Insurance repairs

This is the first claim I've ever made against insurance, so I'm not sure
how far to push things. Go easy on me.

The assessor has looked over my then-seven-week-old bike, and approved
pretty much everything, but for two bits. One is the side stand, which
received abrasions that have flattened the surface of the rounded mild
steel arm that is used to kick the stand down. The other is the centre
stand, where about 5mm has been ground off the square-shaped foot plate's
leading edge, and about 10mm off the offside edge. The side stand I can
probably live with, although when it comes to selling it, it will be
pretty obvious that the bike has been dropped and therefore will impact on
resale value.

However, the foot plate (the bit you stand on to bring the centre stand
down) is a concern, as the triangle-shaped damage is on the outside
leading edges of the plate. The bike is about 240kg wet, so getting the
centre stand down quickly is important. Having the leading edge ground off
the foot plate may result in the foot slipping off the centre stand. Then
again it may not.

Without turning things into a flame war, where should I draw the line?
Should I ask that the side stand and centre stand be replaced, just the
side stand, or walk away and be happy with what I have?

- sanbar

 

Im no expert, bit i assume they dont want to repair that cause they
think it was prior damage...is that correct?

If thats the case and the damage to the stands is consistant with the
other damage to the bike from the accident, then take it up with them.
either way, it cant hurt to ask about it.

Dave R6

 

anteeffessceekay is of the opinion:

Simple. Restoration to pre-accident condition. Accept no substitutes. I've
learnt through bitter, hard-won experience that every insurance company[1]
is a malevolent, blood-sucking creature only out to save every last fucking
penny it possibly can, and to make the experience of dealing with them in
any capacity other than handing over your premium or excess as painful and
frustrating as possible.

If this is your insurance company you're dealing with, Words Can Be Had
regarding whether you'll be renewing with them. If this is someone else's
fault, and it's their insurance company stiffing you, keep everything in
writing, and don't let anything slip. Contact them at *least* weekly and
don't accept any bullshit.

I'm firmly convinced that claiming from an insurance company is effectively
a zero-sum game. They make it as hard as possible and as frustrating as
possible to complete a claim with them. When you give up and don't claim
everything you should because they've made it too hard, they win. If you
stick to your guns and they give up first, you win. Making them give up
quickly and hand you your cheque is something I'm yet to entirely master,
but regular correspondence that they must respond to seems to go a long way
toward helping.

As previously mentioned, it sounds like they're saying it was previous
damage. Point out that it's consistent with the other damage, and it's not
rusted or otherwise obviously old, and if they think it's old, to put that
in writing. Then get an independent assessor (they're in the phone book)
to look at it immediately and get them to write out something to the effect
that the insurance company is full of shit. Don't forget to add the cost of
the independent assessor to your claim against the insurance company. Also
count all of the time you're taking to do all of this, and add that to the
claim as well, at whatever pay rate you can justify (easy for me as I'm a
consultant, but whatever you're regular overtime pay rate from your normal
job should be easily justifiable).

I had that "happy with what I have" opinion when I first got smooshed. Two
months later, having received ****-all money and nothing but grief, my
opinion had changed somewhat. Do *not* compromise with the fuckers. You'll
compromise yourself into getting nothing. Stick to your guns and show that
you won't be intimidated. Lots of letters, lots of phone calls, regular
invoices for your time chasing them, and eventually they'll realise that
they won't win by ignoring you, and cut their losses and pay you what's
rightfully yours.

- Matt

[1] As opposed to the people who work for insurance companies -- most of
them are reasonable human beings. The companies as a whole, though, take on
a persona of their very own which is incredibly unpleasant.

 

Take it up with the insurance company. If they've already said no once, the
result can't worsen. If not, visit someone with a welder. It should be a
pretty straightforward task to put a glob of weld on the side stand and weld a
new plate onto the centre stand, then a can of black paint to finish the job.
If it still looks like the bike's been dropped, that's because it has.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

NO, I think he wants it returned to "looks like it's never been dropped"
condition because that's what his insurance premium pays for.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Hi Matt,

So you feel less than affectionate toward insurers then?

Sadly the assumption that *any* corporation will make decisions based on
other than their own bottom line will always lead to disappointment IMHO.
Call them unreasonable pricks or whatever, their decisions are simple: will
this be consistent with our version of our obligations, will this absolutely
minimise our losses. Expect more and you will almost always be
disappointed.

Having said that, I've only had good experiences with my insurers -
car/house = NRMA, bike = SWANN. Each time I've had to claim they've all
responded very promptly and given what I have always called reasonable
assessments. Perhaps I've been lucky.

Anyway, in all these things, stick to your guns and be reasonable. Many
people scam their insurers and make it harder for everyone else.

Good luck,
Dave ZZR600 => ST2 (stolen) => '03 XX

 

7 week old

accept NOTHING less than what looks to be a new bike

 

Thanks Paulh, day 2 of the Pedantic era has launched solidly then !

JL

 

If it's 7-weeks old (from new I guess), they'll have the obligation to
return it to that condition.
Other good (better) advice in the other replies.
Don't accept it, nag-em-to-death. Just keep at it, get the help of the
dealer doing the repair.

pete

 

<puzzled look> This would be different to your normal approach, HOW,
exactly ?

JL

 

Shouldn't that be "Pedantic Week"?

 

is harsh week/month/quarter/year/decade offically over then?

 

Technically, there is no reason the two can't coexist, fuckwit.

Moike

 

Push it all the way, if it was damaged in the accident have it replaced or
repaired. Ask why they have knocked back these two parts, if they say it
could have been damaged before ask them to prove it, (as the bike is only 7
weeks old.) It is more than likely they just wanted to knock something back
and these two items are small and out of the way so it is easy to do so.

Just tell them "not happy" replace the stands, or put it in writing why they
are refusing to repair the bike back to pre-accident condition.

 

You fuggin pedant!

Theo
Harsh week will live on.

 

No, **** off!

big

 

Would that make you a Pedantophile?

Moike

 

Only if that has to do with a foot fetish.

Theo

 

Don't ask for replacement; just enquire (pointedly) how they intend
repairing it to fully-functional standard.
Clem

 

It's over when I say it's over..... ****!
Clem