Help needed

A question about : Help needed

Hi there guys!

I will need your help and advice regarding recovering my Ј400 excess.
I posted around a month ago, asking is it was normal for and insurance to ask to pay the excess first and have it recovered later. Some of you said it was ok. However, I have realised today that Lloyds and Covea insurance lied regarding this. After insuring me that they would recover the excess a month ago, I did call today for a catch up, and they told me that my policy does not include legal cover, which means they can do nothing for me.
Covea told me that I could go to the third party's insurance directly to recover it myself. Lloyds told me there is nothing I can do! (Lies!).

Is it correct that I contact the third party insurance and claim it from them? Or should I go to the small claim court? In case of Small Claim Court, do I need to make it against the third party insurance or Lloyds?

How can I also get back my no claim to 6 years (I had to renew my insurance and Lloyds have decreased it to 3 years now and have increased my premium). They told me that I have to accept to close the claim in order for them to consider increasing my no claims back, but again, they're not sure it is possible.

ANY kind of help will be greatly appreciated, as this whole story has left me really shaken. It was my first accident and I feel really lost.

Thanks.

Best answers:

• You simply write a letter to the third parties Insurer containing the relevant information to allow them to link it to their client eg include the accident date, registration number and third parties name (If known include their claims number and / or policy number).
  The letter should enclose a photocopy of the receipt from when you paid your excess.
  You start the letter along the lines of...
  "I enclose a copy of my receipt for payment of my Ј400 excess and would ask that you arrange immediate repayment of this to me as your client was liable for the accident due to xxxx"
  Where XXXX is you insert the reason their client is at fault eg they ran into the back of your car etc.
  Allow 2 or 3 weeks and then chase it up if you have not received it.
  What I would do though first is politely ring the other parties Insurers and explain to the person you speak to you want to recover the excess and how is the quickest way to arrange payment. They may suggest emailing or faxing it through for their attention.
• IME, you should never have allowed your insurer to persue the claim with the 3rd party.
  This is a classic example of how the claims management firms can actually help the motorist.
  You are also in for a big shock with regards to the NCB.
  Whilst all sorts of terms and conditions, coupled to payments made for extra insewerance, might make you feel that your NCB is protected . . . none of it will protect your actual premium !
  You will only fully understand this when you think it's all sorted and it comes time to renew your premium.
  Good luck.
• Many thanks for your help guys. I will contact the 3rd party insurance tomorrow by phone. I do hope it will not be too much hassle to get my excess back, as Covea was a complete nightmare.
• I've just paid my excess for a non-fault repair and find it very odd that the insurance company seem happy to make sure they get their costs back, but won't also pursue your excess unless you have paid extra for their legal service. It seems to be done mostly by their in-house teams anyway.
  The previous time this happened to me, the insurance company took 6 months to reclaim and pay me the excess.
  I've often thought twice about whether to pay for the legal cover - seems like a lesson learned that it is a must have!
• Just a quick follow-up (this might help other people). I spoke to the 3rd party claim claim department, I already had a Claim Reference number, as they sent me a letter a few days after the accident.
  I explained that one of their customers bumped the back of my car and gave all his details, date etc... The lady said that it was our insurance that needed to contact them, but when I explained that I already paid the excess and had the invoice and receipt, she said to send a scan of them to their email address.
  She explained that this will be reviewed and I should receive a cheque after that. When I asked her how long it might take, she said it will depend on how long the review will be.
  But I should expect something in the post in 2 or 3 weeks.
  Not sure what she meant by review, but this is where it stands now... I'll send them a scan of the receipt tomorrow.
• For my no-fault accident, my insurers paid me out less the excess. I phoned the third party's company (Aviva) and sent them a copy of the payout letter and they paid my excess shortly after. They seemed to think it was usual for my insurer not to claim the full amount from them and pay me in full. However, it wasn't a lot of bother.
• As Dacouch suggested, I have phoned them exactly a week after sending the email.
  After being transferred from department to department, someone spoke to the team dealing with my claim. He then told me that a cheque will be written, but he could not give me any timescale. He advised to contact my insurance if I did not receive the cheque in the next week or so.
  However, I am not sure my insurance is going to help me with that, as they advised me to talk to the third party directly.
• Update: I received a call today from the third party's insurance, who informed me that they have raised the cheque. Will be sent for approval tomorrow and should be with me by the end of the week or beginning of next week.
  Thanks to everyone for their help!
• Great news, it's nice when a poster updates their thread as it's helpful for anyone else in a similar situation who arrives here via google
  When you receive the cheque, take a photocopy of the cheque and the accompanying letter. Then contact your Insurers and explain you've recovered your excess so want them to change the your file to show it as a non fault claim (Most Insurers will do this if you recover your excess).
  Ask them who you send the copy of letter / cheque to and how you get the claim marked as non fault and also receive a refund of any extra premium paid due to the claim*. They should also reinstate your no claims bonus to what it would have been if the claim had never happened.
  As before be polite with the person you speak to, it may be the customer services that can deal with this although some companies will want to get the claim closed off by their claims department and then the customer services dept will arrange the refunds.
  *Note a lot of Insurers will still apply a load for a non fault claim although this tends to be less than the loading for a fault claim.