My Surf has been written off

[woodwarm]

Bought my surf as cat C. The only damage was n/s rear bumper,sits 25mm lower & corner was off the bracket,

V.I.C. costs approx £45. 10 minutes at V.O.S.A.

No damage to chassis, no mechanical damage, just the previous owners insurance assessor being an ass.

I did not repair,adjust or align the bumper before V.I.C.

[beach surfer]

UPDATE

spoke to Direct Line (DL)today. They said their engineer inspection has been cancelled!

Let me explain.

DL customer drove into my car on 29th july. Same day I was going in holiday. I phoned my insurance company- Tescos. Gave them the name of DL customer. I returned from holiday in 7th August. Phoned Tesco. Told hold up by underwriters due to car being an import. Phoned Tesco everyday after but not given update and told couldn't reveal engineers report. On the 19th I told Tesco I was fed up waiting so I closed claim with them and went directly via DL.
DL said they would send engineer to look at car asap.
Today I phoned DL and told inspection cancelled due to salvage yard not letting them on site to inspect car because Tesco was dealing with claim.
So I phoned salvage yard to find out they sold car on 16th Aug as a Cat D. They said they were notified by Tesco to dispose of car on the 16th Aug!

Up until today I have never received a valuation or a payment by Tesco. I never received an engineer report or any notification that a report had been carried out and the valuation was X amount.
I phoned Tescos again this morning. They said on the 29th July they asked 'if the car is deemed a total loss would I be happy if they disposed of it for me?'
I'm not an expert on insurance policies so I thought that it meant that after they had sorted out my claim would I be happy for them to have the car disposed off because there is usually a cost involved in removing items for disposal.
What I wasnt expecting was Tescos being allowed to dispose of my car without any agreement of valuation or informing me when the car will be disposed off.
All I got from Tescos so called customer service team was that I gave them permission to dispose of the car on day one.
They also have said the car is only worth. £2600. I took the advice of you guys on here and said no way will I accept that. I then got the fob of about Glazziers?? guide to valuation. I said you then find me a 3rd Gen Surf with my spec and in my cars condition and maintained then I'll accept it. Tesco said they would have to open a dispute and get an independent valuation engineer to look at the car! Really I said? Even though the car has been sold off!!

So, DL will now be taking the land rover off me on Monday because they said Tescos have offered me a payment of some kind.
In fact I have not been offered anything on paper by Tesco only what I was told today!

The question is where does this leave me?
I get hit by a driver.
It's now been a month and still the claim goes on.
DL will not deal with me directly now because they cant inspect the car.
Tescos have sold my car despite me not receiving or agreeing to any payment.
Tescos did not make it clear they could dispose of my car before I received any notification of a payment.
I will be left without a car as from Monday.

Any further advice will be much appreciated.

[J i m s t e r]

Any further advice will be much appreciated.

Write to Tesco telling them what you want to happen and that you will pursue the issue through legal channels if this cannot be resolved.

[beach surfer]

Tescos just said their engineer wont budge on the valuation so looks like ive got to find 3rd Gen surfs for sale at similar spec and send details of them in.
I need to get prices for things like a sunroof, towbar,bullbar, roof racks, altimeter etc just incase the cars I look at dont have these on them.

What is really annoying is that by the way this is going one would imagine that it was me who drove into someone and not the other way around.

Anyway, ive now phoned up the police to report that the car has been sold without my permission and that I still have all the cars documents. They said nothing they can do apart from put a marker on it that there's a dispute of ownership.

I don't think calling the DVLA would result in anything either?

[Dobbslc]

Try contacting the insurance ombudsmen I think they oversee all the thieving insurance companies in this country. They don't usually like attention from them.
It sounds like you've had your car damaged and then stolen by Tescos.

[beach surfer]

I will definitely contact the onbudsman over this. I feel ive been treated really bad by Tescos.
They gave the salvage company permission to sell my car without my permission.
I still have all the DVLA documents. Tesco never asked for them.
It looks as though the guy who has bought my car will have to apply to the DVLA for a new registration document from the DVLA? A freind of mine said that the DVLA usually write to the last owner on the document to notify them that someone has applied for the registration documents of their car? If this is the case then maybe I could object?

The guy who has bought my surf is also now caught up in this whole mess.

By chance if anyone on here has just bought a blue 3rd gen surf reg number N955PWV may I ask you contact me asap.

Also if anyone has access to a Glass's?? Valuation book then please can you check what a 3rd gen surf is worth?

Thanks.

[woodwarm]

Speak to a solicitor a.s.a.p.

You have been naive instructing insurance co. & they have taken advantage.

Are you sure your vehicle has been sold on by the salvage yard.

This is a very common "scam" by insurance assessors.

ps. do not buy from Algy autos

[beach surfer]

Definately will not buy via algy motors or algy motors cyprus. What I hear Algy Motors are scammers so algy cars motors is the last place I would buy a Toyota Surf from.

I also would not buy Tesco Car Insurance because Tesco Car Insurance are thieves who sell your car especially Toyota Hilux Surf without your permission so anyone considering car insurance for their Toyota Hilux Surf I would not recommend Tesco car insurance.

Right. That's out the way.

It looks like I have to accept the fact I will not get my car back because of Tesco car insurance selling it to someone. The only chance I have now is asking the DVLA not to issue a registration document to the buyer. That way the owner would not be able to buy new tax for it which runs out the end of Sept. The owner would probably then go back to the salvage yard to get his money back. Unless of course-the car is now on its way to Africa.

I spoke to a solicitor late yesterday afternoon. She said it's now a civil matter and that I need to ask the insurance company for an explanation! (As if I haven't already! ). She said that Tesco car insurance who sold my car should pay for a new one! Doh! ! What doesn't this solicitor understand? Tesco car insurance have offered me far less money for what I believe my car is worth and I can not replace my car which Tesco car insurance sold when I told them not to-with that low figure. She also said that I need to build a case up against tesco car insurance by obtaining adds in the local and national press for similar price cars! Really? Ive already been told that by the thieving tesco car insurance.
So far useless sucking eggs info.

However, she went on to say that my actual claim is not against the other drivers insurance company. It's against the actual driver herself. Her insurance company which is Direct Line acts on her behalf.
I could in theory ask the other driver for all my costs directly. I could send her the bill for a like for like car and all my other losses. If she refuses to pay then proceedings can be made via the small claims court.
But the solicitor did say that the chances of that suceeding would be minimal but it would put a lot of pressure on the other driver and hopefully it would get her to contact Direct Line to resolve this asap.
So I might try this tactic later.

First of all I will contact the DVLA re the registration document.

[beach surfer]

DVLA has just said that they send out a security letter advising me that somene has applied for the Log Book. I can then fill out that letter and hence stop the Log Book being transferred to the so called new owner.

[beach surfer]

Well, my surf was returned to the salvage yard this morning and the buyer got his money back.
The saga continues.

[beach surfer]

Latest update from Tesco car insurance.

Tesco phoned this morning. Informed me car has been returned to salvage yard.
They said they will give me £2080 to settle the claim and I get the surf back.

This is obviously working on the basis the car is worth £2600.

Does this sound a good deal?

Or, Direct Line have now said their engineer can inspect the car. I assume DL will offer me to buy the car back too?

So what do I do? Wait and see what DL say? Accept the Tesco offer and fix the surf? Maybe sell it as a cat D or sell as spares?
Im not sure if the buyer has done anything to it either.

Help!!! This is all driving me mad!!!

[fatfires]

you have already said that 2600 was not a fair valuation so why accept it now, as the car is available for inspection I would suggest you get the other parties insurer to value it as I believe they have admitted responsibility. Do you not have legal cover albeit via Tesco or legal via AA or similar? if so they should work interdependently from tesco.
The whole point of any insurance is to return you to the condition before the incident covering your expenses as well. As I see it you need to be chasing the other parties insurance for continued use of the hire vehicle until CLEARED funds for an agreed amount are in your bank a/c - if they are not you are not in a position to replace anything.

[fatfires]

You also need to be talking compensation for delay, stress, inconvenience, depreciation, 'hire' to the third party, and inspecting the vehicle yourself for any possible faults, problems etc whilst out of the salvors control and adding that to the claim to TESCO

[beach surfer]

Thanks for you reply. I guess I was and still am fed up with the whole situation. For some reason I just thought it would put an end to all this nightmare. By accepting a cheque for £2200 and then maybe selling the car for around £900+ I would have a figure of around £3100 to look for another one? Ok I admit I will probably have to add a bit for a nice well maintained surf?
I do have the option now of DL insurers engineer to take a look at the car and make a valuation but im worried he will still under value it but I suppose thinking about it there's no harm finding out what his valuation will be?
As for legal cover I do have that with Tescos. I have phoned them several times now and they really havent been helpful. Lots of promises to call me back but they never have! I have already made a complaint to Tesco car insurance.

I have already told DL I will be claiming back all my costs directly with them.

[Sancho]

Personally, if someone offered me 2,600 for a 16 year old surf with starship miles, I would take money and run. Fast.