by PARR » Mon Jul 07, 2014 12:44 pm
Hi, Vantastic - thanks for sympathy - yes, ouch!
Found a 2002 RF4 at County Cars of Strood - very helpful place. This vehicle cost them a bit - the sat-nav complex went down and had to be replaced - they got a new one from Japan in just over a week.
Lifesure spot-on - one phone call and they set up Quindell as handling agent, with Soter (? part of Lifesure group) to handle the uninsured losses - full tank of petrol and transfer of cherished number.
Quindell arranged hire vehicle and examination of the old Steppy, and then after arguments about mileage (Speedo showed kilometres but speed in MPH - confused their computer) the scrappage.
Before the offer of payment, as I was told it was an insurance writ-off (£8000+ to repair) I took various items - winter tyres (a local tyre dealer gave me 4 gash ones to put on the Steppy) and the radio (I could not fit it in the RF4 - the sat-nav is integrated electronically with the radio, the reversing camera and the air-conditioning!) and began the cherished number transfer (now complete).
Lifesure were great, (policy with Highway) and no apparent problem with insuring this RF4 as a replacement vehicle - just about £32 which included the £20 admin. charge. All dealt with as a no claim/no fault occurrence - third party total responsibility - he even admitted it to the police!
Lifesure tell me that there will be no increase in premium because of the accident, but there will be a slight increase for the newer vehicle.
Am now spending time altering it - the spare wheel cage will not take a full size wheel (unlike the old steppy) so I am dropping the fixings, and also fitting new LED reversing lights because the original reversing lights now have red bulbs - soon to be LEDs as extra-bright rear fog-lights.