A while ago my impreza was broken into and stripped (some of you may remember the warning I posted about the Evesham area)

Well Admiral have decided that it's a total loss, but there's a couple of problems.

1) They removed the car (without telling me) to storage with my SS pipes on. Now the car is in Cambridge (I'm in Derbyshire) and I want the exhaust back.

Does anyone know any clued up garages in Cambridge that would be prepared to quote to take the exhaust of at Admirals expense? They have at least agreed to this, but have supposedly been advised that it is a major task!?!

2) Admiral are now on their second offer for the car which is still poor. I have sent loads of service history,photos, advertisements and other evidence to get a revision in the price.

Any Tactics/Ideas anyone?

Thanks for any help
Did

I had a similar problem with a nicked bike. I was just stubborn hassled them a lot etc. and in they end they gave in. I also threatened to write letters to magazines etc. about how I'd been treated which actually seemed to worry them.

I think there's an ombudsman type scheme if you think you're harshly treated.

BTW, Admiral will almost certainly gain possession of the car and sell it on to some fly by night who'll sort it on the cheap, and lo and behold, your write off is reborn. If you fancy it, you should be able to demand that they sell it to you so you can sort it. You might get better value that way if you can source the bits. I'm in a bit of a rush to watch the footie highlights so haven't got time to dig out your post and see if that's feasible.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Simon

Fight it all the way. I wrote off my 205 1.9 GTi 7 years ago and was offered by the NFU £2,200 for it. After repeated stroppy letters they eventually gave me the proper book value £4750. AND they took 12 months to pay out......

The car was in a hell of a state, bent like a banana but low and behold 4 months later some guy calls me up who had bought the car "rebuilt" from a garage and asked me for the car's history. He was not pleased when I told him the car had been in a high speed accident into a stone wall!!!

Keep on at Admiral and it should pay off. Insurance companies always try this on, they offer bottom book trade money for cars and less if they believe they can get away with it. Send 'em copies of pics if you have them along with regular faxes/e-amils about how are they progressing the claim and dissapointed you are that they are treating you in this way and you will be looking to insure your car elseware. Persistence will get results, they would like you to roll over, take the money and go - don't, stick at it and good luck.

Paul

[This message has been edited by Paul Habgood (edited 22-06-2000).]

Thanks Lads,
Anyone got any ideas about someone in the Wisbech Cambs area to remove the exhaust?

Cheers
Did

I wrote off an impreza in march 99 and was insure with Admiral at the time, first offer was crap, second not so bad but they said that was their final offer and if I was still disatisfied to take the matter to insurance ombudsman.
A rebbeca xureb was the claims coordinator at the time, stroppy cow.
I got a local dealer to provide a quote for same car service history mileage etc. which I sent to admiral, I told them that the dealer could source the car in twenty four hours and would they contact him to arrange payment for the replacement vehicle or find me another of the same spec as I was unable to do so with the money they were offering, I sent copies to the insurance ombudsman along with copy of my cert of insurance and admirals previous correspondence.
They were on the phone like a shot and increased their offer by £1500.
I was allowed access to the car to remove personnal items so I took the tool kit, radio car mats, spacesaver and one or two other bits like xenon bulbs.
I enquired of admiral to buy back the wreck (as I seemed to have most of it anyway)and they told me that this was not their practice and that the car was to be crushed, out of interest a few months ago a mate of mine did a check on the car and it is scrapped.

Of course I have never done this, BUT.

If you are friendly with a dealer, get them to back date a written offer to buy the car at just above the price you consider fair.

Just may help.

When I had my Integrale nicked, I had the same problem, the insurance company offered the trade value, which I thought was insulting and told them so! they then told me if I had any evidence that it was worth more I should pass it on. I got the garage who serviced it a few months earlier to write a letter stating it's condition and estimated value and also cut out ad's from traders in top marques who were advertising similar age and mileage cars (the most expensive ones of course!) and lo and behold my offer was increased! be patient and perservere and they will pay out!

DazW.