I have narrowly avoided a hammering
Apr 22, 2021 15:14:22 GMT
Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2021 15:14:22 GMT
I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this. But I have made a pretty daft mistake in lodging the recent insurance claim I've had to make. Fortunately, I've got away with it. Just.
I went out to help Mrs A after the incident on Monday, and when I got home I was a bit frazzled and keen to get the claim registered, whilst the incident was fresh in Mrs A's mind. So I hit Google and searched "Insurance Company Name - make a claim", and was met with a webpage which looked like my insurer's help page. Same background I'm used to, same fonts, everything. So I dialled the phone number.
You can probably guess the rest.
I was told we'd be called back by their legal assist who would handle the claim. That sounded legit, I didn't question it for a second. At no point did I twig that I wasn't speaking to my insurance company.....
Sure enough they were very quick to get back and the process of arranging repairs and a courtesy car started. So it all seemed perfectly legit. I ended up passed through to Hertz to arrange the car, on a credit hire basis. And I, stupidly, thought, OK, that's the normal way they handle things at "My Insurance Company" Ltd.
I signed an online agreement, and the car was supposed to arrive yesterday, it didn't. It was reschedueld for 11am today, but at 9.30 Mrs A got a call from our insurance company to tell her a claim was being made against her, and why hadn't she reported the incident? Only then did we, with the help of the insurance co rep, twig that we'd been had by one of these "accident management" outfits, which we genuinely hadn't wanted to do.
We got straight on to Hertz and cancelled the car on the basis that we'd been passed to them under false pretences, thankfully they agreed and no charges were incurred. I've checked out the numbers we were contacted on by Hertz, and they are legit, it was genuinely Hertz, not a total scam.
How I've managed to make this fundamental mistake though, well I do know, I was just in a hurry and not thinking straight. The claim is now proceeding without the help of the "accident management" company. Embarassing. But worth sharing lest others end up in the same boat.....
Can't believe I got fooled so easily.
I went out to help Mrs A after the incident on Monday, and when I got home I was a bit frazzled and keen to get the claim registered, whilst the incident was fresh in Mrs A's mind. So I hit Google and searched "Insurance Company Name - make a claim", and was met with a webpage which looked like my insurer's help page. Same background I'm used to, same fonts, everything. So I dialled the phone number.
You can probably guess the rest.
I was told we'd be called back by their legal assist who would handle the claim. That sounded legit, I didn't question it for a second. At no point did I twig that I wasn't speaking to my insurance company.....
Sure enough they were very quick to get back and the process of arranging repairs and a courtesy car started. So it all seemed perfectly legit. I ended up passed through to Hertz to arrange the car, on a credit hire basis. And I, stupidly, thought, OK, that's the normal way they handle things at "My Insurance Company" Ltd.
I signed an online agreement, and the car was supposed to arrive yesterday, it didn't. It was reschedueld for 11am today, but at 9.30 Mrs A got a call from our insurance company to tell her a claim was being made against her, and why hadn't she reported the incident? Only then did we, with the help of the insurance co rep, twig that we'd been had by one of these "accident management" outfits, which we genuinely hadn't wanted to do.
We got straight on to Hertz and cancelled the car on the basis that we'd been passed to them under false pretences, thankfully they agreed and no charges were incurred. I've checked out the numbers we were contacted on by Hertz, and they are legit, it was genuinely Hertz, not a total scam.
How I've managed to make this fundamental mistake though, well I do know, I was just in a hurry and not thinking straight. The claim is now proceeding without the help of the "accident management" company. Embarassing. But worth sharing lest others end up in the same boat.....
Can't believe I got fooled so easily.
