URGENT - Cat taken last night

[mrpj]

22 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

In the UK, cars manufactured from 1993 are legally required to have catalytic converters fitted.

Which equates to what I wrote and makes "ALL cars" not strictly correct. Maybe a bit pedantic, but true.

[Catlover]

Ko, have you reported the theft to the police??  What did they have to say?? What are you doing next?? Going through insurance??

[Kojac]

We have 9 years NCB.
NCB is protected.

If I go through insurance:

A) Will I loose my NCB 

or

B) My ability to protect my NCB

or

C) Both?

[roks]

My insurance company for example 1 claim in a year you lose 3yr ncd, 2 claims 6yr ncd etc, so you company will have something similar, call them and ask.

Edit: Since you have protected NCB I guess you wont lose them.

[Catlover]

You won’t loose your NCB, that why you have it. Depends on the terms of your policy but you may be able to have a couple claims in close succession before your NCB reduces. Should all be tabled on your policy/schedule.        Your premium may go up at next renewal because of the claim due to your risk to them. That is completely different to NCB. It happened to me.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Depends on your insurance company.

We have protected no claims and the no claims discount won't reduce for any number of claims - that is in our policy (LV).

Obviously if we make multiple claims, they have the right to withdraw the option of protecting the no claims discount at next renewal, but whilst the discount is protected, it won't reduce.

If this is your first claim in a while, then I doubt your discount and the option of protecting the discount, will be affected.

At the end of the day, you need to check your policy as terms can vary between insurers. Your insurer should be able to confirm where you stand by phone or e-mail, and may be able to provide an indication of how the premium at next renewal may be affected if you do claim. Of course an indication won't be the exact amount.

[Rav4ster]

Unfortunately, at that age, an insurance company might just write the car off. Might be cheaper to just repair out of your pocket.

[TonyHSD]

20 minutes ago, Rav4ster said:

Unfortunately, at that age, an insurance company might just write the car off. Might be cheaper to just repair out of your pocket.

No, I don’t think they will right it off. The used car prices are sky high at the moment. Replacement cat will cost around £1500, the car value is perhaps over £4500. But even if they right off the car he can buy it from them for cheap, fix it and keep the car if he wants. 

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Kojac said:

We have 9 years NCB.
NCB is protected.

If I go through insurance:

A) Will I loose my NCB 

or

B) My ability to protect my NCB

or

C) Both?

My advice is do not wait forum members to tell you what is best for you, the opinions are all different and circumstances around all of us are all different. The usual way is to go through your insurance. You have a good advice given by Frosty, check your policy and see what are the options you have. More we talk about the case, more difficult will become for you to decide. 
Good luck 

[Catlover]

27 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

No, I don’t think they will right it off. The used car prices are sky high at the moment. Replacement cat will cost around £1500, the car value is perhaps over £4500. But even if they right off the car he can buy it from them for cheap, fix it and keep the car if he wants. 

I agree with Tony here re the value of a 2010 Auris hybrid. One in good condition and reasonable miles, a dealer could be asking £5.5k

[FROSTYBALLS]

However, when valuing a vehicle, insurers will work on the market value prior to the claim, taking into account condition, etc.

They won't use dealer prices as those include the dealer's profit margin.

[Kojac]

67,7000 miles - mechanically sound.

 

[Kojac]

Okay - so i've decided to go through insurance.

What comes next?

A) I want the repair done by toyota dealership. The car has had all services from dealership continually since purchase. I need to find a way to make this happen. Any advice available on how to get that done?

B) What other damage could have been done to the car when they took the cat. I'm worried that they dumped the car when removing the jack - and the suspension might have been hit. What are others experiences on this?

C) Is it reasonable to expect the insurance to cover the cost of a cat protection device? Those that have got them to pay for one - how do I go about it?

[yossarian247]

A) You can choose which garage does the repair, although some insurers say that for example they will only provide a courtesy car if you use their approved repairer.

B) Suspension in itself should be fine, likely damage would be to sills, floorpans, jacking points etc if they were careless jacking it up.

C) No, insurance will only replace what was stolen or damaged. Fitting a catloc would be classed as an improvement so not covered by insurance.

[FROSTYBALLS]

5 minutes ago, yossarian247 said:

A) You can choose which garage does the repair, although some insurers say that for example they will only provide a courtesy car if you use their approved repairer.

Not necessarily. Some insurers now charge an additional excess if their approved repairer isn't used.

Again the OP needs to check their policy.

[Catlover]

2 hours ago, yossarian247 said:

A) You can choose which garage does the repair, although some insurers say that for example they will only provide a courtesy car if you use their approved repairer..

My insurer (for at least 6 years now) is LV. The policy states if I don’t want to use their repairer I pay an excess of £100. All in the policy document.
The LV repairer was the Vella Group and they did a superb job, as did LV, everything went smoothly.

[Excel777]

I just had my insurance renewal quote come through.  It's £45 more than last year.  I had to claim on my insurance after my cat got stolen this February.

[Catlover]

2 minutes ago, Excel777 said:

I just had my insurance renewal quote come through.  It's £45 more than last year.  I had to claim on my insurance after my cat got stolen this February.

That’s not a bad increase, though I think car insurance in general may have lowered in the last 12 months or so. Seem to have read somewhere that was the case. My policy with LV went up £7 in the year, new policy starts today. I always use internet comparisons, this year I used GoCompare, and they were the same price as LV for LV,and I checked the content. The only difference which was in my favour is GoCompare give £250 excess pay back in case of a claim.  Ow I hope I don’t have to make a claim, but if I do that is a nice softener, as it actually the total excess I would have to pay (compulsory plus voluntary).

[Excel777]

I went through go compare last year too so my excess of £200 was insured.  The policy was underwritten by AXA. I made the claim in March. They still haven't been paid my excess yet because they ask for so many things such as a receipt I paid my excess, letter from my insurance company confirming: the details of the accident; they have paid the repairer ; and my file is closed.  My insurance is so slow in providing this. 

[flash22]

Trade price is 30-50% less than retail, they will write a car off at 40-60% of the trade value, retail is £5-6K so say trade is £3500-3700, write off level could be £1400-1700 in repairs

[Cyker]

£45 is nothing - They try and put mine up by around that every year regardless if whether I've had an accident or not! 

Emphasis on Try.

[Kojac]

Okay - update:

Summary - good ncb 9+ yrs (protected) - so decided to go through insurance.

The're asking if I want them to repair it - or do I prefer to elect my own garage repair it (likely main dealer toyota if I go down that route).

I am asking for advice from fellow members - whats the best play here on in? 

With their own garage - Will they repair the car to the same standard?

Are they less likely to automatically write-off the car, if I use their "approved" repairers (cheaper)?

Will they use pattern parts instead of origional? Should I care?

(Car's @ 67,790 miles - 2010. Mechanically good condition - main dealer service all the way through).

This thread will be of interest to many fellow members of the community - as we can document how this plays out - and the different decisions that come up for consideration in remedying a stolen cat. 🐱 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Suppose considerations include:

# Courtesy car - do you pay for your insurer to provide a courtesy car whilst yours in being repaired? The approved repairer will more likely have one available. Usually courtesy cars provided are not like-for-like - often small hatchbacks.

# Will the insurer be using a third party cat for the repair?

# What difference will there be on the repair warranty?

[TonyHSD]

If no extra cost or if there is extra cost on your policy and you are happy to pay for using Toyota dealer best way to go this route since many people have their exhaust fitted incorrectly and exhaust blows after cars had been done in insurance approved garages. Again, it will depend on your personal preferences and insurance terms and conditions. Toyota mechanics usually are better trained to work on Toyota cars. 
Good luck 

[Kojac]

24 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:many people have their exhaust fitted incorrectly and exhaust blows after cars had been done in insurance approved garages. Again, it will depend on your personal preferences and insurance terms and conditions. Toyota mechanics usually are better trained to work on Toyota cars. 
Good luck 

Tony,

About many having it fitted incorrectly - this would be good fodder to demonstrate that my choice to go with main dealer is sound.
 

Would you please provide some links so I can read and learn about this concern?