I have been in a similar situation more than once with cars and motorbikes.
One thing I learned (but can't remember who original told me) is that if they take the car to a storage unit for salvage this essentially means they have your car and you won't be able to get it back like a one way system.
When they have your car, a figure they give you is a lot lower and also payment is quicker so most people tend to opt for this, not knowing it can be done another way.
I always get the car recovered to my home and instruct the insurance company that I want an independent assessor to come out to assess it on my property....the car doesn't then leave my possession....which is always handy if you want to buy it back to repair yourself.
Be aware, the very first thing they check are the tyre conditions, wear, legal tread depth, etc.
So if you're tyres are not up to scratch then they will refuse and insurance payout (quite rightly so as well).
Once the assessor has seen the car and given his/her findings to the insurance company then they will pay out, usually a higher figure but this can take sometime longer for settlement.
But at least you have your car in your possession and gives you an option to buy back.
However, like I said, most people just want a quick resolution and get the money to replace their existing car.
Don't quote me on any of the above and take independent advice from an insurance broker to determine the best route forward.
By
SOC Admin ·
