Car insurance - anyone had problems with company disputing damage

[xoggoth]

My van was rear ended while parked. As we are on a steep hill it was in reverse gear with the wheel on full lock. It was fine when I drove it the previous day but when I eventually managed to start it afterwards there was a cloud of white smoke as the alternator belt burnt out (I think, it's not charging now anyway) and the steering wheel wouldn't move.

The company are now saying these cannot be connected to a rear end collision, which is rather implying I am fraudulently claiming for pre-existing faults. Seem to be a few others on net in similar position. Any tips for dealing with the ***?

[Sysman]

Can you tell how far the crash moved your van?

Steering is likely to be out if it bashed against the kerb with sufficient force, and the effect of leaving in gear could have sheared one or more engine mounts. If the engine has shifted that could explain the alternator woes.

Is it front or rear wheel drive?

* I discovered the engine mount problem from repeatedly bump starting an ancient Mini. The subsequent engine movement took out the brake pipes too.

Do the AA or RAC do accident damage inspections/assessments?

[BoredBloke]

* I discovered the engine mount problem from repeatedly bump starting an ancient Mini. The subsequent engine movement took out the brake pipes too.

Bloody hell! My first car was a sierra that had a problem prety much for the length of time that I owned it. As you were driving it would starve the engine of petrol, meaning it would start to misfire - easy enough to solve, put your foot down more, but eventually your foot would be flat to the floor and the engine would start to misfire. I found that if I dropped the clutch it would stall and if I started again a couple of seconds later the probelm went away. So what I did everyday for about 18 months on the M62 was to get it up to about 90, drop the clutch to stall it and freewheel for a bit and then bump it at 90. So probably not a good idea then!

[xoggoth]

It's front wheel drive. Probably only moved 6" to 1ft as it hit my son's car parked just in front.

I'm in the RAC and have their legal cover. Thats an idea! Cheers.

[milanbenes]

Xog,

good story,

you still got the ex BT grey Maestro van ?

Is your street like the Boswells street ?

Milan.

[Paddy]

[QUOTE=Sysman;1261394]

* I discovered the engine mount problem from repeatedly bump starting an ancient Mini. The subsequent engine movement took out the brake pipes too.

QUOTE]


Years ago the main dealer wanted £300 to replace the auto gearbox on a friends Mini. I fixed the problem with a 50p rubber mount

[xoggoth]

BT grey Maestro van? Good lord no, y Reg ford Courier these days.

[d000hg]

Get a local mechanic to come and have a look and see what he says?

[RichardCranium]

20 years ago, friend of a friend driving on the North Circular Road at night.

He sees a vehicle in the lane in front of him and realises too late it is reversing toward him despite showing no reversing lights. He hit the vehicle in front.

The vehicle in front was a taxi. The taxi driver said he was going slowly looking for the house number to stop at when he was rammed from behind.

The back of the taxi was smashed so no way to tell if any of the rear lights were defective.

Friend of friend kicked up a fuss and managed to get an inspection done of the taxi; an engineer wrote a report saying the way the gears were shredded meant the taxi must have been in reverse.



Get an engineer to have a look and give a professional opinion.

[Paddy]

20 years ago, friend of a friend driving on the North Circular Road at night.

He sees a vehicle in the lane in front of him and realises too late it is reversing toward him despite showing no reversing lights. He hit the vehicle in front.

The vehicle in front was a taxi. The taxi driver said he was going slowly looking for the house number to stop at when he was rammed from behind.

The back of the taxi was smashed so no way to tell if any of the rear lights were defective.

Friend of friend kicked up a fuss and managed to get an inspection done of the taxi; an engineer wrote a report saying the way the gears were shredded meant the taxi must have been in reverse.

.

another test is...
If the reversing light was smashed along with the bulb; if the light was on the filament would have vaporised and left traces on the glass; if the light was off the filament would have just broken.