Advice please

[MaureenR]

Hi,

I am after some advice please.  My daughter owns a 2011 Audi A1 TFSI and was recently hit from behind by a large white van whilst doing about 40mph.  The van suffered quite severe damage to the front but her car is only showing some scratches to the rear bumper and the steering is pulling to the side.  She herself has suffered a considerable amount of soft tissue damage to her neck shoulders and back.  The insurance assessor came out and has reported that there is only a few superficial scratches, having spent a grand total of 5 minutes walking round the car with a clipboard and giving the inside of the boot area a cursory glance.  The owner of the firm which was appointed to carry out this inspection and any subsequent repairs was quite nasty and tried to call my daughter a liar saying if the car had been in the crash it would have been a write off.

The advise I need is can anyone advise what damage should be looked for and if this lack of so called damage is a common occurrence with this make and model.

Many thanks

[Southampton Graham]

Hi Maureen

Sorry to hear about you daughters accident.

I believe the AA will come out and assess your daughters car for you and this can be used as an independent review which you could pass on to the Insurance company.

 The RAC might give a similar option.  At least this would keep it official and something to argue against if it comes to it.

Best of luck, keep us updated. 

[Magnet]

Hello Maureen,

Perhaps some of the following may be worth considering:- 

Certainly as Graham suggests.

If you daughter is unhappy with the attitude of the appointed repairer, then she should notify and record this dissatisfaction with the insurers, and have the car removed to another repairer.

She is under no obligation to have the car repaired at the insurer's 'authorised repairer' . Although they are likely to hold her to ransom in relation to providing a courtesy car during the period or repair. 

In addition to/alternative to Graham's suggestion she could consider taking the car to her local Audi dealer for assessment and estimate for repair. 

Last resort - Possibly use of the advise of the legal cover provided with the insurance. ( if this option was chosen at the time the insurance was taken out). 

Kind regards,

Gareth.