9 Months and counting...

[Maverickatlarge]

My car was - shall we say - taken roughly from behind by an Audi in January, it was a write-off, the attending policeman on the night said so, indeed; agreed with me that it was so. Aviva - for it is they - wanted to take the car from Andover to Poole, to be looked at, I had instruction from Andover police (Whichurch Roads Division) to hold on to the car, until the investigation had been completed, I explained this to several women in several telephone conversations, only to have them ring me the next day (or later the same day!) with a "Mr W******, we believe you are ready to have your car collected?" This was the call centre in...wherever? Mumbai?

 

I was in Andover for a training course, when that came to an end, I drove the miserable vehicle 40-odd miles (no one had told me not to!), while it made a noise like a Stalwart and any police who passed me on the M3 managed to look the other way! It came to rest in my Mothers drive...and is still there!

 

I then went to my broker (A-plan in Newbury - it was by now March) and they tried to get things moving again, I kept offering to send photographs of the fold across the roof and the wheel-arches 2mm from cutting the tires, or suggesting it would be a lot cheaper to send someone out with a camera or smart-phone to take photographs (the police having still not cleared it for removal). More idiot calls with people on the other side of the world (Aviva (India)?) ensued with no one being able to understand that A) the car could not be moved, B) was clearly - to a half-wit with one eye - a 'write-off', and C) I was getting very annoyed.

 

Another intervention by A-plan resulted in another request for the car (now 40 miles further away from Poole) to be taken to..er...Poole. I wrote the first of several complaint letters to all parties (Aviva, A-Plan and the garage in Poole who had by now falsely [in my opinion] accused me of not communicating with them when their internal phone system seemed shot to pieces).

 

Someone from Aviva (UK) - who I won't name yet (but might be naming on my blog with all her correspondence), then agreed that it was all a shocking delay and she would be taking full charge of everything. Over the next few days I gave all the details of the accident/indecent and all relevant facts and personal information to not one but two separate individuals. The same info. I had already given several times to women at Aviva (India), and A-Plan...twice! It was by now May'ish and by some irony the police had released the vehicle.

 

The Irony being that Miss whatshername from Aviva had finally developed the bright idea of allowing me to send photographs to her...which I did!

 

Enclosed;

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]46480[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]46481[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]46482[/ATTACH]

 

She has never acknowledged receipt of those photographs, nor answered the eMail that they were sent with, I know she got them as I never received a bounce-back while I did receive a 'I'm on holiday' bounce-back to my next letter of complaint - which she hasn't replied to either! The law firm which was by this point dealing with the medical aspect of the claim did get their copy.

 

Now, a third - increasingly exasperated - eMail from me followed the other week, it reported that I had by this point - 8+ months after the accident - discovered that the car is quite rare, or at least the engine is (I'm no petrol-head!), and in discussion with Braydon Motors of Essex (who know Volvos) was given verbal quotes of around £2000 plus for a runner (which was likely to be on it's last legs - I've spent about £3000 getting mine 'right' over the last 3 years), if one could be found (they are that rare), or £1500 for a dead one which could have my engine put in it for around £600 with labour.

 

The car's value with A-Plan being listed at £400/450, based on the old Volvo 940's (it's a 960 model).

 

She finally replied, only in a very petulant manner, three lines, saying the car would have to go to Poole! She failed to mention the other eMails, the photographs and/or her tardiness in failing to reply to them. Meantime, the law firm want me to ring a number no one answers, to get hold of the other parties insurer (UKI/Natwest apparently?) who to date have not contacted me at all.

 

There is more nut that'll do for now!

 

Question for the Aviva person who apparently reads these...What the hell is going on?

 

Questions for Caggers...

 

Can I insist that the verhicle be rebuilt or repaired?

 

Can I go to the Ombudsman without further recourse to Aviva? They've had more than eight weeks to deal with at least three separate complaint letters/eMails.

 

I asked months ago if I should have retained the hire car I had for 28 days, or get another hire car to charge to the other party, I got no answer from Aviva, should I just go and get one and bill someone, if so who - Aviva or UKI/Natwest?

 

I suggested an interim payment back in March, got no answer form Aviva, given my life is half on hold until I get a replacement car, can I request such a thing?

 

Given the difference in Market Value between the original quote (400-450) and the actual market value (2000'ish), can I expect the higher amount? If it gets settled before I die!

 

The girl from Aviva said she'd reimburse my premiums (I paid cash up-front), but reading another thread just now, it's clear that that's not something she could do, and shouldn't have said she could, however, had this all been sorted out in Feb/March (a more normal timetable), I could have transferred a replacement vehicle to that insurance, now it only has a month or so to run, can I claim compensation for loss through delay?

 

Finally - after my last irate eMail, someone from an organisation claiming to be the 'umbrella group' for the insurance industry (CCS or something) and representing UKI/Natwest, rang me about two weeks ago, but we got cut-off, her number was withheld and she hasn't emailed me. She also started to ask all the details I have now given out at least six times. She clearly didn't have my details in front of her and I have suggested in the past that it seems to me like Aviva might be the other parties insurer...trying to offset the purchase of a new Audi by giving me the run-around?

 

Am I being paranoid?

[unclebulgaria67]

There is an Aviva rep on this site who should respond tomorrow.

 

What you can do is accept a cash settlement for the write off value and keep the salvage, which you can then use to get the car repaired. Aviva may be willing in these circumstances not to deduct the salvage value from the settlement. That is what I would advise the Aviva rep to look at, if you were happy with this. I have seen Insurers do this before, when they manage to get themselves in these daft situations. Sounds like the third party had a policy with NatWest Car Insurance which is underwitten by RBS groups own company UK Insurance Ltd. Perhap they are trying to get the claim resolved from their end, as the claim will still be open on their policyholders policy. Aviva should have resolved your claim by now.

[Maverickatlarge]

Thanks Uncle B, the thing is I don't know why the third party haven't got involved, when my old 940 was involved in a no dispute their fault accident back in 2006, their insurer rang me within an hour of the accident, offered me a choice of garages in Camberley or Aldershot within a week, I took it down to Aldershot, the chaps there sucked through their teeth and said "Too old to work on mate" and I had a cheque for £900 quid within six weeks.

 

This time they haven't contacted me at all, while my lot - Aviva - have proved useless.

 

It's no wonder our premiums are so high, when they want to ship the vehicle to the other side of the next county but one to confirm what you can see in the photographs, and insisted I attend their useless 'doctor' after the physio had done a much more thorough job at my first session, because it's not their money, they are content to throw half of it at the wind, while burning the other half, sat behind desks ignoring eMails!

 

I should add I'm fully-comp, and paid over £900, cash up-front, two years running.

[Guest Aviva Support]

Hi MaverickAtLarge

 

I'm really sorry to read of the trouble you have been through to get your car fixed. If you can email me at social@aviva.co.uk the following details

 

Full name

Date of birth

Post code

Policy number

 

I will look into this for you and do all I can to help get it resolved as quickly as possible.

 

Kind regards

 

Dave

 

Dave Hyam

Aviva Social Media team

[Maverickatlarge]

Thanks Dave

 

I will get everything off to you this evening sometime including all the electronic correspondance, there is a written letter, but you can get that from Miss shewhoshallnotbenamedinpublicyet, who's probably in the same building as you!

[honeybee13]

Hello Maverick.

 

I hope you manage to resolve your problem, please keep us posted either way.

 

My best, HB

[Maverickatlarge]

Oh I will, Honeybee, I will

 

Now I'm on CAG, I'll be on to the Charity that suspended me for 12 weeks, exonerated me (after I forced an investigation), then er...promoted the two people who'd lied about me, next. That was this time last year, then I'll be looking at West Berk's council not offering me emergency accommodation, despite my being an ex-serviceman (law says they should have!), which was two years ago, then I'll be looking at why an Employment Tribunal Judge oversaw a 'Compromise Agreement' when I wasn't represented against his own guidlines! Leaving me with less than the minimum wage after three years unpaid and unable to work in the same industry as I can't tell employers what I was doing during that time!

 

The last three years have been a nightmare, and the fight-back's only just begun, wish I'd found this four years ago! Plugged it on Facebook this morning!!

[honeybee13]

We have an employment forum.

 

HB

[Maverickatlarge]

Well, seems it's going to the Ombudsman...ten months and counting! It is unbelievable...

[Maverickatlarge]

Or should I invoice Aviva for a fair amount and go straight to the County Court? Loss of Use (which they neglected to inform me of) is a lot; 300+ days @£15 per day - I'm told?

 

And as I have asked in writing at least twice now if I am entitled to a Hire Car while the settlement is being worked out, and everybody has ignored those direct questions, and given I've been told a Hire Car is appropriate if...the other party have accepted liability (they have) and the case is still not settled (it isn't). I should have had one from 28th Feb, or 7th May when they got the letter first asking.

 

They are now trying to blame anyone but themselves for the delays they have previously admitted to and apologised for...the police, the broker, me...

[Maverickatlarge]

To Dave Hyam

 

Well. David, what a pretty pickle?

 

Not only has your operative 'SE', chosen to ignore my letter of the 7th, she then after sending me this; "Thank you for your e-mail and I am sorry that you are not happy. I have finalised the complaint within 38 working days and sent a decision letter to you on 6th November. I am sorry that you still unhappy but our Social media team have said you are now going to the Financial Ombudsman..." (which still fails to refer to my previous letter) decided to go behind my back to A-plan, in an apparent attempt to usurp both their (A-Plan's) attempts to get an interim payment to me, and the Ombudsman's right to investigate matters, eMailing them without even copying me in...how many of those will the Ombudsman be looking for I wonder?

 

As a result and having been annoyed since before my visits to A-plan in February/March/April, then pretty P'ed-off prior to my letter of the 2nd May, and then incensed by your operative 'BD' and her inability to communicate at all...for three months (a silence still not explained by anyone), now find myself incandescently livid.

 

Therefore I am invoicing you for the following fully explained and itemised amount.

 

Car (value agreed but no cheque forthcoming) + £950.00 - 26% = £703.00

 

Loss of use - from 31st January 2013 until...shall we say next Monday - 25th November 2013?

@ assuming £15.00 per day (298 days, less the 28 days I actually had a hire car) x270 = £4050.00

 

Emotional Recompense - I had already discussed with 'A' at the law firm a charge of 300 I was intending to make for losses over the second week in October, now I know this is a legitimate expense to claim and given as how I have made very clear from the outset that I need a car and that my life was partially on hold while you faffed about doing ooohh....errrrr...nothing, I will charge @£10.00 per day from the end of March, this assumes you would have taken until March to settle the claim in the 'normal course of events'. Again to 25th of this month; 239 days = £2390.00

 

Loss of earnings, cover of other losses/further recompense - Since I left collage in August (23rd) I have had to turn down jobs I can't get to because I have no car; High Wycombe, Marlow, Winchester, Horsham (you won't believe how many CAD jobs come up in Horsham...an hour by car, half a day by Public Transport), North and East London &etc. Now CAD-monkey's earn between 20 and 30k with an average around 24/25, so round-off to 2k per month, I'm claiming 1k per month for the last three months which I think is reasonable, and shall we say a nominal £100 per month for April until August? 5x100 + 3x1000 = £3500.00

 

Car -703

Loss of use - 4050

Emotional Recompense - 2390

Other losses - 3500

-------

= £10,643p

 

Less the 'Excess' (amount unknown, presumably to be reclaimed from UKI/Direct Line-NatWest/RBS)

As the above amount is considerably less than you would pay-out for a more modern car in any event; I can see no reason for your not sorting it out in short-order. Cashing of the cheque by me to be full and final settlement of this side of the claim, I will submit the excess and travel tickets to UKI/Direct Line-NatWest/RBS through the Law Firm.

 

Please pay within 14 working days, as this has become a farce and gone on far too long. I will copy this to the usual suspects and send you a written copy next week when the interim payment clears. And if it wasn't made yesterday - I will double this claim.

[Maverickatlarge]

Dave - sent this just now, someone should have got a grip on this over the weekend, too late now, i will be speaking to the ombusman tomorrow, the invoice stand and if the reimbursement from A-plan 'aint there on Wednesday the invoice doubles...it's not your case to make 'offers' now, you've had nearly 11 months!!! HW

S******

I am astounded to hear from you today and your 'kind regards' are at odds with the facts, which are; you have shown no regard for me whatsoever. I have no desire to ever communicate with you again; if we were both to live for another 20,000 years and end-up the only humans on the planet, I would ensure I was on the opposite side of the globe from you and shoot-down anything flying that was larger than a dragonfly and lacking the wings of a bird or a bat. I am only copying you in to eMails because I don't have a more senior person eMail, as I should have by now.

In my letter of the 7th of this month, I suggested you hand this matter upstairs - You haven't.

I suggested you read the case before pontificating - You haven't.

A-Plan assured me on Friday that they had been told you were of the case - You aren't.

 

1. My premiums were £683.00 not the 337.32 you claim. I was assured by A-Plan on Friday that they were making a payment of three-hundred-and-something-one pounds (£301?), to clear into my account by / on Wednesday, immaterial to what Aviva were doing.
   
2. I have never "...refused to accept the offer without the deduction of the salvage...". I refused the offer and suggested somewhere you might find a few extra quid. More falsehoods?
   
3. On the subject of falsehoods, I asked you in my letter of the 7th for several pieces of evidence to back-up the claims, allegations and lies in your eMail of 2nd October, you have failed to address that letter or answer the reasonable requests.
   
4. You using of the date of 7th May both for the premiums and the 'loss of use' is intolerable:
   
   • a. In the normal course of events, my claim should have been sorted within 6-8 weeks, or the middle of March when I went into A-Plan in person for the second and third times to find out what the hell was going on.
     

 

• b. A-Plan are - apparently reimbursing me from the date of the accident, as per the letter from P*** S*** (dated 10th May) which I believe is confirmed by one of the rare emails from B***** D***. I can't be arsed to look it up now, but will - no doubt - be forwarding it and everything else to the Ombudsman on Wednesday?
  
  

 

[*]You have failed to acknowledge or comment on the invoice I sent you on Saturday just past, an affliction which you have clearly caught from B***** D***

[*]You will resolve matters by paying that invoice; you now have 13 working days to do so.

[*]You 'feel' you "...have not considered the loss of use..."; No, no, no...you haven't, there's no 'feel' about it. And despite my asking in writing several times if I was entitled to a hire car, Aviva have consistently failed to address the point.

[*]I am assuming from the number of typo's in your last paragraph that you added it after clearing the rest with a superior, firstly you needn't have bothered as it is patronising nonsense, and secondly if superiors are involved and were making the assurances to A-Plan last Friday which have failed to bear fruition...there is a stink of conspiracy about matters.

[*]I was intending to ring the Ombudsman today, but held off to give Dave or someone the chance to save the day, that hasn't happened so I will be ringing them tomorrow.

Understand that I remain sincerely f*****g ****ed-off!

 

[name edited]

Edited November 18, 2013 by honeybee13
Name edited.