Repair company denying me old parts....

It may be Bennetts policy but I'm not convinced. It's more likely that even the damaged parts have value, that they will be repaired/refurbished then sold on. Or, even worse, they are billing Bennetts and therefore you for new parts but in reality are having the originals refurbished/repaired. In short an insurance scam.

My approach would be that those parts are mine, bought and paid for and that they have no right to keep them unless they reduce the price of the new parts taking the damaged parts in exchange.

I also wonder about the pick up guy telling you discretely to ask for the parts. It may well be that he knows something dodgy is going on and this was his way of telling you that they charge for new parts but repair the old ones where they can!

 

I had a bike written off by an insurance company, I tried to buy it back, as it was theirs now, but they said the damage was such and it was their policy to scrap it. Several months later I had a letter from the new owner asking for the bikes history!?

 

While i'm hanging about waiting for a delivery I did a bit of googling and found this article about the collusion between insurance companies and 'approved' repairers. It states in there that parts are often repaired to keep costs down which makes it somewhat difficult to show you the old parts as they are actually back on your bike.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...e/9780658/Insurers-cash-in-on-your-crash.html

I think you need to make a lot of noise about this threatening them with allegations of fraud and/or theft if they don't comply with your wishes. At the very least it could mean that they are forced to use new parts rather than repair the originals.

Let us know how you get on.

 

My position would be to speak directly to Bennet's first, find out who is adopting this take on things.

 

Agreed. Has anyone with a Bennetts policy read the terms and conditions of the policy? It should be laid out in there in the small print. If it doesn't then..........

 

I am watching this thread closely....seems I may need to be on the ball with regard to the repairs/write off of my bike and the many upgraded parts on the bike

 

I did read my insurance terms once lol a good few years ago and if I remember correctly it did state that any parts changed or removed remained the property of the insurance company,
But doesn't mean they have to, still a good idea to ask the question.
(I'm not with Bennet's )

 

As I've worked with insurance companies years ago and did crash repairs this is what went on.
Vehicle into workshop, repair damage with new, save old parts for two reasons,
1, insurance company 'may' want to see what's now 'their' parts in case of despute over any part of the job as proof of either seriousness of damage or just the fact that items weren't repaired and fraudulent invoice made
2, snotty little apprentice wants tea money for the lads (some tea!) and sold them on!!

 

Hi Why don't you ask for photos of old and new side by side or finished bike with old parts around it, this way you will know if they are refurbed , they may need to keep for the insurance to prove as already stated. Ade

 

My concern is that my bike is currently at the repairers and a quote submitted for hte work that may well render it an economic write off.
The insurers 1st offer would be dead low to which I refuse and I point out all these additional extras I have paid for, plus some expenseive replacements recently such as radiator, brake disk etc.
If they then give me a silly high price to buy it for scrap value, then what is my position regarding those valuable extras.
Can't I just take them off, the additional horn, the Scottoiler. What about the brand new disk, radiator, Samco hoses, carbon extras, brake resevouirs.
Hell I even want the £20 of premium fuel in the tank back

This is really getting me concerned that they wont offer me the amount I need to buy a replacement. The only bikes the same as mine are £5 - £6 with 10k miles on the clock where mine has 40k!
None SE versions are almost a grand less

 

[QUOTE="Red Thunder, post: 103414, member: 2520]
Can't I just take them off, the additional horn, the Scottoiler. What about the brand new disk, radiator, Samco hoses, carbon extras, brake resevouirs.
Hell I even want the £20 of premium fuel in the tank back
[/QUOTE]

If the insurance doesn't know about the additional horn/scottoiler. A-Ok, get your screw driver out.

If it comes to them writing it off, an assessor will be round to record the bikes standing value. If they see there's no brake disc's, resevouirs, a radiator, invisible brake lines & hoses.. which is a lot of things to not notice, then it'll be very problematic - to the point they could refuse any claim payout.

You could pump the fuel, I'd leave a litre to avoid any suspicions you've been tampering. I spoke to the guy who took my bike away to the insurers.. he let me take off my carbon exhaust but I wouldn't of done it beforehand and expected him not to notice/care.

 

If the bike is repaired to the condition it was before, or possibly better by new parts fitted what is the problem? They (the insurance company) paid for the parts so surely any that came off belong to them to do as they deem fit.
Having said that most companys just let it go, so its up to the dealer and depends on the relationship you have with them.
Giving them something for the coffee club usually secures some parts from the old parts bin as otherwise it gets collected by breakers, so they bund the coffee.

 

TK3059 wrote "I fully understand that some of you have mentioned that "do I deserve the parts back?" ... well yes I believe that I do. I own the bike "

At this point in time, legally, do you actually own the bike? You may find that is it now property of the insurance company to deal with as they see appropriately.

 

Here's my take. If parts are replaced under insurance then those old parts now belong to the insurance company. You've got your bike back repaired as per insurance contract. They will then recover some of their outlay by selling the parts for scrap. That's part of the deal they will have with the repairer, or with the large salvage company they have a contract with - check Ebay and you'll see the companies working in that field of business.

The insurance company should have no objection in principle to selling the old parts to you for the same scrap value. But that would be a bureaucratic paperwork hassle for some, so they'd rather use their standard process. Suggesting they won't cos of a potential future insurance scam is disingenuous - it''s all about the system.

If the bike is written off then again it will be sold to their usual salvage company, for scrap value, such as the one in Epsom who then sell on via e.g. Ebay if the bike has any value once repaired, or they will break it for spare parts. Some Insurance companies though will sell the bike back to you. My mate (Paul9908) did this with his new-ish Street Triple, well busted up, for £700 iirc - he then sold it as is for a little profit. A guy I am in contact with in Ireland bought back his cosmetically damaged Street Twin for £4500 (I'm selling him one of my mint now-surplus end-cans for £50).

 

I'm not sure if the word deserved is the right one, entitled to is more like it. Again I believe once you have been paid for it the ins company then own it and its insured extras, now , if theres something that doesnt come under the insured extras category and you didn't have it on your policy then you're probably within your rights to get it back. Also watch out for your policy now becoming void once the settlement is made. As in if you get another bike you will have to start a new policy for it, even if its only been running for a couple of months. Another small print condition with some policies.