Direct line insurance advice

[Viking Warrior]

A week last Sunday some knobhead crunch my car while I was in tescos . No note or anything or witnesses . Drivers door jammed in and right wing dented

 

I duly reported it to direct line . I have full protected no claims and have so for at least 15 years . I had to find a garage in Orkney and went to one who already does repairs for them .

I called direct line today and they said they have had the garage quote and they will pass it onto their engineer in due course . But the claims knobhead said it will take 2/3 weeks before a decision is made to go with this garage .

He said that the garage has not itemised the amount of hours the garage will take to mend the car . I pointed out that £280 to do the work is very reasonable seeing the door is out of alignment and a wing needs replacing

The claims operator at direct line said he was charging too much for the repair this from someone who is not a mechanic .

 

He told me I should take it to one of their approved garage repairs in Aberdeen or Edinburgh . I asked if direct line would pay for my ferry journeys back and forth . He said no as I live really close to both places . I ask politely if he knew where Orkney was he said he didn't have a clue . I'm losing the will to live at the point but remained totally calm

 

Anyway can somebody let me know how long it normally takes to have your car approved for repairs and actual repairs . I have not had a prang for at least 25 years .

 

Are direct line being unreasonable and a bunch if cocks .

[Goatboy]

If it was me I would ring them back and ask to speak to supervisor/team leader. It sounds as though you were speaking to an imbecile. If the garage has done repairs for Direct Line before I can't see that there would be an issue. Work out how much it would cost to get to and from Aberdeen/Edinburgh and have that figure to throw in as an additional claim.

In answer to your final question? No, Direct Line aren't. Just the spotty freak you have spoken to so far.

[hypochondriac]

I had problems with some idiot at Admiral. Bloke reversed into me and refused to accept liability. He decided to take it to court and Admiral said they would sorted but it turned out they did nothing and so the court found in the other guys favour. Obviously I kicked up a huge fuss and eventually I got to speak to the guy in charge who kept my no claims and paid out to the other guy (it was a shame but at least I wasn't affected.) anyway the point of me telling you that is that I would suggest making a fuss and speaking to the people in charge. They can usually sort things and employ some more common sense.

[swannymere]

Insurance companies will always drag their feet, you need to be a pest, never rude but constantly reminding them. As for the quote and the work you describe it sounds very reasonable.