Looks like the end of the Maserati adventure........

kimgoblin

New Member
Messages
15
I was in a pretty low speed collision a week or so ago ( hit from behind by a volvo at some traffic lights! ) Significant damage to back of my beloved black 3200 AC with exhausts and ( dont know the proper name for it) cowling below the rear bumper which surrounds the exhausts smashed up- minimal damage to the volvo of course! My boot flew open and wouldn't close , engine check light came on and whilst could clear with code reader would start and rev then die immediately . Engine check light came back but code reader stated no error codes to clear which was odd. Perhaps more worryingly were significant cracks in panels above wheel arches on both sides I guess where force of impact was transmitted. Towed away by AA and have been "enjoying" the insurance companys Vauxhaul Insignia replacement car ever since! Received the engineers report today and they are quoting me £16000 in repairs with exhaust alone quoted at 5K! Derisory valuation of £10000 given for my car which I have refused to accept and have been advised the little beauty is a "total loss". Feeling very very sad as you may expect. I'm aware that the insurers use guides like Parkers/ Glass's when reaching their valuations but the cheapest 3200 I can find is 12500 on Auto trader and the cheapest Assetto Corsa a snip at £34000. As the other party have admitted liability should I not be in the position of being at least no worse off after the crash than before which I would have thought should mean the insurers should be reimbursing at least enough to buy a replacement 3200 if not an Assetto Corsa? They will be getting back to me after the weekend with a revised offer but I was given the distinct impression they wont be increasing their offer significantly. Has anyone else had the misfortune to be in this position and if so any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks in anticipation, Kim
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
Sorry to be reading this Kim.
I had a similar experience in the UK as the innocent party and it stinks for sure.
You need to be insured for an agreed value with a honorable company.
Maybe you can buy the salvage and break it to recoup some of the loss.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
That's not great news. Don't accept what the insurance tell you. When my wife had an accident the insurance pay off was rubbish. I provide three examples from Autotrader and they paid another 4K than original offer.

Sad that we may lose another Assetto Corsa.
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
My Alfa Spider was much the same. Do not accept there offer, they will probably try upping it about three times. Then possibly get an independent assessor, they did with me, I got three times their initial valuation. It will also help if you show them adverts and even better can show them cars that actually sold for decent prices, not just asking prices. It will take time and perseverance, don't give up. Good luck.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Scour for all ads and information for AC’s the GLASS guide is way off and the insurers are aware of this for all Maserati values. Don’t accept anything below your agreed value. Ask your insurers to listen to your phone conversation on taking out the policy when you would have given a value, even if you don’t have an agreed value policy. Good luck sorting it.
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
21,013
Sorry to read that, Kim. I suggest you ask a specialist such as Richard Grace how much a replacement would cost, and use that to inform your insurance company as to the real value of an AC.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,546
Oh dear. :(

As everyone has said don't accept the offer. You're probably in for a bit of a fight, unfortunately

C
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
20,759
As above do not accept the offer, get your own examples of current market value adverts, specialists etc. to demonstrate its true value.

Also as it wasn't your fault they should provide you with an equivalent loan / hire car not a poxy Insignia, after all it comes off the claimants policy. When my mates Aston was damaged in an accident he had a Porsche 911 and then a AMG SL whilst it was being repaired. IT did help the insurance company push on with the repair as they were paying out £1000 per week in hire car costs.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,546
As above do not accept the offer, get your own examples of current market value adverts, specialists etc. to demonstrate its true value.

Also as it wasn't your fault they should provide you with an equivalent loan / hire car not a poxy Insignia, after all it comes off the claimants policy. When my mates Aston was damaged in an accident he had a Porsche 911 and then a AMG SL whilst it was being repaired. IT did help the insurance company push on with the repair as they were paying out £1000 per week in hire car costs.

Indeed. I had a 911 Turbo and an A8. Of course, this inflates insurance premiums due to the increased car hire and claim costs but there's a balance to be struck.

C
 
Messages
1,117
Sorry to hear of your situation. As Richard has offered some guidance on prices you have a better chance of insurer raising their offer. The difficulty with insuring on 'market value' irrespective of what you stated the value on taking out the policy means this banter is inevitable in a total loss situation.

If the 'market value' is absurdly low it means the decision point for a total loss is reached very quickly.
For example if market value according to insurer is £10k, a total loss is highly likely if repairs cost more than £6k-£7k.

Contrast that if 'agreed value' is £20k the total loss decision is around £12k-£14k repair costs.

Establishing market value with these modern classics is challenging if insured through a comparison site volume insurer. Bit easier if insured through a specialist broker.

Good luck and I wish you well in your negotiation with the insurer.
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
Mine was with Admiral. Give them their due, once they went as high as they would, they sent for an independent assessor who's word, I was told, was final. He valued it higher than I initially asked so I was happy. If they had given me my initial figure instead of arguing, they would have saved a couple of thousand!
 

alfatwo

Member
Messages
5,517
So who does agreed value insurance on 16 year old masers, I was told mine was still too new!

Dave
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
I go through Locktons. They are pretty good and I have an agreed value - didn't even have to argue.
 

Delmonte

Member
Messages
878
Dave... There are a few doing agreed value policies on cars your age. The best I found were Needtoinsure, small broker but great to deal with google them. Lancaster also do it but are a bit painful to deal with especially if you have a claim. Avoid Adrian Flux at all costs. Horrendous
 

Delmonte

Member
Messages
878
OP- Gutted for you mate. Sad that you have to do this but as others have said dig your heels in. You do have rights. Keep refusing offers until you get something acceptable. Go to ombudsman if necessary. Definitely speak to Richard and get a valuation he's a great guy and helpful. Good luck
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
I would only have an agreed value policy on mine, and as a result of the theft I couldn’t have been happier that I did have. Mine is with A-Plan/Hiscocks but I have been with Adrian Flux.
 

jamesc69

Junior Member
Messages
495
Argue, it depends on mileage, and condition, but if it was a good one and sensible miles, it is around £20k. Forget the Prindiville car, that's ridiculously priced. This link may be of help to you as we've sold 5/6 of the last UK AC's listed:

https://www.richardgracecars.co.uk/gallery/?search=Assetto&id=1#results

If you'd like a valuation to help your insurance claim, please get in touch.

Hi Richard, Thread drift i know, but looking at the top banner pic on your sold page you must be selling either the smallest GT in the World or the largest Gransport !
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,748
As others have said demand a like for like curtsey car...that will pish them to up the offer PDQ.

Hows your neck...remember whip lash sets in a few days after the impact.

I would also consider that they find you a replacement car same miles and spec... then they will know just how hard that is with the peanuts they are offering.

BTW I hate insurance Co.s who are happy to flease you but hate paying out.
 

hoyin

Member
Messages
1,842
Don't give in when I had an accident and my wife's car was written off it took around 6months to get the money I thought was reasonable.

They will try and fob you off till the cows come home. Whatever you do do not sign or agree to anything. Even if they say it won't affect your claim or that it is just to agree that the claim is to be processed. THEY LIE.

Then they will state that they are taking your courtesy car back as in their eyes they have reached an agreement. This is purely to try and force you to accept their offer as you won't have a car to use. If you don't return it they will report it as stolen ......

What I found the best course of action was to find 3-4 examples of a car with the same spec on autotrader that has been on sale recently and send them the info as proof of the value of your car and then be prepared to argue argue argue.

Stick with it and you will prevail.


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