What to do???

[Roverlord off road spares]

Son Kris's car was sideswiped, he only has third party insurance to he has to recover the cost of repairs from the other party who is insured with AAMI.
I have wasted the whole afternoon trying to get some sense of what to do.
1999 plusar plus , we bought this for him last year from an old lady, serviced every 5000kms and low kms for age. It was immaculate undamaged.
I took it to a panel beater and after a 5sec look said it's going to cost more to repair than market value and it's a total loss.
Kris needs his car to do the daily 80km round trip to uni every day.
So we can't afford for his car to sit there waiting for the other party to come up with some money.
I paid for a Glasses guide valuation and it says $2800 below average up to $4400 for an above average.
On close inspection the damage appears to be only the front bumper, front guard, front door and rear passenger door, no chassis damage or pillar damage.
The wheel copped a bit so it needs realignment.
We really can't afford to wait for the other side to respond and their assessor to look at it.
I checked the local wrecker and thee is the same vehicle ,even the same colour, which I could get the 2 doors, front guard and bumper from.
This would get Kris mobile again within a week, ( it would matter about the paint dye lots at this time.)It would make it presentable and get him on the road.
But if I did this then there is no damaged vehicle for AAMI to assess for them selves, when the get around to it.
And if they agree its a total loss, would it go onto the VIV register.
The car is mechanically superb and we would never find another for the money we paid.

[THE BOOGER]

See what his 3rd party insurer say they may help but remember you have no contract with the other parties insurer you send him the bill he passes it on to them, you do not have to agree to what they say. I have in the past sent letters of demand direct to the person at fault even if they are insured. In another life I was a licensed commercial agent (debt collector) did this sort of thing for a while, never trust the other guys insurance to do the right thing by your or your son:(

[AndyG]

I would write toAAMI & give them 48 hours to inspect, maybe from your local lawyer. Take plenty of photos and buy the wreck.

And keep the removed components.

I don't think you have any obligation to do its AAMI way.

[Outback 1]

i'd contact their insurer Mario and explain the situation and see if they can help you out

[V8Ian]

A third party's insurer has no right to write the vehicle off, despite their bluff and lies. You can give them the hurry up by telling them Chris will be using a cab to go to uni and back, you are legally entitled to claim expenses incurred by their clients' negligence.

[discovery39]

Hi Mario,
If time is of the Essence, then I am more than willing to help you get the parts you need, and help you reassemble, if that's the path you take. Have Van, will carry!:D

I have all the time in the world at the moment, so just PM me and let me know.

P.S. Don't forget Pick a Part, and Jollies in Ringwood or Dandenong.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Hi Mario,
If time is of the Essence, then I am more than willing to help you get the parts you need, and help you reassemble, if that's the path you take. Have Van, will carry!:D

I have all the time in the world at the moment, so just PM me and let me know.

P.S. Don't forget Pick a Part, and Jollies in Ringwood or Dandenong.
Thanks for your kind offer, yes looked at jolleys in ringwood, have the same coloured panels there

[Pickles2]

What about the arsehole that hit him...you have his reg no?
Pickles.

[AnD3rew]

There is a particular insurer which may nor may not be the one you mentioned:) that have a reputation as hard arse difficult to deal with, other insurers hate dealing with them as they always contest everything. it is a deliberate tactic.

I had an experience with this unnamed insurer on the other side once and despite the fact that I was insured they insisted on repeatedly calling my wife directly and harassing her and trying to get her to admit to things which were not the case. My insurer told me this was standard practice for this other insurer.

[Keithy P38]

If you plan to go down the insurance path, don't touch your son's car. Leave it exactly as it is. You'll only make it harder and more expensive on yourself.

Plenty of phone calls will speed the process up - tell them the urgency of your situation and that you will be using a hire car or taxi at their expense until the repairs are complete.

[LandyAndy]

Is there anybody who can lend you a vehicle until the paperwork is sorted???
Andrew

[Roverlord off road spares]

What about the arsehole that hit him...you have his reg no?
Pickles.
Yep have his rego.I rang his insurance and they said I must forward the claim to him 1st for him to resend to insurrance.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Is there anybody who can lend you a vehicle until the paperwork is sorted???
Andrew
He's going to have to drive the "Company Car" :eek: AKA 3 door ford festiva trios till we can get this sorted out.:(

[George130]

Send letter of demand at going rate for full repair by workshop. Do not accept the it's a total loss response.
Also send demand for cost of transport for your son.
If no response after 1 week send an invoice for time, legal fess, office fees etc on top of previous cost. Also supply an application for an account with you plus charges. no account then invoices payable immediately (taxi will collect payment direct from them at their expense).

Go hard as they will be worse to you.

Insurance companies always play these things out so you give up.

[DoubleChevron]

I can't see any fast turn-around myself. The only accident I was involved in many years ago ... someone ran up the back of my car... they were fully insured, I had 3rd party. It still took a big length of time to get a payment. First they send cheques for a fraction of what my car was worth (if you cash them, it's a settled deal). which I sent back. The reason I ended up with what I wanted??

I headed up to Vicroads in Ballarat to hand in the plates and claim the rego back.... And they told me the car was unregisterd and the plates already handed in down at the Sunshine office .... So I put the plates on the counter and said "You sure about that". The other person insurance company had somehow cancled the rego on my car (that I'd be driving to panel beaters etc... UNREGISTERED to get quotes).

I sure went to town on the @ssholes.... Suddenly a cheque for the amount I watned and a cheque for the registration arrived from the insurance company. All I had to do was walk into the local police station with my plates and ask "HOW??" and they were in all sorts of *****.

Trust me, they WILL fight you to the bitter end ... waiting for you to give up in frustration. I remember being told in the past, whatever you do don't ever get crashed into someone that's insured by AAMI .... dunno if it's any different these days.

seeya,
Shane L.

[Roverlord off road spares]

I can't see any fast turn-around myself. The only accident I was involved in many years ago ... someone ran up the back of my car... they were fully insured, I had 3rd party. It still took a big length of time to get a payment. First they send cheques for a fraction of what my car was worth (if you cash them, it's a settled deal). which I sent back. The reason I ended up with what I wanted??

I headed up to Vicroads in Ballarat to hand in the plates and claim the rego back.... And they told me the car was unregisterd and the plates already handed in down at the Sunshine office .... So I put the plates on the counter and said "You sure about that". The other person insurance company had somehow cancled the rego on my car (that I'd be driving to panel beaters etc... UNREGISTERED to get quotes).

I sure went to town on the @ssholes.... Suddenly a cheque for the amount I watned and a cheque for the registration arrived from the insurance company. All I had to do was walk into the local police station with my plates and ask "HOW??" and they were in all sorts of *****.

Trust me, they WILL fight you to the bitter end ... waiting for you to give up in frustration. I remember being told in the past, whatever you do don't ever get crashed into someone that's insured by AAMI .... dunno if it's any different these days.

seeya,
Shane L.
I've had 2 no fault claims against AAMI, but I was fully insured by shannons, both times AAMI paid up quickly, maybe the poor third party only insured get shafted.