Written Off

Discussion in 'Triumph General Discussion' started by TonyG, Mar 26, 2024.

  1. TonyG

    TonyG Noble Member

    Dec 1, 2016
    817
    443
    Bucks
    A couple of weeks ago I posted that I'd been rear ended by a Transit van at a roundabout 10 minutes after I'd paid Triumph West London £674 for a service. Well, the worst has happened and the other party's insureres have said they think they will write it off and have offered me the lowest end of the scale in a payout for my Thruxton 1200. The bike was a one off special by Jack Lilley with a host of extras, including a fantastic orange paint job. I've also added lots more extras including upgraded suspension etc.. The insurers have stated they will not take into account the value of any extras if the individual cost is less than £380, so that's everything bar the rear suspension! I don't think this is acceptable, if they are going to write it off I want the service costs plus a realistic valuation taking into account the extras. I'm not feeling confident though, I've contacted the MAG recommended solicitor and been looking at the Ombudsman website, I've got claims assist on my insurance but no idea how that works and whther that perversly impacts my no claims, but no matter what happens now I suspect it will take weeks and they will dispute everything. It is so depressing, and none of this takes any account of the personal attachment I had to what I suspect is the last new bike I will ever own.

    Pissed off.
     
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  2. Wessa

    Wessa Cruising

    Apr 27, 2016
    11,616
    1,000
    North West England
    That is so unfortunate Tony, I feel your pain. Good luck with your negotiating with the insurance company. Hopefully you will be able to get a better deal than their first offer.

    I’m not sure if Sorrymate compensation solicitors will be able to help. Might be worth giving them a call. Their web site is www.sorrymate.com

    Good luck.
     
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  3. Samsgrandad

    Samsgrandad Senior Member

    Dec 15, 2019
    552
    243
    Somerset
    You have to prove the value of your Thruxton immediately prior to the accident. The Third Party insurers should compensate you for this value. The best way to prove the pre accident value is to go back to Jack Lilley and ask them to provide you with a valuation, IN WRITING, on their headed paper. They should give as much detail as possible as to how they arrive at this valuation.
    Forward a copy of this to the insurers and ask them to reconsider their offer.
    You will probably not recover the cost of the service, the aim of the value is for you to be able to go and purchase an identical machine. Purchasing this from a dealer would almost certainly mean that the bike had been serviced prior to sale so, in effect, you are back in the same position as you were immediately prior to the accident.

    For a dispute of this type forget the Ombudsman, he is their to deal with complaints against your own insurers, in a case of this type your remedy is through the civil courts.

    The other way to approach the whole sorry saga is to contact your insurers and make a claim on your policy, assuming that you disclosed the extras and paint job on the bike they will deal with you less your policy excess and then seek to recover the cost from the van's insurers, leaving you to just pursue a claim for your excess and any other uninsured losses. If you did not disclose the extras fitted to the bike you could have a problem with your insurers over the value of the bike at the time of the loss.
    Whichever way you go you will still have to disclose this accident at any renewal of any vehicle insurance for the next few years, failure to disclose could result in any future claim being repudiated.

    Best of luck with your negotiations, I feel for you all this grief over an incident over which you had no control at all. At least you were uninjured and, personal though it is, a Truxton can always be replaced, you can't!
     
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  4. Traveler

    Traveler Well-Known Member

    Jun 21, 2023
    144
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    Helena, Sweet Home Alabama
    Maybe your back is acting up a bit since the collision? Or you're having nightmares about the accident?
    More than 1 way to skin a cat.
     
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  5. Sandi T

    Sandi T It's ride o'clock somewhere!
    Subscriber

    Dec 3, 2018
    22,316
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    I'm so sorry to read about what the accident, @TonyG, and what you are dealing with related to insurance compensation. As @Wessa said, "I feel your pain". We all love our bikes and especially so when we've put so much into them. I hope that you are able to get everything resolved to your satisfaction--and sooner (much) rather than later. I'm really glad that you weren't badly hurt and the injuries were primarily to your Thruxton.
     
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  6. TonyG

    TonyG Noble Member

    Dec 1, 2016
    817
    443
    Bucks
    Thanks for the replies.

    West Triumph London(Jack Lilleys) have been really helpful and are in contact with the insurers engineers. I have also contacted the solicitors in Wessa's reply and they are going to call back but not sure how or if they will help, if they operate on a no win no charge model then the percentage they would take will probably mean I end up with less than the original offer, I think they are probably more effective on injury claims or when the liability is disputed.

    Anyway, will see what happens and grateful for your thoughts and suggestions.
     
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  7. CraigHew

    CraigHew Member

    Jul 25, 2021
    66
    18
    Whitchurch, Shropshire
    I had a similar issue although with my S2000 Westfield kit car.

    I rejected the insurance offer and supplied various photographs and paperwork to support the car's true worth.

    After 2 weeks or so they agreed to pay what i was asking for.

    The car was impounded but i asked if i could recover "personal" items.

    They helpfully allowed me to take a few added extras from the car.....

    Just dont accept the first offer.
     
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  8. Bolosun

    Bolosun Well-Known Member

    Aug 25, 2020
    231
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    Crewe/Cheshire
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  9. TonyG

    TonyG Noble Member

    Dec 1, 2016
    817
    443
    Bucks
    So West London Triumph told them about all the extras they put on as new and they have revised the offer to a much better figure and seeing as they have now confirmed it as a cat N I think I will take the offer. They are also going to cover the £674 service cost and a new helmet, they have been pretty decent in the end. I feel quite relieved although it's all just a fair result really and around the figure I feel is justified. They also said I could take off the extras I added, e.g. K Tech suspension etc., I've asked if they will make an offer instead as it's just so much hassle and the whole thing is giving me a headache. But worse case I'll have to trek over to Triumph West London and change out the shocks, plus a few other bits of trim, intake covers etc..

    So, I might be in the market for a Speed Twin as I think another Thruxton will be out of my price range. Never ridden one and worried the bars might be a bit too upright. Will have some Thruxton parts for sale as well, only recently bought a brown dual comfort seat.

    Cheers
     
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  10. Pegscraper

    Pegscraper Elite Member

    Jun 12, 2020
    3,254
    800
    Yorkshire
    I was in a similar situation in Nov '22 when my SS got written off and ended up with a similar result. I refused the insurer's first offer, then got a call from an assessor/loss adjuster, whatever you want to call him who turned out to be a decent chap who listened to reason and open to a haggle. The upshot was a got a much better, very fair offer AND I got to remove and keep the extras I'd added that were still serviceable.:grinning:
    If the bike is in storage after being assessed the insurers will want to avoid the claim dragging on and escalating storage costs.
     
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  11. littleade

    littleade The only sane one here
    Subscriber

    Mar 17, 2015
    253
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    If there was ever a case to demonstrate that you must insist your bike is recovered to a dealer rather than the insurers "preferred option" like 4th dimension then this is it. The other is that unlike cars any work carried out by non franchised repairers then invalidates your warranty as the EU law that allows this for cars doesn't apply to bikes (or vans)
     
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  12. Pegscraper

    Pegscraper Elite Member

    Jun 12, 2020
    3,254
    800
    Yorkshire
    That's why I had my SS delivered back to me by the dealer after the assessment. Until you have accepted the payout figure the bike still belongs to you and having control of it's whereabouts is a good bargaining tool. When I had been paid out, the salvage Co. 4th Dimension came and collected it.
     
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  13. learningtofly

    learningtofly He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!
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    Sep 25, 2018
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    #13 learningtofly, Mar 29, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2024
    Spent two hours taking the extras off my Bonnie recently in similar circumstances. It was a right pain.
     
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  14. MightyBoosh

    MightyBoosh Active Member

    Mar 29, 2023
    89
    28
    Uk
    EU law? How so? UK left the EU years ago. Have we not yet taken back control? :grinning:
     
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  15. MightyBoosh

    MightyBoosh Active Member

    Mar 29, 2023
    89
    28
    Uk
    I saw a thread on here recently beefing about insurance increases.....
     
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  16. littleade

    littleade The only sane one here
    Subscriber

    Mar 17, 2015
    253
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    We did, but adopted the existing EU laws until such time that they were superceeded by a new UK one. In this v
    case unless I'm mistaken the old EU law still applies.
     
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  17. Baza

    Baza Elite Member

    Jul 25, 2020
    3,206
    750
    Amazing Grace
    They also guest on 44Teeth YouTube channel from time to time. I have used them in the past. They managed to get a 90mph in a 60 downgraded to an SP30. o_O
     
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  18. TonyG

    TonyG Noble Member

    Dec 1, 2016
    817
    443
    Bucks
    The insurers have come back with a reasonable offer and agreed to let me remove the extras I'd added on, so I now have some almost new Brembo Thruxto R front discs for sale, straight fit fot T120, etc., plus a few odds like black false carb and air box covers. Have a dual brown comfort seat and original solo seat for sale as well. Also kept the K-Tech shocks but they are going on my new Speed Twin.
    So, now that I'm over it I'm happy with the result, I've lost out on overall value but have decided their offer is ok and best to just accept it and move on.

    Mind you I haven't actually been paid as of yet!
     
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  19. Baza

    Baza Elite Member

    Jul 25, 2020
    3,206
    750
    Amazing Grace
    As I understand it the injured party should be able to enjoy the same circumstances that existed before the incident happened.

    If your machine has a sentimental value to you and you would ideally wish to retain ownership and continue to ride it despite the assessors opinion that it’s a write off you ought to be able to negotiate a cash settlement in lieu of repair.

    Ten years or so ago I had a spill after coming across a sunken drainage grating close to home. No more than 10 mph but the Duke ended up with a goodly amount of road rash on the fairing and the offside indicator, twist grip and front brake lever also suffered. Because the front brake lever clamped my fingers to the bar it dragged me with it. Breaking collar bone, shoulder blade and a couple of ribs. My machine also has a custom registration which I would loose if it were written off.

    All due to my inattentiveness. The bike was around ten years old but was a 30th wedding anniversary pressy from SWMBO so despite the assessor advising that he regarded it as a write off he agreed to a cash settlement in lieu of repair. Being reasonably handy with the spanners the only thing I couldn’t tackle was the bodywork. End result, all sorted with enough spare crinkle to buy myself a compressor.

    The reason they use the term “cash settlement in lieu of repair” absolves them of any liability if a subsequent event occurs that can be found to be caused by your poor or inappropriate repair.
     
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  20. Eldon

    Eldon Elite Member

    Nov 14, 2018
    6,114
    800
    North Yorkshire
    As @Baza said buying back the remains is always an option but be careful and ensure you know, as far as possible, what you are letting yourself in for.

    I bought my mates 675r after he was chasing me on my 765rs. He came off it on a lefthander, which he is particularly strong on.
    Amongst the obvious was also a bent front wheel spindle :confused:, no problem but..... what else?
    Unfortunately, and totally unforeseeable, the forks were ever so slightly bent sideways.

    New legs and spindle sorted it but added significantly to the rebuild cost.

    20200622_181602.jpg
     
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