Car Insurance - Especially relating to QBE Thailand

[aussieinphuket]

I am not sure if i am posting this in the correct Forum Topic..

but here we go in any case...

i have an issue with QBE Insurance in Phuket...

i drive a Mercedes ML wagon 2009, current value according to QBE Insurance policy thb5.2 million (new was about the 7 mill)

well about 6 weeks ago i was driving in heavy rain and coming into my golf club, the road was flood about 20 cms so i continued through then the vehicle stopped. remember this

is basically a 4 wheels drive SUV high up. anycase water has somehow entered the engine and that was it. the exhaust was out of water and i was going through slowly so mercedes

scratch their head how water could enter as the air-intakes are situated high up near the headlights..

car was towed to mercedes in phuket. a quote was given to repair which entails changing engine fully and other items for thb 2 million. they cannot repair engine when water

damaged. i called mercedes servicing in germany and australia and they confirmed this also full engine change, its gone..

so we been waiting for QBE to get off their backsides i have fully comprehensive coverage thb82,000 per year.

today i get a call from Insurance Broker saying they will only pay 50 % as the depreciated value of vehicle so they should not have

to pay the full amount only half. i checked policy and says nothing about spare parts or other repairs to engine etc as being depreciated due age of vehicle..

has anyone heard of this before or had the same trying to be pulled on them..

needless to say i have handed this across to my lawyers to read and confirm and take up discussions with QBE....

[mcyachty]

Make lots of noise and yes, get your lawyer.

I have had it with QBE and come January I need to find another company. The service I received from QBE is I disgrace and I paid more for my premium than any other thinking the service would be better.

PM me if you want some email addresses although it did not do me much good. They just don't give a s*#t.

[Goldieinkathu]

Over the years I've had two fights with QBE in Phuket,once was a household insurance claim and the other a car claim, on both occasions I ended up going to the office in Phuket town that's like a "Watchdog" for insurance companies.

The lady in there speaks very good English and was very helpful. This is a government run place from what I understand.

She took notes about the case then took my details and called me back the following day after a meeting was arranged with the head of QBE Phuket , myself and her.

On both occasions QBE were made to pay for my claim in full. I didn't need a lawyer and it didn't cost me a thing.

PM me if you need directions to the office.

[aussieinphuket]

hi Mcyachty / Goldieinkathu, many thanks your replies. seems this is a standard procedure by QBE though the last claim i had with them went through fine...

the have had a reputation like this in the past in Australia so people do steer clear of them. i will let my lawyer send them a reply first and then maybe i will

contact you for the "watchdog" details as seems this Lady knows the scams from past QBE trying to pull.....

will report back soonest. nice week...

[ThaidDown]

Vehicle insurance is, in the case of an accident or mishap, to restore the wagon to its current state. It now has a 4 year old engine and is worth a certain amount.

The same vehicle with a brand new engine will be worth more. That additional amount is what I believe you should pay. Nothing like 1 million baht though.

Just another view.

[aussieinphuket]

well lets see what QBE say they have been served with a letter from my lawyers.... i have also told them i will write to Bangkok Post/The National Newspapers and also an article to

The Phuket News and The Phuket Gazette... reaction will be interesting to see...

[somchaismith]

Good luck! Don't forget defamation laws in Thailand are not the same as in the West.

[aussieinphuket]

Somchaismith - point taken but will ensure lawyer reviews first..... at present moment seem to be getting a little further along with QBE... also i have asked Mercedes what they

have to say and how water would get into engine when depth was only 25-30 cmd and i was motoring through slowly.. exhaust was definitely out of the water and air intakes

are near headlights... sofar no answer but will hold them reasonable also.... lets see what they have to say now..

[KittenKong]

I'm surprised the insurance company are giving you anything at all.

There can only be two possible reasons for the breakdown:

1 The water was much deeper than the car could drive though, in which case you should not have been deliberately driving in it.

or

2 There was a fault with the air intake or some other part of the car, in which case the design or manufacture or maintenance was faulty.

None of those is an insured peril and so none has anything to do with the insurance company.

Had you been driving over a bridge which collapsed and your vehicle fell into a river then that would have been an accident and your insurance company should pay. But if someone chooses to drive though a river rather than just park up and wait for it to drain away then they are an idiot and should pay for their own stupidity.

It's like house and car insurance in known flood-risk areas. Why do insurance companies pay out for this when the houses and cars in those areas (inevitably) get flooded? Insanity.