Tesco / Direct Line Insurance

[Matthew_McNally]

This post is mainly so I can refer people to this thread every time they think of using Tesco.

I insured my first IS with Tesco.

They had the cheapest quote - and that's what we are looking for eh?

Unfortunately - I was involved in an accident.

A woman turned right at a set of traffic lights.

Sort of through me.

:(

I was completely blame free - she admitted it was her fault to the police at the scene - and within a week, we had it in writing from her insurance company.

My car was seven (7) weeks old, and had done 1700 miles.

The Direct Line engineer sent to inspect my vehicle estimated the cost to repair it at £12,000.

Got to be a write off, hasn't it.

Who on earth would put £12k of work on a seven week old car?

Tesco

Their total loss policy is that a car in its first year will only be treated as a total loss if the cost to repair exceeds 60% of the value of the car.

So, my £23,500 IS (on the road cost) would need £14100 of damage before they would write it off.

To put it mildy, I disagreed with both the engineer, and direct with Tesco.

I disagreed with them violently, on many, many occasions.

One of the ways they were keeping the cost down was to not send the car to a Lexus garage for the paintwork.

I have it in writing from Lexus GB that this would invalidate my paintwork / anti rust warranties.

They didn't care - they would not send it to Lexus for paint work.

The other way they kept the cost down was that they refused to put a new body shell on it.

The garage who initially inspected the vehicle recommended a new body shell, as the floor and gear box tunnel were warped.

Direct Line engineer who inspected the car decided not to put a new shell on, as it would be cheaper to just brace up the gear box tunnel.

I ended up hiring my own engineer from the RAC to provide an inspection report.

The RAC engineer ripped the Direct Line engineer to shreds.

The RAC engineer's report included a lot more things that the Direct Line engineer.

It also insisted on a new bodyshell.

RAC report stated it would cost nearly £19,000 to repair.

Even then - the Direct Line engineer would not accept the RAC report.

The RAC engineer ended up talking to the Head of Direct Line Inspection Engineers to get this resolved.

After three months of constant stress and pressure from arguing with my own insurance company, over an accident I was a completely innocent party to, the decision was made to write my vehicle off, and give me a new car.

Moral of the story?

Tesco / Direct Line may be cheap.

But, before you sign up with them, make sure you are aware that should the worst happen, you could be looking at having an awful lot of major repair work done, when you would really be happier with a new car.

I think that these two company's would work well for your £7k Kia - where it would only take £4200 to be written off.

But if you have an accident in your lovely new £28, 450 GS300 - Tesco / Direct Line would be quite happy to put

well over £16,000 of repair work on it.

Would you be happy with that?

[andyhart21]

A scary story indeed Mat. Its certainly made me think twice about getting quotes from those two again.

[Rodders_UK]

I just dumped Direct Line today - they wanted an EXTRA 200 quid for an SP30 and alloy wheels.

Best quote I got was NU Direct.

[rob200]

like most things its the luck of the draw - like when people say you always get excellent service from lexus when not everybody does...

i had direct line insurance when i had an accident in my bmw 328i (most places wanted £1800+ whereas direct line cost £860 fully comp)

the accident was my fault - nobody else was involved. the engineer said it could be repaired (heavy front-end damage) but that he assumed i'd rather have a new car because 'they never feel the same afterwards'

we reached a figure (roughly what I'd get if i'd part exchanged it - before the accident :) ) and i went off and bought my is200.

don't get me wrong, i think most insurance companies are a bunch of crooks, but i don't think that it is as easy as saying the cheapest premiums will cause the most hassle when you have an accident.

[Monster-Mat]

MAT ...........

with the fact you have evidence that your ex-insurance company was prepared to put a car back on the road with a damaged floorpan and tunnel to save the cost of re-shelling..........i would definatly send this infomation to the ombundsman.........i am absolutly shocked that a insurance company.....and so called vehicle inspector would be prepared to do that

take these ******* to the cleaners

[Loz]

I have to agree with the Chairman on this one!

Also I recomend www.axamotor.co.uk as a great source of good cover at very fair prices! As I went to Law school I had it drilled into me that you read anything that might matter. as such I pick insurance based on cost and quality.

AXA - not a bad way to cover yourself....

Can you tell I'm in Marketing mode?

Loz

[ricky_is200]

Matt, isn't the 60% rule to be a write off going to be the same for most insurance companies?

[Matthew_McNally]

don't get me wrong, i think most insurance companies are a bunch of crooks, but i don't think that it is as easy as saying the cheapest premiums will cause the most hassle when you have an accident.

Rob,

don't get me wrong mate - I'm not saying

cheap = crap

I'm saying Tesco = crap

[Matthew_McNally]

with the fact you have evidence that your ex-insurance company was prepared to put a car back on the road with a damaged floorpan and tunnel to save the cost of re-shelling..........i would definatly send this infomation to the ombundsman.........i am absolutly shocked that a insurance company.....and so called vehicle inspector would be prepared to do that

Mat

don't have evidence.

there was never any formal paperwork on the £12k.

Apparently the process is that "we" (the DL engineer and myself) agree the repair cost / process etc - then the formal settlement figure is issued.

I refused point blank, most vehemently to accept the DL engineers report.

No dice - not happy, didn't care how he explained his position. I was not having any of it!

:D

therefore - never any formal paperwork.

[Matthew_McNally]

Matt, isn't the 60% rule to be a write off going to be the same for most insurance companies?

Ricky,

don't know mate - this is my only ever claim, or involvement with a car insurance company (other than to give my credit card details).

My major sticking point was their argument that they only had to put me back in the position I was in before the accident.

My argument was that before the accident, I didn't have a car with £12k worth of repairs, and a braced up gearbox tunnel. My car before the damage also had over 10 years of paintwork / anti rust warranties.

They maintained that they were putting me back in the position I was in before the accident.

[ricky_is200]

Sounds like a complete nightmare matt, glad you got a new car in the end. I certainly wouldn't want to drive/own a car with that amount of work done on it.

[rob200]

don't get me wrong mate - I'm not saying

cheap = crap

I'm saying Tesco = crap

i'd say

insurance companies = crap :D

[Matthew_McNally]

i'd say

insurance companies = crap :D

I would slightly modify that statement to

insurance companies = crap (except those that pay me high rates)

:D

[TonyGoose]

A mate of mine has a repair shop ...

He hates direct line and their aliases (tesco, privilege etc).

Their so called 'engineers' are always trying to screw him down on repair hours / rates,

encourage him to use 2nd hand or non genuine parts etc.

In fact any trick in the book to reduce the repair cost.

AND they drag out paying for the work too .... What a bunch of complete *********

[TonyGoose]

Direct Line engineer who inspected the car decided not to put a new shell on, as it would be cheaper to just brace up the gear box tunnel.

The tunnel is meant to crumple - part of the design.

To brace it makes the car more dangerous.

A reputable repairer WOULD NOT entertain this as an option.

And i think an 'engineer' ( clearly a term used in it's loosest sense ) suggesting this should be struck off !!

[Steve]

OK.. taken into consideration at some of the commets hear in regards to DL and Tesco insurance.

I have been doing some research and I am in talks with a specialist insurer who will create talior made insurance for for lexus owners club.

This is not your usually yeah givea bit of discount blah blah

But specially tailored IS200 insurance as well as specially tailored GS insurance.

This will only be avialble to gold members. I will be posting information soon in the gold forums which will be a questionaire... you will need to email me the questionaire back from as many members as possible.. we will then get a tailred insurance cover.

This also allows for mods too! This would be a great option!

let me work on this and more new will soon be anounced.

[Matthew_McNally]

OK.. taken into consideration at some of the commets hear in regards to DL and Tesco insurance.

I have been doing some research and I am in talks with a specialist insurer who will create talior made insurance for for lexus owners club.

This is not your usually yeah givea bit of discount blah blah

But specially tailored IS200 insurance as well as specially tailored GS insurance.

This will only be avialble to gold members. I will be posting information soon in the gold forums which will be a questionaire... you will need to email me the questionaire back from as many members as possible.. we will then get a tailred insurance cover.

This also allows for mods too! This would be a great option!

let me work on this and more new will soon be anounced.

that is a fabulous idea Steve

[Steve]

well as long as the questionaires are filled in correctly so our specialist can review and also get an agreement with the main insurer then we should be cooking with gas.

This is insurance for clubs and so having a proper understanding of the vehicle helps the insurer give a correct quote.

We are not dealing with DL btw.

Hopefully this afternoon i will get this questionaire

Steve

[simonskippy]

that sounds ace steve

[Rodders_UK]

Sounds brill!!! - is it gonna be soon - I have to renew mine in 2 weeks

[Steve]

just had a conversation on the phone and what it will involve is a custom tailored policy to suit you.

I am having a meeting next tuesday and hopefully come up with something fast!

[Jimmy Ten Toes]

Only renewed mine last week, but never mind, sounds interesting

[Loz]

Go Steve!!!

I'm up for renewal in Feb so take your time and get it right!! :P :D

Only kidding mate. Just do the best you can and I'll happily fill in a questionaire. Reckon the AXA people will be hard to beat though...

On an related note... I have roadside assist with Greenflag/Direct Line. never had a problem. they came out and took my Range Rover Dash appart when the Key got stuck in the ingition and would not turn.. I was 170 miles from home and they fixed it. took less than an hour. Impressed...

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear...

Loz