claiming after small mishap

[chirpy]

I was driving home in the dark and on a corner hit an animal or log .heard a slight bang .

today I have some damage to a plastic grill on my C5Citroen ESTATE.

However the car is low on the suspension at rear and nearly touching the wheels.

I thought I could raise it with the switch in the car but nothing happened.

I looked under the car and noticed fluid dripping from it.

This is I assume the power steering and suspension fluid. and tank looks empty and citroen advise not to open this filler cap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have full comprehensive insurance with same company I used last year without any claims.

My French is not very good.

Do I get under the policy, a pick-up truck to remove car and claim for a 5 day loan of car which appears to be on offer in the policy as I am covered from home and not greater than 50k.m. from home???

will this affect no claims and can any repair be claimed as it was an accident..The car has been serviced since new for 7 years by Citroen garage.

thanks for any advice as I am under a bit of pressure as my wife fell 2 days before xmas and has a compressed fracture of the vertabrae.

I am now at 71 years realising the work women DO AS I am learing to cook wash whites and now onto colour,collect firewood ,shop.

 

The list goes on !!!!

.p.s. no ironing done as no time so wrinkly clothes to match face!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

thanks for any advice.

 

 

[Bugsy]

[quote user="Ab"]

Do I get under the policy, a pick-up truck to remove car and claim for a 5 day loan of car which appears to be on offer in the policy as I am covered from home and not greater than 50k.m. from home???

   [/quote]

You may, and I stress may, be misreading that bit AB, as policies normally cover either;

A. Complete breakdown cover from home to most of europe or,

B. Cover only starts when you are at least 50 kilometres from home.

Good luck with it anyway.

Gary.

.

[Boiling a frog]

The simplest thing to do is telephone your assurance help line, usually found on your certificate of assurance and explain what has happened and ask them what to do,.

[Ron Avery]

[quote user="Ab"]

I was driving home in the dark and on a corner hit an animal or log .

Do I get under the policy, a pick-up truck to remove car and claim for a 5 day loan of car which appears to be on offer in the policy as I am covered from home and not greater than 50k.m. from home??? 

Not unless it is specified in the policy. These things are normally only on offer if you ring the helpline at the time, not after the event.

However, the repairer may provide a car whilst your car is repaired or you look for another one if your car is a write off.  Your green paper and schedule should have a number to ring in the case of accident you should do that or best bet if your French is no good is to go and see your local insurance agent,  fill in a constat amiable as this was an accident, the constat is a statement of what happened and that is sent to your insurer who will decide blame, and see what happens.  The Agent or company will probably arrange for a truck to collect the car and take it to a local body shop or garage where it will be examined by an insurance assessor as to the likely repair cost. If the damge is more than the value of the car they may write it off in which case you are paid that value, if not, the car is repaired by an authorised repairer.

Will this affect no claims and can any repair be claimed as it was an accident..

As there was no other vehicle involved you may have to take the blame for this accident and your premiums will increase over the next few years its like losing your no clams bonus but over a much longer period of time.

The car has been serviced since new for 7 years by Citroen garage. thanks for any advice as I am under a bit of pressure as my wife fell 2 days before xmas and has a compressed fracture of the vertabrae.

The list goes on !!!! thanks for any advice.

[/quote]

[Russethouse]

My French is not very good

BaF the language may be a problem ? If the OP can give the question he may not understand the reply.

[just john]

How is your relationship with the Citroen Garage?, it sounds like you have fractured one of the hydraulic suspension pipes and the car may well be drivable at slow speeds even with the suspenson down as far as the Garage, the worse thing may be that the steering may be too heavy for you. I'd try driving it up the drive and back, check the brakes, then on Monday call the Garage and explain it to them for their advice. Certainly I have always found my local garage very helpful and if you or a strong helpful friend can drive it to their premises (after all you drove it home) you may find that it just requires a new pipe and an hours work to get it back on the road for €50 or so; if it is a more involved repair then at least it is where they will give you a price for the repair and may have a loan car and then you can call your Insurance Co, if you feeel the need, Good Luck [8-|]

[AnOther]

Might I suggest a different course of action.

From what you describe it's pretty certain that one way or another it's going to cost you at least some money so before you go down the insurance route why not get someone you know to have a first look and at least get an idea of what the actual damage is. It could be no more that a fractured pipe and loss of fluid which would be quite cheap to fix, possibly costing less than your excess, if you have one, and almost certainly quicker and less hassle than an insurance claim.

If you also take into account any potential loss of bonus resulting from a claim then you will be better able to decide which is the most cost effective solution.

EDIT: Didn't mean to repeat you John but got interrupted whist composing and hadn't seen your post [;-)]

[chirpy]

I have not started car but the rear is just clear of mudguards-i can just squeeze my hand between them.

the brake reservoir looks o.k. and on this car the suspension and power steering use the same fluid tank.

I drove it home but it was only a km. from home where the possible cause of the fracture occurred so I suppose the tank would not of drainbed in this short distance.I only noticed the next morning the rear was low.

thanks.

I think I would be happier to get a pick up truck than driving in case I damage anything.assuming it can be safely winched aboard a pick-up.

[just john]

Pas problem Urn [:D]

Ab, you really have nothing to worry about, Citroens are designed to be driven with the suspension on the bump stops after a fluid loss as far as a garage and the steering will work fine, though with no assistance it may be a bit heavy parking, and will not cause harm to either, Check your handbook for recommended speed, where it will confirm this (after all it would be pretty dangerous to design a car that didn't work after a fluid loss, and I'm sure there are plenty of other citroen drivers out there who will confirm this. (RTFM) [8-|]

 

[chirpy]

Agreed but not some loss of fluidI think all has been lost!!!!!!!!!!

[just john]

Do tell Ab, how did you get on? [8-)]

[chirpy]

Car taken by truck to garage --waiting for a report--will let you know.

Imanaged to get it winched up the ramp with a slight scraping of underside of boot

[chirpy]

DO YOU WANT THE GOOD NEWS ORTHE BAD NEWS FIRST????

Good news car fixed and only the pipe which the fluid is circulated through was pierced    and only 27 euros.

about 8m.m.diameter and 3-4 metres long.

#NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS --IT HAS TO BE THREADED /ATTACHED UNDER THE CAR AROUND/UP AND UNDER ETC.NEEDING 6.5HOURS LABOUR AT 39EURO/HOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLUS 5 LITRES @ 15E/L OF SUSPENSION FLUID.

 

TOTAL INC.TVA 425EURO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OW                                  I WISH I HAD ET TO FIX IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

GOODNIGHT -Tomorrow discuss loss of noclaims versus 330 franchise I have to pay if an insurance claim.as a piece of wood or metal fell off a lorry and I believe caused this accident.

 

 

[Chancer]

See if you can find an independant mechanic or independant Citroen garage. When I used to repair cars on the quiet the BLMC dealers had the same scam going for replacing rusted (usually MOT failure) hydrolastic pipes which involved removing the front and if memory serves me right rear subframes.

The pipes were always in good nick at the front being covered in engine oil and independant mechanics like myself used to cut and join the new pipes to the old just behind the sub-frame to avoid the labour charges.

The pressures may well be higher in the Citroen system but you may possibly be able to find a joiner (manchon de reparation) that avoids even buying the new pipe and could be fitted in under an hour plus the repressurisation.

Unless you cannot find the "liquide" at all I dont advise you to put in an insurance claim, after your €330 franchise you will pay extra for your insurance renewal for many years with the loss of bonus.

[Boiling a frog]

This may or may not apply to all assurance coys in France.

In July I knocked down and killed a wild animal(a small deer).

Some damage to the front grill and  bumper.

I discovered on going to my assurance coy that

1) Because I was not at fault I did not loose my no claims discount.

2) My franchise (excess) is 180 € but because it was a wild animal I was also reembursed the franchise.

Altho the damage looked minimal the aircon unit was damaged and the total bill was over 1200€

[Chancer]

Some of these wild animals craftily camoflage themselves to look like pieces of wood, if you get my drift [6]

That would explain why my neighbour after breaking his expensive door mirror reversing into a loading bay went to the gendarmerie and made a report that he was hit by an unknown  lorry that did not stop, it was called porter plainte contre "X".