Arthur Daley Insurance quote

[Moda]

As I've said before my bike was damaged by a van whilst locked to a lamp post. Have finally dropped the bike off for a repair quote.

Have to admit that talking to LBS's regarding repair costs has been hugely depressing. The van company has up to now been pretty decent and has decided to pay for the cost themselves rather than going through there insurance. Fine by me as long as I get my bike back in the state it was before the damage was done.

Every LBS I've spoken to just appears to be trying to inflate the cost of everything to the absolute max. Frame isn't bent after a mechanic checked owner seemed rather miffed and so double checked it himself. There are some scratches on the crank so they are quoting for a new crank but not at the £175 they normally charge but full RRP of £250. One place said it would be cheaper to buy a new bike!!

You might think why should I care but I'm not out to screw anyone what if it was me on the other end? Also the the bike shop isn't doing this for my benefit they stand to make a fortune out of it.

The other thing that worries me is that if I present the company with a huge bill all they're going to do is clam up and I'll have to spend months dragging them through the courts with no certainty that I'll get or be able to enforce any judgment. I just want my bike back.

Am feeling increasingly depressed about it all.

 

[screenman]

The bike shop will quote full retail and then be expected by the insurance company to give a discount, this goes on all the time in my trade.

As an after thought, I very much doubt many LBS are making a fortune, have you any idea of the overheads involved in running a business? no I thought not.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

As I've said before my bike was damaged by a van whilst locked to a lamp post. Have finally dropped the bike off for a repair quote.

Have to admit that talking to LBS's regarding repair costs has been hugely depressing. The van company has up to now been pretty decent and has decided to pay for the cost themselves rather than going through there insurance. Fine by me as long as I get my bike back in the state it was before the damage was done.

Every LBS I've spoken to just appears to be trying to inflate the cost of everything to the absolute max. Frame isn't bent after a mechanic checked owner seemed rather miffed and so double checked it himself. There are some scratches on the crank so they are quoting for a new crank but not at the £175 they normally charge but full RRP of £250. One place said it would be cheaper to buy a new bike!!

You might think why should I care but I'm not out to screw anyone what if it was me on the other end? Also the the bike shop isn't doing this for my benefit they stand to make a fortune out of it.

The other thing that worries me is that if I present the company with a huge bill all they're going to do is clam up and I'll have to spend months dragging them through the courts with no certainty that I'll get or be able to enforce any judgment. I just want my bike back.

Am feeling increasingly depressed about it all.

Yes, you're right, they are not there to reduce prices to make your claim easier (in your eyes). Very observant.

 

[goody]

Is it your pride and joy and you want it put back to as new condition or is it a commuter that you might accept some cosmetic damage and a cash settlement from the company?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

The bike shop will quote full retail and then be expected by the insurance company to give a discount, this goes on all the time in my trade.

As an after thought, I very much doubt many LBS are making a fortune, have you any idea of the overheads involved in running a business? no I thought not.

why wouldn't people have any idea, they might not know the full cost, but most people run homes and they arn't cheap either, so I think people have an idea.
This is what is wrong with society, we complain about the cost of things and people want extra on top of what something costs, I do understand about inconvenience ect... But a repair should be parts at cost or retail and labour, the cost of labour should be such it covers running costs, I don't know current prices or wages ect, but for argument sake someone earning say £8 an hour you would expect to pay £20-30 or whatever the % profit needs to be.

@Moda It's nice to see someone actually caring about the cost to the other side, we seem to be in a "how much can I get out of this" sort of culture. I personally knowing the frame is ok, just do it myself.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I do not have the impression that insurance companies are here to support business endeavors. They are business endeavors in and of themselves. I am hoping that the van company also is required to have insurance.If they choose not to go through their insurance, I would be willing to venture that a 250 pound quote from a bicycle shop is going to have them thinking otherwise. But that quote does seem exorbitant, and Moda, I appreciate your concerns in this regard. I think it is a question of honesty. I come at this from experience in the photographic retail industry, when there was one. I also appraised for both auctioneers and insurance. I think, as you might expect, that retailers have to make money to keep all things running. This is why retailers maintain customers, and the custom of their trade. Repeat business is what pays for retail efforts, not boosting prices to insurance companies.

 

[screenman]

Likely as not the van company has a £1,000+ excess.

Nigelnaturist, you are sure out of touch with current business running costs that is for sure. £30 an hour would be a poor rate for a self employed person working from home, let alone with all the costs a shop and staff incur.

Profit, why is it such a bad word for anyone who does not own or run a business, would any of you have a job (in the private sector) if your company did not make some.

 

[screenman]

GA, whislt I agree with some of your post, the insurer company would as I say negotiate a discount later, also they would be a one off hit and not a regular customer that need nurturing.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Is it your pride and joy and you want it put back to as new condition or is it a commuter that you might accept some cosmetic damage and a cash settlement from the company?

Irrelevant it should be repaired to the same condition

Likely as not the van company has a £1,000+ excess.

Nigelnaturist, you are sure out of touch with current business running costs that is for sure. £30 an hour would be a poor rate for a self employed person working from home, let alone with all the costs a shop and staff incur.

Profit, why is it such a bad word for anyone who does not own or run a business, would any of you have a job (in the private sector) if your company did not make some.

It was just an example of mark up on labour, it wasn't meant to be exact, the amount is irrelevant. Profit isn't a dirty word every company needs to make one to stay in business, I was also referring to an employed persons wages and what a company charges for it, like you say a little out of date maybe.
I think what I was trying to get at is, I applaud @Moda for trying to keep costs down, whilst a lot of people just seem to want the most they can get from a simple accident.
I was knocked off my bike last Nov (nothing serious) the only thing broken was a bottle cage, that's all I wanted replaced.

 

[Pale Rider]

I think what I was trying to get at is, I applaud @Moda for trying to keep costs down

So do I.

All he wants is his bike repaired at retail cost, which is fair to the retailer and whoever is paying.

 

[vickster]

OP is in N London, running costs of a shop are bound to be astronomical

I'd go to another LBS and get an alternative quote, only fair to all Don't mention it's an insurance job, as it isn't, will presumably be paid directly by the company

 

[Ticktockmy]

As the frame is not bent, I would look at repairing it yourself, I would get a quote from a LBS, then draw up a costing for replacement parts, add an amount for time spend (£35 an hour would be near to the mark) repairing the bike, compare the two and if there is a greater difference between your estimate and the LBS in your favour, then approach the van company and get a cash lump sum payment from them, if the difference is quite small let the LBS have the job.

 

[TheDoctor]

The insurers will want to haggle the bill down, so the shop is charging full retail to account for this, I suspect.

 

[vickster]

Unless I am reading this wrong, the company is not going through insurance but paying direct

To the chap who says do self repair, that's all very well if you have the skills, tools and time. I certainly wouldn't be able to do anything like that!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Unless I am reading this wrong, the company is not going through insurance but paying direct

To the chap who says do self repair, that's all very well if you have the skills, tools and time. I certainly wouldn't be able to do anything like that!

It doesn't take long to put the bits on, a little longer to tweak ect. But I take you point not everyone has those skills, but really bikes are so very easy, if you can bake a cake you can learn how to assemble a bike from its component parts, and the more you do the better you become.