# Another Weekend Disaster, Ins/follow up/Conclusion/Remedy



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi all

I know that the site going down is the big story from the weekend but I had my own disaster too.

We set off on Friday to go to Devon for the weekend. I hate motorways so we decided to get off the M5 early on and go across the Quantocks and Exmoor. Travelling down one of the smaller roads we were shocked when it sounded as though the roof of the van had been hit by something, the noise was a really loud crashing. What had happened was that there was a small leafless branch of a tree sticking out from the hedge, I think some previous high vehicle had pulled it out, it managed to pass in between the awning and the van and then proceeded to rip the awning off the van. The awning fell into the road with a hell of a clatter, smashing both end covers off and bending the back plate. The van escaped lightly, various surface scratches and scratch damage to the side and door windows. The brackets that held the awning were opened up and the grub screws torn out.

I have been on to the Insurers, Safeguard and they say "no problem you are covered" so at least that's good news to start. They told me to get on with getting a quote and they are sending a claim form. I have had the van round to Autosleepers and thay are preparing a quote for the repairs. I am thinking it is going to be an expensive job. The Omnistore awning costs around £425 without fitting or delivery and the new windows are not cheap!

I will report back how the repair goes and more importantly how Safeguard deal with the claim for this freaky accident. For now I am just glad that we can continue to use the van...it could have done so much more damage if the brackets had not given way.

Have any of you had this happen, I would have thought that it must have happened before to someone. As and when the repair is done I will be designing and fitting a guard to stop it hapening again. If you have an Autosleeper Executive or a van like it where the front end of the awning sticks out from the body of the van....watch that hedgerow! or fit a guard.

If any of you have any tips for claim form filling I would like to hear them :wink: 


Mike

P.S. at least the site we stayed on at the rally was excellent and the weather was fine all weekend.


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O Hi spykal. Very sorry to hear about your accident. I had a similar thing happen in Spain. I was reverse parking into a side parking. There were Palm trees at the the side on the path. The leaves had been chopped back from the road (but not enough). The sharp edge (like a razor) on one ripped down the middle of the awning. I was not a happy chappy. :evil:


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

*Update*

Hi All
12.20 am 
The promised Claim Form from Safeguard just dropped through my letterbox. So full marks so far, claim form "in the post" they said yesterday afternoon, in my hands today at 12.30....I just hope the rest of the service is as good......

Mike


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## GypsyRose (May 9, 2005)

:roll: Oh Mike - poor you!! You must have been horrified! Best of luck with the claim and the repair etc!  Ana xx


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## relay (May 9, 2005)

Really sorry to hear this Mike, but good news that the insurance company are on the ball - after the amount we pay 'em every year they should be but you do just wonder. Hope it's fixed quickly can imagine how sad it is to see. Good idea to make some kind of guard for it, sounds like it could happen quite easily. 

good luck
-H


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Thanks John,Ana and H

Not sure why but just writing about it on here seems to have put it into proportion...It could have been so much worse. I have no real damage at all to the van the marks are only on the surface and are going to polish out. The Awning and windows will be replaced, I hope, under the insurance, so I am trying to be positive about it :roll: If there had been another vehicle following when the awning was bouncing down the road I don't want to imagine the consequences. In fact the road we were on was just so quiet, I had time to go back and retrieve the awning and collect all the bits and load it into the van (B****y heavy too) and still no other traffic came along.

Mike


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## kazbill (May 10, 2005)

Good luck with the insurance company. Must have given you a real fright!

Karen


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## Paulway (May 9, 2005)

Sorry to hear your story Spykal nobody wants that to happen. 
Was'nt familiar with your M/home type but if it is as I have just pulled up on 
http://www.motorhome-irl.co.uk/Sales/Sales_Info.php?ID=1588

then the purpose designed fairing that I have in front of my Fiamma awning that just sticks on to the van with Silicon will work for your guard it sort of streamlines it in to the van. It is made of a plastic material and is available from Fiamma stockists, it does say suitable for use with any make of awning and costs around £9, or least ways did when I bought mine.
I think it is as listed on www.discountfiamma.com as

04650-01- SPOILER F45 10% OFF RRP 
04651-01- SPOILER F45 L 10% OFF RRP 
not sure what the difference is but I beleive one is smaller and narrower for the F45i range. I was trying to find you a picture but was unsuccesful
I actually got mine from here:-
http://www.homesteadcaravans.co.uk/index.htm but I can't find it listed on the site but I am sure if you phone them, or someone else, they will be able to point you in the right direction. Good luck!


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi Paulway,

what a great site this is.....

Thanks for finding that, the large Fiamma spoiler may be just the job. I have a Fiamma catalogue and have found pictures in there. I will try to get to somewhere to measure one up. The awning on my Autosleeper (and on all fibreglass monocoques) stands away from the body on fibreglass wedge brackets so the Fiamma spoiler may not be deep enough. I may just use the Fiamma one as a pattern and make a deeper fibreglass copy that can be fitted infront of the awning.

Thanks again for your input.

Mike


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## seamusog (May 10, 2005)

Sorry to hear about your bad luck spykal,hope you get things sorted out without too much hassle,you should be fine with Safeguard. I damaged my oyster system in Le havre last week, silly me parked beneath a tree and operated the system,doh. waiting for the engineer to examine it and tell me the bad news,but I fear the motor is goosed.Another lesson learned. seamus.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi all

Thanks for all the kind thoughts, I tiedied up the broken brackets and we went off for the weekend to Wales....it was far too windy for an awning so we did not miss it :lol: :lol: 

It is now Monday 16th and I have just sent off the claim form and quotation for the repairs from Autosleepers to Safeguard. In fact the claim form has gone direct to Allianz Cornhill who are the actual Insurers.

As it may be of interest to some I will report back on how efficiently they deal with the claim and if I get any problems.

Mike


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## 88883 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Mike

Sorry to read of your accident, hope you get it all sorted. Yes I would be interested in hearing the outcome of your claim.

Thanks for posting all the info, it would not have occured to me to look at the protusion of an awning.
Another lesson well received, thanks.

Chris


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## 88847 (May 9, 2005)

Hi spykal

sorry mate to hear of your grief, only you will be feeling the real pain, although we all have a sympathetic ear and hope you get it sorted soon

A friend of mine drove through a village in spain, following another friend in a car.............next thing all the crunching noises became his MH roofrack and topbox leaving his roof as the hit an overhanging leafless branch...............gutted, thankfully he has it sorted now 

no concellation i know

Paul


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi all

I sent the claim form and quote for the repair off a week ago, direct to Allianz Cornhill the Safeguard insurers.....as I had not heard anything I rang them today........"your claim has arrived and is being dealt with, you will hear from us shortly". Efficient but no real progress yet......but I will report back here, as and when there is any progress with the claim and repairs.

Mike


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Sorry to hear of (and see!) your disaster, Mike, but I'm pleased that it looks as though you're getting it sorted.

Just got back from France (not in m/h, sadly) so trying to catch up with things.

The 'spoiler' looks just the jobbie, doesn't it? To reiterate my experience, I have a slide-in, rubber 'drip strip' fitted between awning and m/h body - this was completely pulled out by thin overhanging branches. 

In my opinion, a 'spoiler' is a MUST for anyone who has a fitted awning.

Good luck with the claim.


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## 89037 (May 12, 2005)

sorry to hear of your accident just to say autotrail have a built in moulding on the side of the van which is a well thought out idea


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi all
A week or so ago on the friday before the bank holiday the claim deptment of Allianz Cornhill (Safeguard) rang me and asked me to take the van to Autosleepers and leave it there for their inspection. We went away for the holiday and on returning I rang them back and suggested that as the van was useable without the awning I did not like the idea of taking it to the factory (even though it is only 10 minutes away). I suggested that the representative (loss adjuster) came here to inspect the damage and then negotiate with Autosleepers. They agreed to this and a date was set for the inspection...today tuesday 7th June.

The inspection has just taken place and the man from Allianz Cornhill "he say YES" no problem, a very pleasant guy who knew his stuff, was familiar with Autosleepers and the type of van ....he will authorise Autosleepers to do the repair and pay them direct ..less my £100 excess. I had quite honestly thought that the labour charges quoted by Autosleepers would have made him wince..but no all settled and just finding a date for the repair is all that is left. So maybe this time next month the job will get done!

So far my dealings with Safeguard and the insurers Allianz Cornhill have gone very well, although It has taken a month to sort out but there have been good communications and it seems a good result is going to be the outcome. 

I have a protected No claims bonus so I do hope that in September when the time comes for renewal I don't get a shock rise in premium.

Mike


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## claypigeon (May 9, 2005)

Hi Mike pleased to hear you got it sorted

Dave


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Well done, Mike, good for you. And thanks for posting your observations here - it gives us all a benchmark for our future insurance business. Safeguard would appear to be a good insurer.

My own experience with Saga is similar to yours. Goodwill and the job approved (albeit with a minor, 'human' error) with minimal fuss. I also got good support when I disputed the quality of the repair with the garage. Saga sent an independent assessor, who supported my case. The garage eventually succumbed.

Maybe motorhomes are a good risk? We possibly rarely have accidents, and because we have, in the main, commercial vehicle bases, they are cheaper and easier to repair? I know this isn't the case with your repair, Mike, but perhaps with many other accidents? Who knows, but it's good to be able to 'praise' when appropriate as well as the more usual 'pillory'.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi all

Autosleepers have now completed the job and I have a new awning, a new main window and a new door window....its amazing how scratched the old ones were ...not big scratches, other than where the blind hit, but just generally hazy...the new ones are so clear that we will have to park up so that the view is on the nearside :lol: 

The repair could have been done a month ago everything was sorted easily with the insurers but since the van was useable we wanted to go away most weeks before the school holidays, so I put off the job till this week.

I paid over the amount of my excess on pick up and the insurers are settling the rest direct (around £1000+ I think).
I have a protected no claims bonus so I am hoping that my insurance premium renewal from Safeguard will not go through the roof in September , as long as ot does not I will be one "happy camper". I will update this thread in September.

Good service from both Safeguard Insurance and Autosleepers.

Mike


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Glad you go it sorted. These things always go on and on. I think I am with Safeguard.


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Well done, Mike. A weight off your mind, I'm sure. 
Have you fitted the 'buffer' in front of the awning, yet? I have mine, but I'm now waiting for a dry day to fit it!


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

BarryandSue said:


> Well done, Mike. A weight off your mind, I'm sure.
> Have you fitted the 'buffer' in front of the awning, yet? I have mine, but I'm now waiting for a dry day to fit it!


Hello

What is this buffer please & where did you get it.

Thanks

Motorhomer


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Go back up the thread to Spykal's post of 10.05.05 with accompanying photos.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Ok Folks here is the End of the story

The other day I received my renewal notice from Safeguard insurance and .....Damn .....it seems that they have removed my No Claims bonus which means an Increase of £125 more than last years premium. So armed with my current policy I ring a very nice man at safeguard called James....I tell him that if he looks at my policy he will see that I have a "protected" no claims bonus. "Oh yes" he says and do I mind being put on hold.....well a few minutes go by and he returns..." You certainly do have a protected no claims bonus, we just did not charge you for it so the computer did not pick it up".........."no problem though we will honour it"........so I says "go on then quote me happy"....and he did ....£276 for the coming year including ....a protected no claims bonus :lol: :lol: :lol: just £11 dearer than the current premium....not bad eh!

As you may have guessed I am one happy camper :lol: and I can recommend Safeguard Insurance to you all.


Mike

P.S. I wonder if they read this site..........????? they might just send me a complimentary key ring :lol: :lol:


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

spykal said:


> As you may have guessed I am one happy camper :lol: and I can recommend Safeguard Insurance to you all.:


 :lol: Happy that everything turned out well for you Mike. :wink:

 I'll not tell you my story of some years ago.


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Go on JSW, you know you want to.............................
Keith

Ps Well done Mike, it's good that somone can report good dealings with insurance companies...


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

MOTORHOMER said:


> BarryandSue said:
> 
> 
> > Well done, Mike. A weight off your mind, I'm sure.
> ...


Hi Motorhomer and Barryandsue(where ever you are?)

I managed to get hold of a Fiamma Spoiler at Shepton show, it cost a tenner. Anyone with a similar van with a protruding awning should maybe think about fitting one.

Mike


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