Interesting insurance conundrum

[hogweed]

Some of you might still remember me – had my 75 for over 12 years, but had to give up in the end as I was tired of taking wheelbarrows full of money to her. Anyway, got an Insignia of similar spec, and am generally happy with it – especially the auto box


However… somebody hit it and ran in the Tesco car park, and damaged the front n/s headlight. These are hideously complex and expensive units (like £1200 each), and there was also some scratching on the bumper. I have protected NCD, so I put it through my insurance. I’ve been driving over 50 years, and I think this is the first claim I’ve ever made (excluding numerous motorbikes ).


Anyway, problem is that it turns out headlights for these and some other cars have been on back order for a very long time. The insurance company has even asked the repairer to look at used units, but they say they can’t get one of them either.


So here’s my problem… presumably my car won’t pass its next MOT with one headlamp, and I can’t drive it at night. I’m asking the insurance company what they plan to do – after endless broken records that sound like they’re coming from a politician, she said “We may end up offering a cash alternative”.


I don’t know what that means, but unless it’s about £10k () it won’t help me… when the car fails its MOT, it’ll be sitting in the driveway indefinitely.
So… what do you think Hastings will do? Would they write the car off for want of a headlight?? Or will they just leave me without a car for months or years?


Hope you don’t mind me asking here, but the Vauxhall forums are a bit juvenile… any ideas?


Ta

[Lee T]

I would assume that as 'Here's the cash for a Headlight'
possibly the cost of fitting and paint repair, then your not their problem. Can't see how they can write it off as I'm guessing the car is worth more than the repairs. As all insurance companies, they are helpful taking your money and obstructive when handing it back.

[macafee2]

Just a suggestion, find out who the ceo of Vauxhall UK is and E-mail them asking for help sourcing a headlight.


macafee2

[sln8458]

Roger,

What is so special about the headlights?


Could you/insurance buy a complete donor car, I've seen a couple around £1500
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-det...02405039339934

[Arctic]

Originally Posted by hogweed

Some of you might still remember me – had my 75 for over 12 years, but had to give up in the end as I was tired of taking wheelbarrows full of money to her. Anyway, got an Insignia of similar spec, and am generally happy with it – especially the auto box


However… somebody hit it and ran in the Tesco car park, and damaged the front n/s headlight. These are hideously complex and expensive units (like £1200 each), and there was also some scratching on the bumper. I have protected NCD, so I put it through my insurance. I’ve been driving over 50 years, and I think this is the first claim I’ve ever made (excluding numerous motorbikes ).

So here’s my problem… presumably my car won’t pass its next MOT with one headlamp, and I can’t drive it at night. I’m asking the insurance company what they plan to do – after endless broken records that sound like they’re coming from a politician, she said “We may end up offering a cash alternative”.


I don’t know what that means, but unless it’s about £10k () it won’t help me… when the car fails its MOT, it’ll be sitting in the driveway indefinitely.
So… what do you think Hastings will do? Would they write the car off for want of a headlight?? Or will they just leave me without a car for months or years?


Hope you don’t mind me asking here, but the Vauxhall forums are a bit juvenile… any ideas?


Ta

Hi Roger.
Any good, what model is your car ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166735022...3ABFBMqOHOpupj

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226020192...3ABFBMqOHOpupj

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...ight+&_sacat=0

[MSS]

Originally Posted by hogweed

Some of you might still remember me – had my 75 for over 12 years, but had to give up in the end as I was tired of taking wheelbarrows full of money to her. Anyway, got an Insignia of similar spec, and am generally happy with it – especially the auto box


However… somebody hit it and ran in the Tesco car park, and damaged the front n/s headlight. These are hideously complex and expensive units (like £1200 each), and there was also some scratching on the bumper. I have protected NCD, so I put it through my insurance. I’ve been driving over 50 years, and I think this is the first claim I’ve ever made (excluding numerous motorbikes ).

Anyway, problem is that it turns out headlights for these and some other cars have been on back order for a very long time. The insurance company has even asked the repairer to look at used units, but they say they canÂ’t get one of them either.

So here’s my problem… presumably my car won’t pass its next MOT with one headlamp, and I can’t drive it at night. I’m asking the insurance company what they plan to do – after endless broken records that sound like they’re coming from a politician, she said “We may end up offering a cash alternative”.

I don’t know what that means, but unless it’s about £10k () it won’t help me… when the car fails its MOT, it’ll be sitting in the driveway indefinitely.
SoÂ… what do you think Hastings will do? Would they write the car off for want of a headlight?? Or will they just leave me without a car for months or years?

Hope you donÂ’t mind me asking here, but the Vauxhall forums are a bit juvenileÂ… any ideas?

Ta

A word of caution. I would not drive the car with an inoperative headlamp during the day as you will not be able to flash other road users etc. If it will not pass an MOT, you expect it will not, the car is not roadworthy. This may void your insurance cover. Alternatively, take it in for an MOT and if it passes with the present condition of the headlamp then that may help your cause in case of another accident etc.

Why not take a look on ebay, at AutoDoc etc. for an aftermarket headlamp?

Consult the terms of your policy to find out about the cover when the car is not repairable due to non-availability of parts etc.

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by macafee2

Just a suggestion, find out who the ceo of Vauxhall UK is and E-mail them asking for help sourcing a headlight

I might end up doing that, indeed… but the word is they can’t get anything from the factories in Eastern Europe

Originally Posted by sln8458

Roger, What is so special about the headlights?

They’re these stupid ones that see round corners etc. I don’t even want this, but it has to be replaced with the correct part number of course. I did suggest getting a pair of simpler ones, but apparently that brings on a permanent dash warning, which is still an MOT failure. And very annoying.

Originally Posted by sln8458

Could you/insurance buy a complete donor car, I've seen a couple around £1500

Trouble is, the insurance company doesn't really accept suggestions from me – they have their ways of doing things, and that’s that.

Originally Posted by Arctic

Hi Roger. Any good, what model is your car?

Yes at least one of them looks right Steve (mine's an Insignia A, 2015, facelift - but there are several different headlight specs) – and I will certainly suggest it to the repair company. Thanks for that, as always. But I sadly fear “procedures” will get in the way of them doing anything so creative…


Oh, and so many of those suppliers won't post to NI

Originally Posted by MSS

A word of caution. I would not drive the car with an inoperative headlamp during the day as you will not be able to flash other road users etc. If it will not pass an MOT, you expect it will not, the car is not roadworthy. This may void your insurance cover. Alternatively, take it in for an MOT and if it passes with the present condition of the headlamp then that may help your cause in case of another accident etc.

Right. Unfortunately I have very little choice, as there isn't great public transport here, and I’m a carer for my very elderly mother etc. Just have to take my chances. The light does come on sometimes, when it dries out I think, so it’s roadworthy some of the time – who’s to say what state it was in when I hit something? A bit like quantum particles, which only assume a known state when observed

Originally Posted by MSS

Why not take a look on ebay, at AutoDoc etc. for an aftermarket headlamp?

Yes, and Steve has pointed to a couple. But it’s the repair and insurance companies who are doing that, not me. All I can do is try and point them…

Originally Posted by MSS

Consult the terms of your policy to find out about the cover when the car is not repairable due to non-availability of parts etc.

No mention of that, sadly.

[macafee2]

also check the policy for a hire car while yours is in for repair

macafee2

[sln8458]

When is the next MOT?


Could YOU buy a headlight from one of Steve's links and fit that to keep the car road legal while the insurance company & Vauxhall pi55 about with the new one??


If it helps, you can get a headlight sent to me and I will forward on to you.

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by macafee2

also check the policy for a hire car while yours is in for repair

I actually did have a hire car from the repair company for the first few weeks, but it was so horrible (some sort of little Skoda, with a manual box, horrible annoying nagging electronics, and a boot too small for my mother’s wheelchair) I asked for mine back. At that time, the headlight still worked.
Buy yes, I may have to ask for it again…

Originally Posted by sln8458

When is the next MOT?

Not till October, thankfully – but the light has now failed completely, which means I really don’t want to drive it at night…

Originally Posted by sln8458

Could YOU buy a headlight from one of Steve's links and fit that to keep the car road legal while the insurance company & Vauxhall pi55 about with the new one??

Interesting idea, but having now done a very thorough search on eBay, I can’t find a precise match for mine (HID, funny directional steering, all that rubbish).

Originally Posted by sln8458

If it helps, you can get a headlight sent to me and I will forward on to you.

That's extraordinarily decent of you Sir if it comes to that, I have friends in England, and had already thought about enlisting their help!