Insurance claims!

[uphillstruggle]

Having recently had my bike written off in a collision with a car (not my fault by the way) I started my claim through British Cycling's solicitors. They told me that I could only get the second hand value of the bike that was damaged. This seams fairly unreasonable to me as frankly I would struggle to ge a bike in as good a shape for that money and any second hand bike I bought wouldn't have any guarantee on the frame. A couple of bike shops have told me that they have usually quoted new for old in situations like this but it seems odd that a solicitors who deal regularly with cycling RTA claims would have got this wrong. Has anyone gone through this process? And does anyone have any advice on how to proceed from here?

Cheers.

 

[Archibald]

why go to lawyers?
claim on your own insurance and let the insurance company chase the third party for recovery.

 

[uphillstruggle]

why go to lawyers?
claim on your own insurance and let the insurance company chase the third party for recovery.

So claim on my house insurance? I don't have specific bike insurance only 3rd party through Brtish cycling.

 

[winkybiker]

Isn't the second hand value, by definition, the same as the price you would pay to get a bike in as good a condition? On the other hand we should never be surprised when insurance companies act in their own interests.

 

[Steve H.]

I was involved in a hit and run in the US. There were witnesses and he was caught. Everything was turned over to his auto insurance originally. When they tried to lowball it, I hired an attorney and received far more than I would have on my own. The attorney had experience handling these types of cases and dealt with the other persons insurance company. Of course, I may have sustained greater personal injury than you, not just the loss of a bike.