Complaint:: Accident and claims system in Singapore?

[Spurman]

Dear all,

 

Had an accident 3 weeks back, and thinking back at this very very minor accident makes me wonder just how law firms and workshops takes advantages of accidents to "inflat" their own pockets.

 

Here it goes,

 

I was driving back to office that afternoon... Legs rather tired, and the carpark was full, even though I am a season parking holder, but darn, the "for season" parking entrance was sealed that day becoz of some events at the road then. So I LL, entered the CBD, and turned into the carpark behind the hoards of cars.

 

Dunno why when I overcame the hump, my legs weakened, and sharks I could not jam my brakes and hit the car in front of me. I should say "kiss", not a big accident. And so we both entered the carpark and check the damages..

 

His car looks fine, just the reverse censor spoilt. Bumper, looks fine, maybe a little cracks inside. U know, just a kiss how can big can the crack be...

 

Anyway exchanged no, agreeded that he should send to his workshop to access the damages, see if claim insurance or pay direct.

 

The next day came, and we went to his workshop at a shop in Xin Min...

 

The shock came, the so called damages, as quoted by the workshop owner was wow, $1,400.... so little damage and cost so much. I remember my friend last time same case, only need to repair for $500....

 

So LL, ask him to claim my insurance lor.

 

Then yest, haha, I got the lawyer letter, Radny Wong (the law firm) where they also sent one to my insurance company as well. WOW, the claims now inflat to $5.5k... 6 days of no car use, cost $180- daily... Imagine the 1.4k now become 3k in repair cost.. And he had the cheek to state in the letter, original quote 3.5k, discount if agreement to settle immediately for 3k.. Lots of bull-locks..

 

Anyway my NCD is 10%.. I know I will lose that and I m paying yearly insurance premiums at 1.2k, Dunno how much my premium gonna increase next time to..

 

Just felt that these type of workshops are totally unethical....

[Tiek]

Sorry to hear abt your predicament. This kind of workshops need to be shot!

 

It'll help if your insurer is NTUC.. because they require the other party to either go down to IDAC or be assessed by an independent assessor. My car was banged by a guy insured under NTUC, so my workshop has to let the assessor approve the repair cost before they can start the repair. And my workshop only claim for me $60 per day for loss of use.

 

Dunno what your insurance company policies are. Maybe you can check with them and also tell them that u feel the workshop is inflating the claims. I'm sure they'll investigate... as they don't want to pay such a huge amt too right?

[Sci10213]

This industry is like that for a very long time liao. Nothing much you can do about it.

 

If you suay-suay kena again, make sure:

 

1) if small amt, just pay for the other guy's repairs on your own

2) get the w/s person to give you an estimate invoice in writing

 

You go to police or CPIB no use becos you dun have proof. Verbal quotes are as good as nothing.

[Wildeyes]

bro... I guess you're not alone...

Last sunday, my sis-in-law happened to 'kiss' the rear of a sunny while both were stationary at the lights. The sunny owner said that he need to go MY and will be back to discuss with her again and they x-chg contacts and she carried on with whatever she set out to do.

However, late afternoon, she sms the owner and he replied via sms that he's already at the workshop and accessing the damage and will call her back... then abt 15 mins later, he called her and mentioned that workshop quoted 300+ for repair...

upon hearing that, my sis-in-law asked if she can go down to settle the cost for him tomorrow and he said ok and mentioned that he gave the workshop ppl authority to handle his case...

next day morning, my s.i.l called the workshop to confirm the cost as she needs to get the cash from the machine and to her surprise, the workshop guy said it is abt 800+ and he need to see invoice to confirm... and then a bigger surprise, it's 2.2k in total! my s.i.l called back the owner and he said that he don know and don wan to knw or talk abt it as he gave workshop full authority! she's so angry with the whole incident and told the workshop guy to go claim insurance when they called her to ask what time she coming... then at end of the day, her insurance called to tell her the other party claim is 5.6k!!! that's obvious daylight robbery and easy money for them!!!

[Tigershark1976]

my friend, u r consider lucky... i kissed a civic 2 yrs ago, nothing happen, i took picture inside, outside, the gap... cant find anythng wrong. The bast*rt insisted me to follow him to his painter to check, went with him to sinming.... the paiter say want to access i have to pay $300, then i tell him nothing happen what to access? the painter say might have "internal injury", I told him find, go Idac, the civic owner dun wan and insisted to let his painter to take over everything, i said okie lo, since i too all pic and find no fault, what can they do??

 

I went to IDAC, then all the photo emailed to NTUC and let them settle

 

 

In the end, i received a claim from his lawyer, $3K!!!! I asked NTUC what kind of repair that can cost so much?? the office send me a photo that I cannot see any damage, then the office told me that there is a very slight scratch, must see carfully againts the light then can c... then i asked him, like that can claim 3K!???

 

In the end, NTUC allow them to claim $700+, Then i received a breakdown of their claim... photocopy 1 document cost me $7, loss of use $200/day, and a lot of misc charges...the actual repair cost only $250! KNN, frm that day onwards, i know that I can actually make a living by letting plp kiss my ASS!!!

[Sony]

Rear bumper might appear ok but the reinforced beam behind the bumper might have taken the impact and bend. You need to open up and look at it.

 

Someone kiss my butt as well. Initially I tot it's just number plate, $30 to settle. then I saw a bend mark on my bumper. Oh well. at most respray, not more than $300.

 

went to my workshop, jack up and went under to see, the reinforced beam have bend a little.

 

Other party refused to come and check, insist i make a trip to his workshop, thinking I must be so free to entertain him. Oh well, claim him with IDAC assesment. Initial quote was $700 for private settlement to my workshop. but when it goes thru insurance, the workshop will calculate based on per man hour, down time, car rental, lawyer fee, etc....

 

in the end, 2.5k. Whether they are ethical or not, let's just say that everyone wants to earn a living. And you think insurance company are totally ethical? people that cause accident but refused to settle immediately and want to pull a stunt is ethical?

 

and you think someone like his butt to be rear ended which means he got to send his car to workshop, get a cheapo rental car, then waste time again to exchange a car back?

 

Anyway, I'm just sharing another perspective. Maybe it balance out this thread..

 

Cheers

 

 

P.S. shd you have 50% NCD, go for insurance that have NCD protector.

[Sony]

As a good practice, when the other party want to settle, go down immediately and make the payment or at least get the other party to sign and agree to pte settlement and the amt for settlement.

 

This advice is for those that cause the accident.

 

 

 

For those that suffered as a result of others' mistake, always remain claim and call a few people to talk to and assess the damage or estimate cost. Don't be pressured into settlement immediately as you never know what other damage you could have suffer.

 

If die die want to settle on the spot, state the settlement sum is for which part and that if there's other damage resulting from this accident, other party shd make good as well.

 

 

Disclaimer: that's just my own point of view. For professional advice, talk to our inhouse insurance guru turned PI: Guyver

[Spiderman]

Hmmm... then I must really share my experience.

 

This accident happened last year.

 

Road heavy traffic - bumper to bumper. I "suffered" a small lapse in concentration - car in front jammed brake, my ABS kicked in but didn't stop in time. Nonetheless, as the speed was only about 10km/h, impact considered quite minimal.

 

My front bumper no damage whatsoever! Only my license plate cracked - didn't even see the need to change it up to this date.

 

The other car also looked okay. Just that from another angle, can see that the boot lid sinked in a bit. He tested on the spot, boot can open and close, so I thought should be fine. To be honest, for me I would also be able to live with it.

 

Didn't expect it to cost more than a few hundred bucks. Offered the other party money to compensate him, rejected. Offered to repair for him. At first he agreed, but on the way to my workshop, he called to tell me he decided to send back to his own workshop. No choice, expect to burn a small hole in pocket (pay excess, insurance increase, etc.)

 

A few weeks later, lawyer letter came... I almost fell off my chair. The bill came up to $6000+ (as mentioned in TS post - for no. of day no vehicle, rental car cost, blah blah blah). Last time kenna accident simply borrow relative car or take bus. Nowadays, small accident only kenna claim here claim there like nobody business.

 

 

But that is not the end of story...

 

A few weeks later, another lawyer letter came. This time, the letter mentioned that the other driver suffered whiplash injury. Letter came with doctors report, hospital bills, etc. etc. And the new claim? Go on, make a guess....

 

I would have die on the spot if I had a weak heart...

 

The new claim is $66,000.

 

Who knows... I may become a bankrupt soon because of this minor accident. That's how ridiculous our current system is.

 

Only one advice for everyone... better to bang tree, bang wall, bang lamp post... anything, but just don't touch the bumper in front of you! Better still, DRIVE SAFELY AND AVOID ANY FORM OF ACCIDENT AT ALL COST!!!

Edited September 13, 2007 by Spiderman

[Victortheman]

Experiencing the same thing as above. Many workshops are very unethical and anyhow inflat the prices.

 

BUT at the same time, some people whose car kena bang by others are also in cahoot with these workshop. They let the workshop repair their car and inflat the claims and than the workshop will give them some "rebates"

 

Another time, I banged into a female driver, initial cost of repair 2k plus... to my surprise a few weeks later i received a letter from her lawyer stating that she suffers from mental stress after the accident and is claiming a total of 12k! WTF!!! BITCH!!!

 

In the end, the claim amount was 3k+.

[Lokech34]

HI there,

Can I suggest that when this kind of accident happens.At once make use of your

handphone digital camara & start to take as many pictures as possible.

 

And then keep the pictures as evidence for this kind of stupid claim. maybe

bring it to the CASE to vertfiy the actual repair cost.

 

And see what can happeds then>>>>>>>>>>

[Lokech34]

Hi ther,

What kinds of internal injury the stuipe painter is talking about.

Does he knows his trade well or he also want to have a piece of fresh from your pocket$$$$.

 

Seriously there is no law is it?? Just let this people do what they want. And how do IDAC justify the repair cost?????Or just anyhow wap

[Lokech34]

hi there,

if she has mental stress & i think she cannot cope to our traffic situation.

oe else she will have mental disease what. then she will endanger he rest of the road user. don't know when she will band into others

[Ah_liang]

Agree ... why should I live with a patch job when it is not my fault.

 

Someone kiss my ass, bumper a bit dent and paint work a bit crack.

So wat the other party can live with it.

He may think a slight knock or small paint job can do the repair but thats not my problem.

Obviously that will be to his advantage.

I would choose to change out the whole bumper and made him too pay for my inconvenience too.

Whatever the lawyer fee cost that I cannot control.

[Sony]

so what happen in the end?

Your story stop at the 66k medical bill.

 

Care to share what happen thereafter?

[Sony]

Experiencing the same thing as above. Many workshops are very unethical and anyhow inflat the prices.

 

BUT at the same time, some people whose car kena bang by others are also in cahoot with these workshop. They let the workshop repair their car and inflat the claims and than the workshop will give them some "rebates"

 

Another time, I banged into a female driver, initial cost of repair 2k plus... to my surprise a few weeks later i received a letter from her lawyer stating that she suffers from mental stress after the accident and is claiming a total of 12k! WTF!!! BITCH!!!

 

In the end, the claim amount was 3k+.

 

and who causes the accident? I find your statement highlighted in blue to be rather unfair.

 

But then, i don't agree with the 12k mental stress thingy coz it's rather over.

[Sony]

Nope. that painter know his stuff.

 

At times, the exterior might appear ok with minor scratches but the beam behind could be affected.

[Sony]

The way to have a settlement depends very much on the attitude of both parties.

 

If the other party is sincere in settling and willing to provide reasonable compensation in order not to have an insurance claim, why not? give others some leeway and others might do that as well.

 

 

However, there's another group of people whom causes an accident but blame everyone except themselves. They didn't even realise that others suffer great inconvenient.

 

All I can say is that either they pay me a good one lump sum to do good the damage and also pay for my lost of time + whatsoever; otherwise, it's a lose-lose situation to go for insurance claim.

[Freakman]

Only one advice for everyone... better to bang tree, bang wall, bang lamp post... anything, but just don't touch the bumper in front of you! Better still, DRIVE SAFELY AND AVOID ANY FORM OF ACCIDENT AT ALL COST!!!

 

ooi friendly neighboorhood spidey... you think bang tree la, bang wall la, bang lamp post no need pay one ah... sory hor, could be worst, this comes direct from garment hor...

 

that's why i agreed with your last sentence: drive safety and avoid any form of accident..