help with crashed 930 value

[Guest]

Hi first post here since I repayed my membership fee, this is a bit of a long shot but I need help tonight if poss, had a bit of a miss hap with the car 2 weeks ago spun it on a road I know well and would normally have been going much faster but for the wet conditions I know it's what everyone says but there must have been oil or diesel on the road but anyway thats another story. The problem I've got now is that the car has been declared total loss and I spoke to the insurance engineer this afternoon and he admited that he knows little about these cars and there values, but says he has been speaking to a couple of specialists and come up with a value of just £12,000.00!!!! The car is (was) a 1988 930 with 105k miles on the clock, service history, all leather interior etc, marine blue, not a car that I would describe as completely mint condition but it was VERY VERY good it took me 12 months to find and I looked at quite a few before I bought this one.
Now he says that because I originally bought private that I can only get values from private similar adds not dealers or specialists I'm pushing for more like the £20 k mark of him in the hope that we can meet somewhere in the middle. He says I need to fax him some copis of adds with cars of the same age with similar mileage I've come up with a few from Autotrader, 911 and Porsche World and Porsche Post from the last couple of months has anyone got any more places to look so I can get more evidence for tommorow and has anyone recently had the same experience and what was the outcome?
Thanks in advance for any help Steve[]

 

[Mark_Bennett]

He is wrong.

You have the right to the funds it would take to replace the car from the vendor of your choice.

You do NOT have to respond in a hurry either!
Tell him it will take a few days to get the magazines together (he expects you to keep them all just in case does he? You might, but not everyone does).

Why is it a total loss? Is it on value, because that is not valid on the ridiculously low value stated.

I had exactly the same problem with Norwich Union when my 944 got driven into. The assessor admited he knew nothing about Porsches, then refused to accept the repair quote from an official repairer saying it "might cost more"[8|]

It was a battle, but the Insurance Ombudsman found them in gross negligence, and fined them. I got compensation.
Not many people argue, and that is what they count on. If only 5 out of every 100 people complain, they are still quids in.

Get the info you need, don't let them hurry you, DO NOT send them your registration document (It is not their car until you agree a value - no matter what they tell you).

Good advice can be got from the AA or RAC (or whatever they are these days!) legal departments if you are a member.

Good luck!

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the quick response Mark, suprise my ins company is Norwich Union!

The car is not total loss due to the value, but cos its well and truly bent (big tree) moved the engine over and lots of front and rear suspension damage, I did consider trying to buy the car back as part settelment until I saw it at the yard where it was towed into. The assesor has said that it will be under the cat that says for dismantaling only because the shell has suffered so badly and new shell's are not available.

I was hoping to get back to him with the infomation tommorow to get the thing moving but you are right why should I rush, also thinking about it I'll have to wait for he DVLA to change my plate onto a retention cert which will take a few weeks so a few days to think and sort won't make that much difference.

Will check up with the AA legal dept tom to see what they say.

Thanks for the good advice will be back for more when I need more!

One more thing do you know if I could (or should) claim for being off work with three broken vertibrae? I had to spend the night in hospital and they discharged the me the next day there is nothing they can do for me they will heal on there own over the next 6 to 8 weeks very painful but they should fix unlike my car[] fortunately my passenger was unhurt[] But Iwill be off work for this length of time.

Thanks again STEVE []

 

[Guest]

My understanding is that if you have an accident that is someone elses fault, i.e. they drive into you, and are off work, you can claim against their insurance.
However, if you are driving and have an accident yourself with no-one else involved, then you are stuck. The passenger(s) can claim off you, but I don't think you can claim for yourself.
If you have separate health or accident insurance, you may be able to claim on that.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

One more thing do you know if I could (or should) claim for being off work with three broken vertibrae?

Sorry, no idea... I had a passenger who was slightly hurt (ribs), but this was dealt with totally out of my knowledge.
I'm not sure, but if there WAS oil or diesel onthe road then you may be able to claim from the local council.

The AA should be able to give good advice, they were very helpful with me (I was trying to get the car repaired at the time - then NU did a load more damage moving the car to a salvage yard (without my knowlege or permission) and tried to make me make a seperate claim for this! "Then you will lose your protected no claims bonus sir"...
As I said, they will try anything on...

In the end I gave up, but it was heartbreaking to see a good car that had been wrecked by them because of thier incompetence.

Take advantage of your free legal advice with the AA, you've paid for it.
I did have DAS Legal assistance as well, but curiously they did not respond to my request to assist with suing NU...[&:]

 

[Guest]

Thanks Mark/Stuart did'nt think I would be able to claim for my own injuries but will ask NU anyway cos if you don't ask you don't get!

Anyone got a 930 or turbo 2 they want to sell?? I'm looking but have to wait for some money to come my way

 

[Richard Pottle]

Hi

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I was looking on pistonheads / 9M / Northway etc and spotted a couple of 930s that you might want to put to the insurance engineer

1976 930 - £20k http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=31637&s=79

1987 930 - £17k http://www.9mracing.co.uk/showcase/generated/53.html

1986 930 - £17k http://www.northwayporsche.co.uk/car_sales/car.asp?ModelName=911%2BAircooled

1989 930 - £19k Autotrader Cleevewood Garage Nott'm

1977 930 - £20k www.towergold.co.uk

1989 930 - £20k Autotrader

1989 930 - £20k Auto-kinetic - they have a website I guess it's www.auto-kinetic.co.uk or .com

1987 930 - £23k Shirleys of Meridan

1989 930 - £25k Hunt a Car Ltd (Colin Hunt) - this one has 14k miles and looks to be near concours

Hope this helps and good luck with the engineer

Cheers

Rich

 

[Guest]

Very sorry to hear about your accident. This might be some help for the future, but when I reinsured my 1988 930 last year I queried what value the insurance company would agree to pay out in the case of theft/accident etc. They told me to suggest a value and send three photos (not digital) of the car. I did this and suggested a value of £19k which they agreed. However, it is fair to say that you only find out how good (or bad) your insurance company is when you actually want money from them!

Good luck in finding another car

Jeddie

 

[Guest]

Update, Firstly thanks everyone for your help.

I've spoken to the AA legal dept and very helpful they are (if not costly at £22.80 for a 12 minute call but worth it), they confirmed that the insurance do not have the right to specify where I can look for values of replacement cars, they also said that I don't really have to bother looking for adverts of other cars but that a letter from a dealer/specialist would be of more use.

I have spoken to three and all promised to help but as yet nothing received.

They also said not to bother dealing to the with the assessor but to write directly the chief executive of Norwich Union as he has more clout than the assessor, and threaten to go to the Insurance ombudsman as this will cost me nothing but cost them (Ins) £500 if they get involved.

As it stands I decided to give the asessor a call just to see what his reaction would be and see if he would start to move on his £12k offer, basically he put the ball back in my court by saying that he won't do any more until he receives my evidence that the replacement value is nearer £20k, he also recons that the ombudsman won't get involved until they have made an unreasonable offer in writing.

One final thing that the AA said was that the Glassses guide price for the car is £14,405 for 124k miles private sale price and £11,155 trade disposal price and that in view of the fact that my car had only 104k miles I should get at least the private sale price and more but if they actually sell for more in the market place you can throw the book away and should get market value.

Anyone got any more useful advice???

Thanks STEVE

 

[John_Ward]

Looking through this thread makes you realise just how important agreed value insurance is as your cherished Porsche gets older - have the argument / discussion before disaster strikes, not afterwards!
My previous, genuine 1979 Ruf 911SCR was involved in an accident soon after the new owner acquired it (hit by oncoming Land Rover towing even wider trailer). Having paid £12500 for the car, he was horrified to hear that (a) his insurers would only treat is as a LHD 911SC and (b), that as a result of that decision, they valued the car at £6000.
Nett result was that distraught owner was told it was a write off on economic grounds!
Sad story does have a happy ending. I'm one of those people who hoards stuff, and I still had all my insurers paperwork relating to the car. This was copied and presented to his insurance company who conceded that the value was substantially higher and that it was worth repairing.....and every time I see that car at Porsche events I wonder why I sold it!
John

 

[Grant]

Can't add anything constructive advice wise, just wanted to say I'm sorry to hear about the accident, the weather has been bad recently even with 4wd & PSM mine has been a little "twitchy".
Best of luck with resolving your insurance issue's & thank goodness none of you were badly hurt, with tree's involved it could have been otherwise!!