Got my dream 2016 Diavel a few weeks ago but an idiot motorhome driver decided to do a U-turn in front of me last Saturday and, although I was stationary, waiting for him to do his manoeuvre, he clipped me as he pulled away behind me and pushed me and the Diavel over. He admitted full liability but the bike needs some work and my left leg is very sore, where it took the weight of the bike and 'push'. My insurance company said I can claim on my own policy and get the bike repaired. They will then claim off the driver's insurance company. Or, they can put me in contact with 4th Dimension, which is an Accident Management company, to manage the whole thing, claiming everything off the the driver's insurance, plus helmet, plus leathers, etc, etc. Does anyone have any advice or experience? Which route should I go? Thanks in advance.
The mention of accident management company makes my skin crawl. All they want is to increase costs which they will take all or a large proportion of. Just have a look at the legal guy’s articles in Ride Magazine, his opinion on AMC’s is less than favourable.
Whilst I don't have any specific knowledge of AMC's with cars, I know that many many people have been stung when signing up to them for car claims, they basically sign you up to a credit agreement to claim for a replacement vehicle at an excessive hire rate and when the other insurance company refuses to cover the costs the AMC claims on your behalf, buried in the agreement is small print that you are personally liable for the bill for the excess. Tread EXTREMELY carefully before you sign up to them! Google AMC problems in the UK for a taste.
This is very similar to my off on my 1198. I was quite literally pulling to a stop at 1mph at the lights when the guy next to me decided to uturn. He saw me just in time and stopped but not before he'd nudged me off balance and the bike went over. He admitted full liability. I used my own insurance company and an assessor looked at the damage and ticked ok. I needed new front fairing, both sides and a tail piece. New Arai RX7 and new boots (Daytona Evo Sport had toe slider fixings ripped out). Cost him £4k ish. I had a sore toe which i ignored as ive smashed most of them up before.
After my experience, I cannot recommend you use an accident management company, under any circumstances. Let your insurer handle the repairs and reclaim. Andy
I HIGHLY recommend you stay away from accident management companies... I had a collison in my Beemer... The repair should have been no more £2.5k as it was a slow speed, where someone backed into me at the petrol forecourt. The agency managed to find the MOST expensive repair outfit ever. Charged £500+ per day for the hirecar they arranged for me and then proceeded to try and get me to pay for it all when the 3rd party told them to F-OFF. I think I was very lucky as the paperwork they get you to sign effectively makes YOU responsible for costs if they cannot reclaim from the third party. This is an absolute con. A ringer and I'm amazed it hasn't been spotted for the fraud it is.
Not that it’s relevant to your situation but I’ve actually bought a few bikes from 4th Dimension and they where always great to deal with but I have no knowledge of what they are like on the claims handling side of things.
Yes, even when you pay to protect your no claims bonus No idea how much mine is going to go up after writing off my Leon estate Andy
Not that I noticed because it stayed the same as the year before because Im a lazy arse and didnt call em before renewal etc.
I understand the justification of increasing the premium if its the policy holders fault, but insurers increase the policy if you are in an accident as essentially a blameless victim.
Insurance companies are a law to themselves. My premium is higher than Jo Bloggs with identical credentials as me but who lives in a different post code because insurance companies use post codes to rip people off . Certain jobs are loaded because they are deemed high risk so insurance companies use this to rip people off. In fact insurance companies just rip people off, Insurance is mandatory so they can do what they like.
I questioned my insurer after I was hit from behind whilst stationary, They said my premium will increase because if you have been involved in an accident weather fault or non fault you are statistically more likely to be involved in further accidents. Insurance speak for we are upping the premium because we can.
Legalised theft is what I call that. It is only some companies that do this and it really shouldn't be allowed imo.
If the acc man service is feee, use them imho. They no. That’s utility companies and finance houses and stockbrokers
I was offered this proposition with 4th Dimension when someone pulled out of a side road in front of me and wrote off my Multistrada. Although they worded it slightly differently and didn’t ask me out right, just said “were you at blame for the accident” when I said no, they nudged me towards 4th Dimension. When I realised who and what they were I told my insurance company to jog on and instructed them I’d be claiming off my own policy. They still proceeded to get 4th Dimension to collect and quote the repair, which they wrote off. My insurance company then collected the bike from 4th Dimension to then asses the vehicle again themselves to come to the same conclusion? Waste of time! I’ve never protected my NCB as they will increase your premium anyway because you’ve been in a collision, doesn’t matter who’s fault it was, your just now lumbered with “unlucky tax” Usually a claim takes 3yrs off your NCB, they’ve never wiped the whole lot off. I changed to a completely different bike this year so can’t compare but when it’s happened in the past and the bikes been repaired the premium never went up more than £30 by the time you’ve shopped around come renewal time. Then the ambulance chasers get in touch. I got told the third party was claiming off me for whiplash, they do this to get your back up so that you’re more likely to counter claim against them for personal injury. The cockney wide boy (other regional con men are available) proceeded to tell me what injuries I had, what the symptoms were, assured me no medical would ever be required and what I “must tell his colleague, word for word” when he puts me through to the next dept. Once he put me though I asked “is this call being recorded? Now please tell me why you encourage your employees to encourage fraudulent personal injury claims?” The bloke went quiet…….. “Your a bunch of ambulance chasers, now piss off!”
It’s free until the third parties insurance company tell them to jog on when they submit their extortionate storage/admin/hire vehicle fees. Then you’re responsible to pay for it!!! Also if the claim doesn’t go in your favour (doesn’t matter what the third party said by the roadside) and your in any way proportionate towards the cause of the accident then they’ll come after you for their money too.
Not always. You have to sign an agreement to that fact. Not the no win no fee lot, who actually do charge, but one who works with your insurer. Normally more likely to get a hire vehicle and extended compensation as that’s their job: they don’t make fees unless they create cash or take cost out of the value chain for the insurer. But…this whole industry creates added cost that we all then pay for with increased premiums anyway!!
A friend appointed 4th dimension to act for him and with hindsight would never use them again. The claim is still being processed and he's likened them to ******* *****
Even when you're totally in the right and it's all the other party's fault, the actuaries reckon your premium should go up because "statistically you're more likely to have another accident if you've had one."
