Inchcape Derby Under Water

[simpleR]

In the news yesterday
https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish ... ler/292874

[cj10jeeper]

In the news yesterday
https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish ... ler/292874

Interesting article and raises a couple of points:
If a Defender at c80k is written off it tells me the water level was high enough to write off all the cars there. Has to be a £10 -£20m hit not including the huge building refurb required.

Pointing the customer to their own insurers seems the way. Luton airport car park was the same and the insurers paid out.
Does make me wonder what happens if your car is damaged in the dealership, stolen, or otherwise. I’d always assumed they cover it, but perhaps not unless say they are actually driving or working on it.

[Kev]

Your car would normally be covered whilst in the Stealership (possibly out of their own pocket should it be damaged), but as this is an exceptional circumstance it's probably why Jaguar are pointing people to their own insurers to spread the cost of payout rather than taking a huge hit

[scm]

Yeah, dealers should be responsible for damage to vehicles that their incompetent/carelessness causes, but the flood wasn't really their fault, apart from choosing a site that's liable to flood ....

[cj10jeeper]

I get it re the exceptional circumstances, etc. of a flood, but it's a fine line when it comes down to individual cars. So if someone enters the dealership steals the keys and drives off, Is it incompetence if they were in their key cabinet? If they are test driving and another car hits it, 100% at fault, then who picks up the tab? I'd like to feel confident the dealer does, better still that I never have to deal with the question, nor carry the premium hike for years.
The referenced car owner had his car in there for months awaiting parts now it's his claim. Easy to see why pretty upset.

I fully get the shifting it onto individual insurers due to the magnitude of the total claim, but at Luton Airport for example people had to fight their insurers as in many case they blamed them for parking the car there and initially refused to payout.

Anyway just an interesting line of thought as you handover the keys

[Kev]

A lot of the garages have a key cabinet which tends to get left open during the day (I used to be a Snap-On Dealer many years ago) so anyone could walk in and grab them, but things may've tightened up a bit these days although someone with balls big enough could blag their way there somehow via the back door/parts. If the key cabinet was locked and alarms set on the building etc. then no issue as they've taken all precautions, but you'd be lucky to find a car that starts if it's in the workshop at the moment...On a test drive the technician would be under the Dealer's insurance and would be expected to pay for everything, no way should you as the owner have to pay extra for someone else's mistake

With regards to Tom Hartley, I'd be surprised if people higher up in the management chain weren't in touch with him due to his status within the industry. Those in the dedicated call centre probably wouldn't have a clue who they were talking to unless they had a more than passing interest in cars as it's just another customer on their database?

The Luton Airport may be different as the car was unattended in a public place so there's probably something in their T&C's which limits their liability due to the increased risk of damage/theft. I'd suspect almost all public car parks have a disclaimer up somewhere

[stefan9107]

A lot of the garages have a key cabinet which tends to get left open during the day (I used to be a Snap-On Dealer many years ago) so anyone could walk in and grab them, but things may've tightened up a bit these days although someone with balls big enough could blag their way there somehow via the back door/parts. If the key cabinet was locked and alarms set on the building etc. then no issue as they've taken all precautions, but you'd be lucky to find a car that starts if it's in the workshop at the moment...On a test drive the technician would be under the Dealer's insurance and would be expected to pay for everything, no way should you as the owner have to pay extra for someone else's mistake

With regards to Tom Hartley, I'd be surprised if people higher up in the management chain weren't in touch with him due to his status within the industry. Those in the dedicated call centre probably wouldn't have a clue who they were talking to unless they had a more than passing interest in cars as it's just another customer on their database?

The Luton Airport may be different as the car was unattended in a public place so there's probably something in their T&C's which limits their liability due to the increased risk of damage/theft. I'd suspect almost all public car parks have a disclaimer up somewhere

I just assumed with the Luton Airport one everyone's insurance would be claiming from the insurer of the car that caught fire...
Imagine being the insurer of that car. Worst case you think your client might hit a Ferrari or something... nope, burned down a whole car park with 1400 cars in it

I can't remember as it's been a while... when you have a claim on your record do you have to specify how much it was?
"Errr... about £50million..."

As far as the JLR one... it kind of makes sense to me that a flood would be covered by your own insurance. Unless there was some form of negligence in the design/building of the place (lots of arguments can be made there about building on flood plains). It doesn't really feel any different to it being parked down your local supermarket and a flash flood takes it out. Doesn't suddenly make it the supermarkets fault.

I get that guys frustration though as in his head the car shouldn't of been there in the first place and it's only because of the JLR parts issues/reliability that it was.

[Kev]

Imagine being the insurer of that car. Worst case you think your client might hit a Ferrari or something... nope, burned down a whole car park with 1400 cars in it

As far as the JLR one... it kind of makes sense to me that a flood would be covered by your own insurance. Unless there was some form of negligence in the design/building of the place (lots of arguments can be made there about building on flood plains). It doesn't really feel any different to it being parked down your local supermarket and a flash flood takes it out. Doesn't suddenly make it the supermarkets fault

I take it you've seen Tesco's at Bognor Regis and the caravan park next door where they're both somewhat under water...? The Council building behind Tesco's down Durban Road also flooded (along with other units along that side) and their employees have been told they may not be back in there for a year as there was also sewage in the water...Tesco is normally open within a matter of weeks after a flood so I wonder if the sewage issue will delay them this time even though it's flooded on numerous occasions before to similar levels?

[mickjaguar]

I take it you've seen Tesco's at Bognor Regis and the caravan park next door where they're both somewhat under water...?

Friend of ours has a cleaner that lives on that caravan park. Their mobile home remained dry but they were initially marooned and had no way of getting out due to the waist deep water.

They phoned the kids school and we're told it would have to be put down as unauthorised absence! Don't think the underwater solar farm at Felpham isn't generating much electricity at the moment either! They could use it for oyster beds I suppose

[stefan9107]

Imagine being the insurer of that car. Worst case you think your client might hit a Ferrari or something... nope, burned down a whole car park with 1400 cars in it

As far as the JLR one... it kind of makes sense to me that a flood would be covered by your own insurance. Unless there was some form of negligence in the design/building of the place (lots of arguments can be made there about building on flood plains). It doesn't really feel any different to it being parked down your local supermarket and a flash flood takes it out. Doesn't suddenly make it the supermarkets fault

I take it you've seen Tesco's at Bognor Regis and the caravan park next door where they're both somewhat under water...? The Council building behind Tesco's down Durban Road also flooded (along with other units along that side) and their employees have been told they may not be back in there for a year as there was also sewage in the water...Tesco is normally open within a matter of weeks after a flood so I wonder if the sewage issue will delay them this time even though it's flooded on numerous occasions before to similar levels?

Yep, Bognor Tesco was what immediately came to mind although as it was overnight I don't think anyone's cars suffered the same fate.
I cover the Chichester/Selsey/Witterings/Bognor/Littlehampton area for work (as well as some towns across the south downs), so I'm more than used to seeing some flooding. I take the Jag down to some of my nicer jobs around Chichester Harbour normally but unsurprisingly have been keeping it tucked away at home the last few weeks instead. Glad I did as well as there were a few questionable bits I'm not sure I'd of wanted to go through.

I don't think there is any re-opening date in site for the Tesco from what I've heard so it's possible it has the same issue. As you said, normally the water is gone again pretty quickly but it seems to be hanging around this time. If the council office flooded I'm guessing the Storagemart and others next door did as well. Hopefully that Bognor Motors place that do the VW vans are okay as I've heard they are a great little business that pull in people from miles away.