55 replies to this topic

[taffy1967]

Yes just hang on in there buddy because before long you should be able to put all this unpleasantness behind you and move on.

Just remember that your Mini mates are always here.

[Bean]

Thank you.



Ethel: I think that's the case too. Whether it was something undeclared in her policy, or something wrong with the car... i don't know. I'm still waiting to find out.


I'm going to send HIC another email demanding break-down of the claim and to see the engineers report.... (again). Then I'll write a letter over the weekend and save a copy of it for my records. I'll also talk to dad about getting in touch with the FSA and putting me on to our solicitors.

then in about 10 years time, it'll be sorted and i can forget it!!!

[missminidriver]

Really sorry to hear about all the hassle with HIC and poor Charlie. I have been insured with HIC before and felt completely assured that my mini would be in safe hands if I was involved in an accident. We pay out enough money for that piece of mind, and I can't believe that a reputable company could get it so badly wrong. I really hope you get a better settlement and all of this gets sorted...

[baggy33minis]

seems like you have been shafted by hic,if i ever have trouble with an insurance company i just tell them i am going to contact the abi in birmingham.Its worked for me .I do have my cars fully comp and agreed values,which has helped ,especially when a lorry cut me up and slammed me into the central reservation.One brand new set of alloys with about 8 miles on them ruined amongst other damage.I was with adrian flux and it was sorted swiftly with an expensive repair, but luckily due to my agreed value and the fact it wasn't my fault i got to keep my car.

hope your luck changes!!!

[missminidriver]

Anyway Bean I'm sorry your having to go through what you are. Life would be some much easier if insurance companies didn't hate giving money away like they promised. No matter how small. We will always have a problem with using our mini's as all they want to do is write them off. It's like they all hate mini's and want them off the road. BOOOO to them...

And these are insurers who advertise through our mini magazines as 'mini or classic car specialists'... makes you wonder!!

Earlier this year someone hit my mini from behind and dented the bootlid. They said the mini might be a write-off... for a DENTED BOOTLID!!! Luckily when I had it assessed, the man was a mini enthusiast and was brilliant. 4 months later the car was good as new again!

[Bean]

The mini that they crushed:





I argued and argued that he shouldn't be a Cat B

[Big_jim]

I had a similar thing happen with my first mini, i got my insurance through a broker tho, and was with royal sun aliance i think, i ran in the back of someone tho....

The said it was cat b too, it only needed new wings and front pannel!!

they took my mini to universal salvage, without telling me..... and they offered me £600...

my broker was the one fighting the case, i had to take in adverts of similar cars to prove the value and after an 8 month fight and threatening them with the insurance ombudsman (This is a good one to use as a threat, or actually go to them!!)

I got £2150.... I really did have to fight for it too, but was told not to accept anything i wasnt happy with, and that its their fault the car was being stored not mine...

[Pie]

Right i havent read all the replies but.....

Bean, get a solicitor, and ring up HIC. Then tell them that if you do not recieve the documentation you have asked for within 14 working days, you will take them to court under the Data Protection Act. You probably already know but you are entitiled to any data containing your name or any details. Banks try to charge you for copies of yuor bank statements, mention the dada protection act and they will let you have them for free, companies dont like that law lol
Might kick them into overdrive.

Talk it over with another solicitor, as they might find a loophole meaning you havent accepted, and there might be something they can do, especially about the way you havebeen treated.

[Pie]

Earlier this year someone hit my mini from behind and dented the bootlid. They said the mini might be a write-off... for a DENTED BOOTLID!!!

Course insurance companies will try to write classic cars off. Payouts tend to be smaller AND the government want old cars off the road, making it s "greener planet".

Why do you think they changed the tax exempt law from "any car 25 years or older" to "any car made in 1972 or before"??

[Roo]

are HIC miniworld insurance??? send a letter to mini magazine?
I'd be sending letters to all magazines anyway... then burning the HIC stand at any forthcoming mini show.

Bean i too had the same issues... If you wanted to report this sort of thing to the magazines we can both write our stories. They tried to take my car twice into 'safe storeage' .. without my permission but i refused... Doing that is theft...

They didn't return my calls, they didn't log my calls ( i.e i'd ring and tell them information and what i want done and 2 days later i ring and they would have no record of me ringing 2 days earlier.) Took 4 months for the claim to go through. I too was unsure if the other driver was insured as Norwich union wouldn't handle the claim for them. They under valued my car. They 'lost' my paper work.

It ridiculous!

I will not recommend them to anyone no matter what people say and those who ask about HIC will obviously be warned by me.

[Bean]

Definitely, Roo. If you're OK with writing it all out, I will too and we'll work something out together.

Add me to MSN if you like and we can chat!


But thanks, Pie - I will be seeking alternate legal advice, firstly just to see where I stand with things.

[Roo]

Added.

I'll write something a bit later.. got dinner now lol

After that i'll be online most of the night

[minili]

*scratches HIC off the quote list*

Shame, as their prices are really good.... But there's obviously a reason for that!

I've been hearing about your cases over the last few months and it's shocking!

I've made 2 claims in the past with my insurance companies...

1 never went through in the end, but Tesco declined to tell me this until a year after the accident by which time I'd paid 6 months of bumped up insurance having lost my NCB and declared a claim - which didn't exist! (and it wasn't even my fault in the first place, the twunt lied on the form).

The second claim I made was sorted very well, but it was my fault and I'd made no counterclaim and I was TPFT so repairs were to the other car only so it was easily sorted, at no point was I expecting money from anyone so I suppose what was there to go wrong for me!

[mini_kev]

When i went into the back of someone i forwarded their insurance letter to my insurance (direct libe) and they handled it all, they rang me a few weeks later so i could accept liability and that was it case closed. don't think il ever use HIC if there this bad!!

[LilRipperxx]

right after 10 minutes of reading, can i just say, as an employee of HIC i am verysorry to hear of your experience.

If you could pm me your surname and postcode we will investigate what has happened for you

Many Thanks

Laura, HIC