Stolen car insurance advice

[Stewbacca]

Guys

Forgive my naivety but I’m looking for a little advice and guidance relating to car insurance and stolen vehicles – albeit not directly MG/Rover related.

Long story short my wife’s 17 year Corsa was stolen from the street outside the house the other weekend. We were awoken at 4am by the police informing us that the car had been recovered around 200 yards from the house. The car had taken to a local recovery yard for storage to allow Police scenes of crimes to do their thing. It could have been a lot worse – my ZT was parked behind it. A neighbours CCTV showed 2 men forcing the door, breaking the steering lock and pushing it down the road in an attempt to bump start (they failed as the vehicle has a key based immobiliser.)

Now after 10 days we have been told that the car is available for collection however there is the matter of £500 for recovery and storage. The insurance company want to take the car away for assessment due the age and value of the car. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that they will want to write it off.

My question is what options do I have? The car is driveable but the recovery agent won’t release until his bill is paid and the insurers are reluctant to pay to release as they want to assess the damage (which is superficial.)

I just want to get the vehicle back. It’s a low mileage example of no monetary value however it’s a superbly reliable city run-around and a few marks of the bodywork where they forced the door don’t worry me.

Having never had to deal with a situation like this I’m at a bit of a loss so any guidance or advice would be much appreciated

[rustymotor]

Think I would be questioning the £500 charge like who sanctioned it, Police usually have their own facility..though should be down to the insurers if someone notified them, do they know the charges for storage are ongoing?

It's a bummer either way for you, sounds like idiots looking for a ride home...

Many years ago was driving up the M11 and stopped in Harlow for a break, parked in a multi story..searched the car park floor by floor until I realised my car was gone..some weeks later police called to say they had it at Harlow police station, it was a wreck all dash broken been in a field had to scrap it..

Hope you can sort it press the insurance company..

[Stewbacca]

The police arranged recovery. We were tucked in bed completely unaware that the car had been stolen, found and then recovered to a private storage facility.

Likewise we had no control as to how long the vehicle was/is being stored. we were told it was part of an ongoing investigation and would only be released after the forensic checks were complete.

[Coups]

Originally Posted by Stewbacca

The police arranged recovery. We were tucked in bed completely unaware that the car had been stolen, found and then recovered to a private storage facility.

Likewise we had no control as to how long the vehicle was/is being stored. we were told it was part of an ongoing investigation and would only be released after the forensic checks were complete.

Your car would have been recovered under the vehicle recovery scheme. There's no reason for the police to arrange this unless the car was causing an obstruction. If it wasn't, and even if it was given the time of day, then they MUST make reasonable attempts to trace the keeper (you) to make your arrangements to move it. It is NOT sufficient for them to say THEY want to keep it for scenes of crime examination without asking you as if you agree then you're libel for the bill in these circumstances. Why couldn't a scene examination take place at your own home.....

You should have been given the choice. If not I'd argue they maybe haven't made reasonable attempts to trace you given it was only 200 yards from your house!...... In those circumstances I'd say they'd be libel for the bill.

I'd also take question to the length of time it took. Normally examination takes place the next morning.

Fees are agreed on a national basis and are payable to the garage. It's around £150 initial with additional fit every 24hr period thereafter. Can't remember the exact cost so won't estimate!

Remember it's your car. Once it's been recovered by the police what happens next is your choice and that includes scene examination.

Good luck.


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[HarryM1BYT]

Grandson in law was involved in a no fault accident on his m/bike. A driver drove into the side of him, in a traffic queue. Bike was wrecked him ambulanced to hospital. Bike was taken under police instruction to a private pound, which charged a similar fee for its release.

The cost was paid by the other drivers insurance, eventually.

He received a call from a no win, no fee solicitor, a call which I took from him. The caller made clear that he would get all of the value of the damages and the solicitor's would make there claim as a separate item in court.

The damages awarded came to £2500 and the solicitor tried to claim £1,500 of that as his fees, until I stepped in again and pointed out that he/we had been assured the solicitors fees would form a separate part of the claim. At which point the solicitor caved in and he sent a cheque for the full amount.

Getting back to the point, I understand it is dodgy ground. Police should have made a reasonable attempt to contact the owner first, but if they cannot they can call in a third party contractor to deal with vehicles. They cannot just leave them damaged at the road side, after an accident or unsecured.

[DerekS]

Some years ago my MG Maestro was found by the milkman , 200 yds down our road . Doors open , boot open , steering column wires hanging down . They couldnt start it due to a secret switch . Police not interested at all .

[marinabrian]

I had this with a customers car which was subject to an attempted theft window smashed, steering column smashed and pushed five yards down the street.

The car was then collected by a police appointed recovery agent, (from which the police receive a payment for each vehicle recovered)

The following morning, the owner contacted the police, to be told, yes it has been recovered to a garage less than three miles away, I drove immediately to said garage only to be told the car had been taken away by Motorhog in Doncaster by the "insurance company"

So a swift call to the insurance company by my customer ensued, stating that the car was to be returned forthwith and at no cost, as permission had not been sought by the insurer to the owner of the car to remove the car from the recovering garage.

Needless to say, the car was returned two days afterwards, to my place of work by a motorhog car transporter, and the driver was told in no uncertain terms that the car had been removed without permission and no fees, real or imagined were to be paid

Twenty minutes after the car rolled off the transporter, it had a new lockset fitted and was running, and two hours later it was fitted with a new side door glass.

Total repair time, and cost was less than a third of the recovery cost, which my customer refused point blank to pay, and who could blame him, his car was rolled from outside his door, to outside his next door neighbour's house, and the attending Plod coudn't even be bothered to run a check on who the car belonged too, and knock on his door

Scam from start to finish

Brian

[steve-45]

When I had my 45 stolen - they broke in and took the keys, tip ..... don't keep the car keys near the front door.

I was contacted a couple of days later by the police and told it had been recovered to the local car pound.

When I went to collect it, it was told that as a " victim of crime" no fees were payable and I was taken straight to the front of the queue of people collecting their vehicles that had been removed for illegal parking.

[chgperformance]

Who authorised the storage?

We had a broken window at our workshop shop once. We didnt know anything until we came in the next morning to find it boarded over! We were then informed by the police that the officer who discovered it had called the glass company and asked for it to be done. The glass company left us a bill for £250 for a piece of 8x4 stering board screwed over the window!

We asked them who signed for it, he said the police officer to which we replied, well either go chase him for it or come and take the board back!

[rustymotor]

Hell fire..is there no end to the scams going on! now the cops