Dodgy insurance or Something Less Sinister?

[djdante]

Hey guys,

A few months ago, my partner had an accident in my mx5 when driving it to meet a friend. The accident was in the front right just in front of the driver. I wasn't there for the accident, but the impact was hard enough to damage the front axel, so it took a few weeks (6) to wate for the appropriate part to come in.

Anyway, I was away overseas working when the car was picked up. The day after I came home and was picked up from the airport in the car, i found the car battery was dead because the boot hadn't closed yet and the light stayed on overnight. The boot now doesn't close properly, the right side is slightly raised over the left side, and I have to close it harder than normal to get it to latch shut.

The mechanic who did the job is quite far away so I called him up first. He fold me that since the accident was in the fornt of the car, he never touched the boot panels during the repair, so it has nothing to do with him. I use the boot regularly transporting small bits and pieces around for work and it has always been fine until now.

My concern is this. Could the accident have actually damaged the frame back to the boot to cause this, and more importantly, how would I work out if this was the case? Obviously in such a case, the car should be deemed a write off by the insurance company and not a repair job.

[TieNN89]

I doubt it would of done anything to the boot

If it did then the car would be pretty messed up IMO

Someone didn't put something big in the boot then slammed it shut? Because that would be one reason why the right side is sitting higher than the left side

[Apu]

Complain to the insurance company.

I sent my old Carnival in for repair once after being rear ended. When I got the car back, the right rear door handle was broken, the passenger seat was reclined and there were splatter stains from coffee or coke...I figured that the repairers were taking their breaks in my car.

Credit to AAMI for sorting it out for me.

[djdante]

Someone didn't put something big in the boot then slammed it shut? Because that would be one reason why the right side is sitting higher than the left side

That must be a possibility, but I'm the only one who uses the boot, and nothing big has been in it like that.

[93_Clubman]

Complain to the insurance company.

^+1
If no satisfaction, then complain to the insurance ombudsman.

[Mr Morlock]

There will be no connection between the accident and the boot not closing properly. If the 2 things were connected then the repairer would have identified what needed to be repaired and you should have been involved in the process. If the insurer checked the car or for that matter accepted the report on damage and costs then it was already considered repairable and not a write off. Also you would have received a warranty for the work that was done ie to the axle and to the front rhs of the vehicle. One cannot make a claim on an insurer for damages which were not related to a specific event ie other panels may be scratched or damaged from other incidents where no claim was ever made or which were pre existing. By all means talk to the insurance co and you will get their response to it.

[93_Clubman]

There will be no connection between the accident and the boot not closing properly. If the 2 things were connected then the repairer would have identified what needed to be repaired and you should have been involved in the process.

Very twee Morlock - you probably still believe in Father Christmas & the Tooth Fairy. Your faith in some people is very touching.

[Apu]

Right Morlock...just like there was no connection between being rear ended and the broken door handle and Coke/coffee stains in my car.

The AAMI assessor tried to explain that my wife could have broken the door handle and my kids could have spilt the coke. Problem is that my wife doesn't let the kids out on the right side of the car (so doesn't use that door handle AND it wasn't noted as broken when I dropped the car off), and my kids (at the time) were too young to drink Coke...plus I did not recline the seats when I removed the kids seats.

sh*t happens in these workshops, and the insurance company / repairer should be held accountable for additional damage when the car is in their possession.

[PT]

There will be no connection between the accident and the boot not closing properly. If the 2 things were connected then the repairer would have identified what needed to be repaired and you should have been involved in the process. If the insurer checked the car or for that matter accepted the report on damage and costs then it was already considered repairable and not a write off. Also you would have received a warranty for the work that was done ie to the axle and to the front rhs of the vehicle. One cannot make a claim on an insurer for damages which were not related to a specific event ie other panels may be scratched or damaged from other incidents where no claim was ever made or which were pre existing. By all means talk to the insurance co and you will get their response to it.

It is fairly common practice in many body shops I have been to that parts for the particular car are stored in the boot. For example in this case they may have removed the headlights and fog lights and other items and stored them in the boot of the car. They could have damaged them in the process. Don't be so dismissive.

[TieNN89]

It is fairly common practice in many body shops I have been to that parts for the particular car are stored in the boot. For example in this case they may have removed the headlights and fog lights and other items and stored them in the boot of the car. They could have damaged them in the process. Don't be so dismissive.

Very true I didn't even think of this

[Mr Morlock]

"Very twee Morlock - you probably still believe in Father Christmas & the Tooth Fairy. Your faith in some people is very touching". Loved that -I did hear a rumour about both of these characters but we all know they are alive and well.

and Apu "Right Morlock...just like there was no connection between being rear ended and the broken door handle and Coke/coffee stains in my car". Your are right cars sitting in workshops or anywhere can be damaged - thats stating the bloody obvious.
and PT "It is fairly common practice in many body shops I have been to that parts for the particular car are stored in the boot".Well anything is possible - a long shot but how do you prove that it was not a pre existing condition etc.Boots get things placed in them all the time without a problem- thats what boots are for.

You get a quote you check the car and you inspect it before you take it away and you get a warranty on the work. I still say quite clearly that the boot is not likely to be any part of the front damage and if it was then the owner / the repairer and presumably assessor would have picked it up.

Its a process- if the owner has a problem it goes to the Insurer etc.

[Apu]

"and Apu "Right Morlock...just like there was no connection between being rear ended and the broken door handle and Coke/coffee stains in my car". Your are right cars sitting in workshops or anywhere can be damaged - thats stating the bloody obvious.

But Morlock...that's what you do so well!

[slimx]

Ombudsman is the way to go, i had a car that just needed a new front bumper and headlights, when i got the car back, the rear wheels were actually "to the right" (Right side sticking out, and left side in). I took it up with the ombudsman and the repairer (AAMI - worst insurance company in terms of quality btw). and it was all repaired free of charge, of course i did have to put up with the panel beater being a flop and nagging about it. - But he did a good (almost great) job. Even made him remove dings haha.

[Old Dude]

someone ran up the back of my son's Mazda 3, took it the insurance companies repairer and from the outside it looked good underneath was covered in overspray where they hadn't been bothered to cover the suspension components , after complaining, the repairer repaired this issue but made other issue's and we found others(reversing sensors in the wrong place, etc)
In the end I rang the insurance company and asked them to assess the repair which they happily did, and found more issues which they made the repairer fix and then re assessed it once it was completed, this continued until the insurance company was totally happy with the job and it was a lot easier having the insurance jump down the repairers throat than me

Cheers
Dale

[slimx]

I assume that's NRMA? They're the only company that actually CARES