I am not going to lie … This summer I had my 3rd car-related insurance claim.
Back in September 2017 a car rear-ended me while I was stationary at a dual carriageway checking to see if the road was clear. He said he couldn’t see me as he came up the hill as the sun was low and he wrote off my car leaving me with a trapped nerve in my back and 4 months of physio.
I finally got back on the road in early November. During the week between Christmas and New Year I travelled to Meadowhall shopping where on a very cold -4 degree night on a twisty country road on the way home a girl who had just passed her test was going too fast and couldn’t stop when I slowed down for a junction. …
That was the second accident.
I have never believed in the ‘everything comes in 3’s mantra’ but after this summer I do.
While my car was parked up without me in it. Someone decided to reverse out of their driveway without even looking or turning their steering wheel. Damaging the rear of my car, back passengers door and the wheel too.
Thankfully the lady came and found me to tell me what she had done. Although her first thought was she might have hit a child.
Obviously, I immediately checked there was no damaged child and just a damaged Astra Sports Tourer.
We exchanged details and the lady told me she’d be in touch so I headed off to the contact lens appointment I had booked. Before cancelling all my work appointments for the afternoon as I needed to sort out what was going to happen with my car instead.
The accident happened at just before 9am and by 1pm I had still not heard from the lady so decided to start instructing my insurance company to get it sorted. Although I am hoping it was only cosmetic damage I wanted it sorted asap so at least I knew what was going to happen!
I can honestly say that Tesco Car Insurance was amazingly helpful. Although their online claim form had some issues (it was new) I called them and spoke with a very calming and knowledgeable lady who talked me through the whole thing.
They were able to instruct a local garage for me and organise Enterprise car rentals as the garage’s courtesy car was not going to be big enough for us with the things we have booked in over the next few weeks. Including a camping holiday that was planned.
Both the garage and Enterprise were on the phone to me within 30 minutes of finishing my claim form and less than an hour later I was on my way to collect a car and drop mine off to be collected by the garage at Enterprise ready for the assessors to start looking at it. I know I was really lucky to have a great bunch of companies supporting me. In my last car accident due to so many factors with the person that hit me I ended up having to take legal advice and go through a legal process to finish my claim. Although the were amazing it’s not ideal but finding a team that has your back is amazing.
At 9pm, around 12 hours after the incident I finally received a call from the lady that hit my car offering to pay for the damage without insurance being involved. Unfortunately for her, I didn’t have 12 hours to sit about and wonder if I would have my car over the school holidays or worry about being stuck without one. my insurance company have been nothing but superb and I am back on the road. Not yet back in my own car but at least it’s a car that’s fit for purpose while mine is off the road.
I am so grateful in many ways for this incident.
I am grateful she didn’t just drive off and leave my car damaged on the side of the road.
I am grateful no one was injured and certainly not the child she thought it might have hit.
I am grateful for insurance both mine and hers.
I am grateful for the speed at which all the companies involved have stepped up to make sure I remain on the road.
Tesco Car Insurance and Nottingham Enterprise were nothing but amazing throughout the claim and fix. Unfortunately, the garage locally that my car went to turned out to be less than accomerdating costing us to almost lose a day’s holiday with their lack of communication and disregard for our upcoming holiday.
I have now had my 3 car-related issues and now I only hope good luck is going to follow close behind!
Thanks, Tesco Car Insurance and Enterprise Car Rental for having my back while my damaged car gets repaired.
we had 3 no fault claims within a month with our cars years ago.
I attempted theft, 1 drunk driver doing damage, we were thankful at the time as well no child was injured and the 3rd was a successful theft.
We had to foot the excess each time and lost our protected no claims.
Glad you have got your replacement sorted
oh Elaine that must have been horrific! and to even have to foot the bill for the excess is so bad! here’s hoping that you never ever experience anything like that again!