Insurance claim

[Roadsport06]

Good evening,

A person at work was parked next to the seven and drove off hitting front o/s wheel. The car was pushed to be at an angle in the parking space perhaps 6 ft. The wheel needs a refurb, new front wing and indicator. It is difficult to tell if the suspension/space frame have taken damage but I am insisting it goes to a Caterham specialist.

I won't be wanting the car over the winter. I'm based in Sutton Coldfield in the West Mids and have been asked by the other person's underwriter to give details of a few specialists.

Could anyone suggest any relatively local specialists who you take the car to give it a thorough check over, take on any suspension damage if there is any and just get the car sorted without me needing to pass the car between companies.

Kendrick in Llongollen gets positive mentions here, MacMillan Motorsport in Hinkley. Would these be able to just take the car and bring it back all sorted and are there others I could pass details to the underwriters?

Thank you all

 

[Viblue7]

Maybe Nick Potter?

[BenF]

Premier Power are near Leamington Spa and know their stuff.

[Golf Juliet Tango]

I'm sorry to hear this.

I'm sure either Kenrick or MacMillan can fulfil your needs. Probably Nick Potter too. 

To an extent it depends upon what space they have and how busy they are.  

The key thing to remember is that it is your choice completely, not their insurance company's nor their assessors.  

[John Vine]

Jon Vicker or Eric Ball at Millwood would sort things out for you, I'm sure.

JV

[Roadsport06]

Firstly, thank you for all of your suggestions.

I didn't realise Premier Power were based in Lem Spa.

Thanks for me pointing out that it is my choice as to where the car goes. I've been given the run around with the time it took for an assessor to come out and then the record they have even been out to me doesn't exist. I finally managed to speak to someone who appears to be helpful. I asked them to Google our car and they then appreciated it needs me to send them photos and go to a specialist.

Out of the ones suggested do people have first hand experience with repair work?

[Golf Juliet Tango]

My repairs/rebuilds have all been done at Ratrace (bodywork on the 21 at Option 1 and chassis work at Arch), so I have no experience of others.

[Roadsport06]

Good evening all,

To close off this thread and it might be useful for people in the future...

I had been going through the insurer of the person who drove into my car. Their underwriter is Markerstudy who is the underwriter for my A-plan insurance. I had an assessor visit around mid October. The assessor decided the whole offside front suspension needed changing as "the wheel isn't pointing in the same direction as the other". 3 weeks on and I contact Markerstudy to chase up getting my car sorted. No record of the assessor visit. I explained that I didn't have confidence in the assessor report as I wasn't convinced there was suspension damage. VRG, a company acting on behalf of Markerstudy asked me to send over photos, I did and a number of weeks and hours of getting the run around I was told that they thought my car is not an economic repair. This was utter rubbish. I decided to call A-plan mid December, who asked why I hadn't called them in the first place. I haven't needed to sort out a claim until now and ultimately it all seemed straight forward to me that a specialist car needed to go to a specialist to check it over and then make the repair.

A-plan got the ball rolling, for me to then find that Markerstudy was my underwriter. Markerstudy set a company acting on their behalf to get my car sorted. I explained that I wasn't too fussed who did the repair as long as they were Caterham specialists. I got a phone call from a body shop who admitted they had never worked on a Caterham. Despite being assured it would be a Caterham specialist. Back on the phone to A-plan and I got my car to McMillan for inspection. Paperwork to follow from Markerstudy to explain that they would only cover £35 an hour for labour as I wasn't using their approved repairers. Back on the phone to A-plan who say that Markerstudy would waive this as A-plan said it needs a specialist.

McMillan Motorsport were brilliant. I left the car with them over Christmas. A new wing and indicator pod were needed. They changed the stub axle as a precaution and steering rack too as that had a bit of play. The car was lining up fine so the assessor was wrong regarding suspension damage, not that that mattered as no record exists of that. The alloy that was damaged no longer had an exact replacement at Caterham. The same 14" minilite style but the wheel centre size is now slightly different so I would have had a wheel with a different centre cap. McMillan put through on the insurance for a full set of wheels. Markerstudy pushed back. I queried this with A-plan. The outcome is that by having a full set of wheels is "betterment". How having a mismatched wheel centre is acceptable in putting me back to the same position I was when someone drove into my car is beyond me.

In summary:

My car is back after what was minor damage having gone to McMillan Motorsport who were great.

A-plan were professional and got things moving.

Markerstudy - I'll be doing my research on the underwriters when I come to renew.

 

 

[Andy135]

Sorry to hear you've had trouble with Marker Study. Prior to buying insurance for my Seven for the first time I had heard that they were iffy when it comes to claims, and when A-Plan quoted with Marker Study as the underwriter I turned their quote down on that basis.

Interestingly when I spoke to the broker MSM for insurance they stated that they refuse to work with Marker Study. Make of that what you will...

[SLR No.77]

1.3 / 5 on Trustpilot, not exactly many glowing reviews.

[Roadsport06]

I had a few back and forth emails with A-plan regarding a full replacement of alloys and that a mismatched one is hardly betterment. I explained that would be the opposite. A-plan took this back to Markerstudy who didn't budge. I would have been in a position of raising a complaint and not accepting the car back. After 8 weeks the financial ombudsman would then be able to make their judgement. After someone driving into the Caterham way back in September and hours spent on the phone, I didn't go down the formal complaint route. Ultimately a refurb or sourcing a second hand replacement isn't a big deal but this was a example of how Markerstudy want to just use their approved repairers and didnt mind if my car looked odd with a different wheel centre.

Andy - you did your homework on the underwriter, and turned down A-plan based on that. I don't think many of us really know what we are doing when it comes to buying insurance. A few club members buying their insurance through A-plan and finding them efficient and a few adverts in a club magazine is as far as we go. I'll certainly be looking at reviews of the underwriter. I know the person who drove in to my car (work colleague) has said she'll never insure with Markerstudy either. We were parked next to each other and she didn't see my car, too much lock driving out and scratched down the side of her her car using my front wing. Her car is a Maserati, about 10years old so the car has done it's depreciating. Even at Christmas the car was not back with her - repaired. As the car was taken over 35 miles away to be repaired they wouldn't give her a courtesy car. She pointed out they made the decision to take it where they did.

I moved from MSM years back when I did my first track day, but track days seem so expensive now and with kids I've not done one for a few years. Ice for a few months to do my homework before my insurance is due.

[GulfSeven]

I recently turned down insurance with A-Plan, despite them being the cheapest, and the main reason was Markerstudy being the underwriter. In addition to their reputation, their trackday policy wording is out of date so you can't actually meet the requirements for cover. They also won't offer agreed value cover. As Roadsport06 says, most people just assume cover is cover and don't read the small print or do any research.

[Dave Hardcastle]

Reading this thread I just checked my A-Plan insurance to find that it's with Markerstudy. I wonder whether A-Plan will review their underwriter based on this?

I left my last insurer because when speaking with the staff on the phone, one hand didn't appear to know what the other was doing, and the staff were not very confidence inspiring.

We all like to get things cheaper, but it's a stressful time when we have an accident in any vehicle. The last thing I want is for the insurer to make a drama out of a crisis, thereby making it worse.

[Simon420R]

Likewise. Annoyingly A-Plan were fantastic to deal with when setting up insurance for my car but I'll not use them again if they stay with Markerstudy. Their reviews are horrendous. 

[JP]

Watching this carefully.  I'm currently phoning around to get renewal quotes.  AF is the best thus far with Trinity Lane.  A-plan have taken my number and not called me back.  REIS is not competitive...

Currently the car is laid up being refurbished, so my insurance requirements are very limited, but when it gets back on the road, I will looking very carefully at the underwriters etc.

[BenF]

I use MSM for my home, travel and 7 insurance.  Dave Spragg at MSM admits that they don't offer the cheapest cover, but they choose underwriters who are reliable and give good service.

It's good if A-Plan can fight your corner, but I'd think a good choice of underwriter (even if not the cheapest) is part of the job of a broker.  I imagine that A-Plan will react to this kind of thing, it's not in their interest to use underwriters who are a pain to deal with.

 

[Geoff Brown]

I had a minor but annoying run in with Markerstudy even though A-Plan Thatcham batted in my corner. Unfortunately the battle was lost.

I hit a Pheasant which not only shattered the windscreen but also bent the frame. Markerstudy would allow a glass damage claim but stated that the frame was part of the body work & therefore a body work repair claim was necessary. 

After some prevarication Markerstudy would not see sense in that the windscreen could come as complete assembly & that the frame was detachable from the body work or glass & did not form part of the 'body structure'. I pointed to several other specialist insurance providers who do regard the windscreen as just glass or if necessary a complete assembly with frame.

I could see that my premium would increase if I made the body work claim for the frame so bit the bullet & purchased the complete screen out of my own pocket & fittted it myself.

As others have stated here Markerstudy offer good premiums but the underwriting & whether they have any real 'specialists'  creates problems. I have been insured with Markerstudy via A-plan for some time & am happy with the premium renewal but I always have that nagging doubt about having to initiate a substantial claim. 

But I am sure that Carlie & associates would probably sort things out without too much angst.

 

[7 wonders of the world]

MSM and Dave Spragg everytime, 

My claim was dealt with swiftly and professionally from the first call, I too am looking to TD cover but ill buy this separately as I wont move form my agreed value MSM policy.

Been with AF .... utter muppets, I was tempted to use A plan for TD cover but that wont be happening now, 

Any other recommendations for good standalone TD cover please...?

 

 

[StevehS3]

I paid a bit more to go with A Plan as I thought they were considered the best. I am now wondering whether to cancel the policy. I know a couple of people that have had recent claims through AF and both were very satisfied the the outcomes. I think I will go back to AF as I want the track days inclusive.

#18 RIES offer stand alone track day cover but I think it is quite expensive buying that way.

[Benton]

Just to confuse the picture REiS (the broker) is part of the wider Markerstudy Group (see last line)

[7 wonders of the world]

#19 & 20 thanks for those,

Adrian Flux use Markerstudy too.....

 

Just been looking at Moris for Track Day cover - anyone used them...?

 

 

[StevehS3]

#20 

[Jonathan Kay]

"Just been looking at Moris for Track Day cover - anyone used them...?"

I do: 
https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/comment/2304269#comment-2304269
https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/comment/2304508#comment-2304508

Jonathan

[JP]

#21 - my first renewal quote from AF was with AXA, howver...  Bearing in mind that the car is currently laid up, a restriction on cover was that the car had to be roadworthy and with a valid MOT!  That is obviously not the case with a car in pieces.  When I queried this was told it would be fine.  My response was to ask for confirmation of that in writing or an amended IPID document.  Surprise, surprise, I was then on hold of for ages until I was told that it wasn't fine after all and I was re-quoted with Trinity Lane.

The AXA IPID also required the car to be locked...I didn't get far enough into the conversation to discover whether this would be "fine" too...

[ScottR400D]

AXA don't get the best of reviews......