[Dan-]

Hi guys after abit of advice I was hit by a foreign lorry on the M1 last wednesday on the way to my music festival, spoke to admiral and there telling me to use a coach work garage to have the car repaired? thats the authorised garage for admiral but i dont want that i want a factory mint job as the car was before hand garage/main dealer i know and trust do the work for me, anybody had any luck with using your own garage?

[335d Rocco]

I don't think you have to use the body shop your insurance wants you to use, I'm sure you can use a body shop of your choice, but it may increase the excess you'll have to pay.

[Rudz]

If it is a non fault claim please go through the other drivers insurance company and insist the work be done at a BMW Dealership

[Dan-]

I'm really struggling to get any info from the Romanian drivers company regarding the accident it's leaving me little choice but to lose my 5 years ncd

[Dan-]

Originally Posted by Uk 330d

I don't think you have to use the body shop your insurance wants you to use, I'm sure you can use a body shop of your choice, but it may increase the excess you'll have to pay.

I haven't got an issue with paying more, if I have it done by a garage I don't know/trust it will going back to have the job redone as the paint quality won't be to my extremely high standards

[Dan-]

I got photographs of all his paperwork including, company name, international insurance based down the road from me so might take a trip

Log book, passport, driving licence so if admiral don't want to put the leg work in and help me fight this case to save my no claims, I'll do the hard work myself!

[jammy78]

I've had a non fault claim through admiral (not with a foreign driver tho)

They will give you 2 choices -
1. go through them (you lose ncd & pay excess) or
2. you go through a claims company (forgotten their name) & they will try to recover all the costs.

Be warned, if you go option 2 & get your car repaired.... if they can't recover the costs - you are liable!

With regards where to get it repaired - it's up to you! If you take it to an approved repairer, it means you don't need to get quotes etc....

[Dan-]

Just can't win, what's the point in protected ncd when comes the time you need it for something that wasn't even your fault you end up losing out!

[Jat]

Is the other guy insured? If so, and if he accepted liability, you could go via Accident Exchange. They handle the claim procedure, and you can normally pick any garage. I did this and opted for BMW main dealer in the past. I was with admiral, and I think I would have still have been able to pick them, but Accident Exchange managed the whole thing for me. I never normally advocate these third party firms, but I have to say, it was effortless.

[jammy78]

Albany is the company Admiral use - google them, they have a bad rep! I only went down that route as the other guy admitted liability!

[jammy78]

Also read this..... the MIB will help if you get no joy:

http://www.mib.org.uk/Customer+Servi...im/default.htm

[old grey steve]

Crap Dan they want you to use one if their authorised body shops mainly down tot the fact they they have an interest/own the body shop(s)on their list. As the others have kind of said

As your in Biggleswade give my good friend Chris a call on 01462 677112 tell him Steve from A1 recommended you he'll look after you 100% and he'll sort the insurance company out for you too, he's in Graveley about 20 mins drive south down the A1 just north of Stevenage where I'm based. And he's used to insurance company's wanting their own way too.

www.finishlineukltd.co.uk/

[Dan-]

Cheers for the help guys, I've spoke to bmw approved bodyshop in hitchin there willing to sort the insurance side out if I choose to go with them? Any good reviews?

I'll give you friend a call though my mates brother owns finishline bray?

[crypticc]

You comprehensive with legal cover?

If so, Albany will prob ask...
A) any injuries = £ kick backs
B) any desire to use the official body shop = £ kick backs
C) any desire to have car rental at £400 to £500 per day billed to the other guy (but upping your total claim which WILL impact your premium) and guess what = more kick backs.
That form will also offer you insurance that will payout if the claim fails to cover the rental meaning you only pay that premium. If the claim succeeds the other guys insurance pays that premium.
Guess what. More kick backs.

Then, if you decline that will try to coach you that they cannot help you with your claim to recover NCd, premium increases, and even the claim with your own BMW dealer.

You can then calmly call admiral, let them know as this is a no fault you are expecting representation regardless of the perks you are declining. That's when you find there more willing to help with the basics after all.

Alternatively go to the BMW dealer accident management service who will do all the above for you instead of Albany.

Either way, the other guys insurance will want to expedite the process as soon as they think one or the other are involved and will then try to offer you all the above again so they keep the kick backs in house.

Alternatively pick who you want and they're normally happy to deal directly with the insurers of they have their own claims-guy bit cutting out the lawyers means you will lose your excess and if not protected won't get NCS and premium also compensated.

This is all conjecture because apparently all our premiums reduced this year because the merry go round was stopped.

Chris

[stringy93]

Originally Posted by jammy78

Albany is the company Admiral use - google them, they have a bad rep! I only went down that route as the other guy admitted liability!

Yep I can second the bad rep! I left admiral because of these jokers, the hire car the gave me for my none fault claim had more damage on it than the car I sent in for repair, no end of bother with them

[Havana]

I'd go with BMW, and use their accident management if it was my choice. You can specify any car as your loaner (not sure if you would get some of the higher end M cars) and as said previously they handle it all for you. I left Admiral after having a similar experience with Albany. As soon as you mention your own repairer they get annoyed and stop being helpful.

[gangzoom]

I was with Admiral for years but glad I left them.

Just before I was due to change policy I had a non-fault claim where the third party accepted full liability and proceeded to sort out everything with no fuss with-in 1 hour of the incident. I was told I had to inform Admiral, which I did, thinking it would take 5 minutes, instead it turned into a 45 minute interview/ordeal which ended up them running a record check on my licence!!

2 days later (1 day before my policy was due to expire) I get an email from Admiral saying ALL my NCB was void, herefore I had no NCB proof to send onto the new insures, and gave me a new renewal price was x2 higher than before. Ended up spending another 45 minutes on the phone to sort out the matter.....than Albany started phoning up trying to chase up buissness....

All this was for a Non-fault claim where the third party had picked up the bills and sorted everything out(hired car etc)!! God knows that they are like these days if you actually make a fault claim

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Dan-

Cheers for the help guys, I've spoke to bmw approved bodyshop in hitchin there willing to sort the insurance side out if I choose to go with them? Any good reviews?

I'll give you friend a call though my mates brother owns finishline bray?

That's him Chris Bray, you'll get 2 ex BMW painters who used to work at Specialist Cars plus it'll be for insurance purposes I guess less of a financial kick in the nuts

[Dan-]

Originally Posted by PhasedNeutron

I'd go with BMW, and use their accident management if it was my choice. You can specify any car as your loaner (not sure if you would get some of the higher end M cars) and as said previously they handle it all for you. I left Admiral after having a similar experience with Albany. As soon as you mention your own repairer they get annoyed and stop being helpful.

What's the difference between BMW accident management and bmw body shop sorting out all the insurance gubbings?

[Ajerthan]

Originally Posted by Dan-

What's the difference between BMW accident management and bmw body shop sorting out all the insurance gubbings?

I believe it's all the same thing. There's usually one person in BMW body shop who deals with accident management side. They are quite helpful, they offered me free alloy refurb a year back to win my business.

[Dan-]

I could do with that to be honest 😂 my wheels a little shot after being hit with his wheel nuts.


I wonder if I could request a curtesy car

[Dan-]

update on this, ive left the car with BMW body shop and they are dealing with the insurance, ive had confirmation from the insurer they have managed to contact the other party just waiting for them to accept liabiltiy