Dear All, My wife was this afternoon involved in a clearly non fault accident (third party reversed into front wing and door of her car while it was parked - she was not even in the car). The third party has admitted liability verbally. The damage is wing minor dent (would need to be replaced though) and door minor dent (might be repairable with a skim of filler and respray). We rang our insurance company (Hastings Direct) this evening, their immediate response was to pass us on to a claims management company (Albany Assist), Albany Assit immediately rejected the claim saying the car would be a write off. We spoke to Hastings again and they said that due to the age of the car (05 plate - pre accident value £3k to £3.5k) and "government / VOSA guidelines" (I can find no such thing) the car would be a write off if we used their approved repairer. They then went on to say that we could go to a repairer of our choice get a quote then depending on what Hasting's inspector says they 'may' payout for the repair and claim back from the third party. But we would have to pay the excess and they migh be able to claim it back. Hastings also suggested that we contacted the third party and sort it out ourselves! To me the whole situation feels like they cannot in anyway be bothered and is little better than Third Party only insurance. I have read various post regarding Hastings and Albany and between them they sound like total [problem] merchants, only interested in credit hire and commission. I do not consider that Hastings are providing the service you would expect of fully comprehensive cover and instead are doing everything possible to avoid getting involved, they have not and at this stage will not even contact the third party's insurer. Has anyone else dealt with this situation? To make matters worse the car has a car finance loan secured against it and if the car is written off the payout will likely be less than the outstanding finance leaving us severely out of pocket though no fault of our own and in fact from Hastings' inaction and refusal to represent the insured parties interests. Thanks

After many years of ok service with O2, I decided to use a company promotion to get 20% off a new Vodafone account and Port my number. VF managed to put me on to the wrong tariff and are now threatening to increase the montly subscription unless I send them a touch phone which I don't have and which I never contracted for anyway. Second, the porting of my old number, has only been partially completed, because I can phone out but no-one can call me, so that I am out of contact with all of my friends and family. I phoned VF customer services. I recorded all of the call, so I have it all on record. The rep agreed that, yes, it was VF's fault, but despite this, there was nothing that he could do, AND he wants ME to take time off to go back to the shop so that it can be sorted. Third, he also said there was nothing that he could do about the PORTING of the number. He then told me that the people do deal with this had gone home! I should therefore try and call them tomorrow when of course, I am at work. I have heard tht VF is a shambles and I regret not having paid attention and having gone to them. Now I have been left with a threat that if I don't send them a touchphone (which you may recall I don't have!!!) in the next 30 days, they are going to increase my tariff - and also I have an expensive phone subscription, but nobody can contact me, because they simply get a message which says that my phone number is not recognised. LEE - Vodafone Rep My Account number 687855647. Can you please look me up and you wil see who I am. I am not prepared to stand any nonsense. This is the beginning of the 14 day pre-action protocol. Sort this out for me please or the court papers will be in the post. Please don't think that I am bluffing