is my car is currently in a Tesla approved body shop in Blackpool
and I have a new model 3 on my driveway as a loan vehicle.

1632860078348.png


My car is currently indoors in the garages' workshop because unfortunately, the damage to the rear boot lid caused it to be no longer water-resistant. The 'under' boot section was flooded with water from the rain yesterday so even though I left a dehumidifier in it overnight it's gotten soaked again today on the trip down the M55.

Estimation of damage taking place tomorrow.

I've kept a diary/journal of events and will turn it into a YouTube video for future accidentees.

Best,

Mike