Drunk driver broke my workshop!

[stew 1Participant @stew]

Good stuff chaps. Some things I’d not even considered there.

I’ll keep you updated with progress. It may help someone in similar circumstances, although I seriously hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else. It’s supposed to rain tonight so we’ll see how watertight it is….

All valuable bits and bobs are now well protected. Could be worse and have happened in the depths of winter.

I member reading in a very old Model Engineer magazine about LBSC leaving his house and escaping to the country from South London during the V1 raids, and although this pales in comparison, you realise what your hard won tools and lovingly created models mean to you.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Hi Stew, A tempary shed may not be so outragous if they have to re-build the garage. Talk nicely to your insurance company. They would have to store your equipment during the work anyway . The cost of transport and storage could well be more than the cost of a decent shed so they may be open to that as an altenative. Do your homework. get at least a rough price for a shed, decide where it could go and if you can errect it and move the machines yourself. Consider if you would / could pay for some of it yourself maybe the “foundation” which might just be paving slabs.
Be up front with the insurance company and you might be surprised. I have had a “no fault” car claim on a classic car where amonst other things the exhaust was damaged. When the the assessor looked at the car he said “the exhaust is rusted, the insurance won’t pay for that”. I was able to tell him that I’d already discussed it with them as I’d been hit from behind when on the way to get a new exhaust fitted (had evidence of appointment) we agreed to split the cost of the exhaust 50/50.

Most important, look after yourself and  get help if it’s all gets too much.

Robert.

[stew 1]

On stew 1 Said:

Hi all.

I bought the house from a chap who had been renting it out to tenants, so all services were fully checked out and ‘proper.’ The gas engineer was satisfied with the installation and had no issue with the setup, so that’s good.
The git who crashed the car had borrowed it off a friend. The Police found he had no insurance, no licence, and was drunk. The car was untaxed and SORN, and had no MOT.

It was however insured… I informed the vehicle’s insurance company. The owner, to my knowledge, has yet to report it!

Claim is going through my home insurance, who will no doubt battle it out with the vehicle insurer.

It’s a quagmire of paperwork, phone calls, emails, victim statements, etc. The driver lives two doors away, and is renting from a housing association, so I’ve reported him. There is a list of ‘previous’ so they’ve served him a section 8 notice to vacate. My other neighbours have been very supportive.

It’s quite the learning curve. I just want a quiet life! 🙄

 

 

You’re lucky that there is insurance. If an uninsured driver has an accident the motor insurers bureau will check if there is ANY insurance on the vehicle and if there is then that policy must suffer the claim regardless of who is driving or even if they don’t know. It’s a good reason to make sure that if you sell a vehicle you do not leave the insurance policy to run its course (as some people do, especially young drivers, to gain that extra year’s no-claims discount). You can end up losing out big time if something like this happens and your only fault would be not thinking to cancel or suspend the cover.

It’s good news for you/your insurer though. Since there’s an active policy there is a way to recover costs. Make sure you inform your insurer that the vehicle has an active policy in case they don’t think to check further than the driver. It might make a big difference to how your own insurer approaches your rebuild and repair costs if they know that another company is footing the bill.

[stew 1Participant @stew]

Well, the Insurance chap is coming out tomorrow to look at the damage. (It’s been two weeks now…) I believe they’re called a ‘Loss Adjuster’ and work on behalf of the insurance company, and if they play silly buggers, then I may need to employ a ‘Loss Assessor’ who will work on my behalf. This is what I’ve been reading anyway.

Garage remains dry after the rain, but noticeably more humidity in there, and draughty. I will watch carefully for rust, though I take great care to make sure all tools are protected.

Its not nice being unable to carry out my hobby, but fingers crossed, I will not have to wait too long.

I shall report back after the visit.

 

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I think a shed might be an invitation to burglars who will realise why it is there. Maybe a mini container.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I’ve had experience with 3 loss adjusters and actually they were all very fair and professional – one when a burst pipe under the concrete kitchen floor soaked most of a wall and cork tiled floor next door, another when a leaking tap union under the bath soaked the chipboard under the vinyl (new stud wall and bathroom floor), the third when the TV aerial fell off and hit (but actually didn’t damage) our solar panels.  I hope your experience is as positive.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

That’s quite a shock for you, I hope it gets sorted quickly.

If you have to store your gear in a container, don’t skimp on rustproofing.

[stew 1Participant @stew]

Hi Neil.

Yes, I’ll only transfer to storage at the last minute, and retrieve it as soon as I can.

Been in the garden half the day retrieving smashed blocks from the garden wall from deep in the rhododendron bushes. Neighbours seem most concerned with the structure, but having the garden damaged hurt just as much to be honest.

[DustyParticipant @dusty]

Remember, the assessor works for the insurance company, not you. It could pay you to employ your own assessor.

I should have read earlier post. I t looks like you have been given good advice.

 

[stew 1Participant @stew]

Hi yes, were are going to employ our own assessor to take the strain off us. We have a lot on in life right now, and we don’t have the troops to fight battles on multiple fronts, so to speak.

We need to offload this one. Been putting all the workshop stuff into boxes. Surprising how much you accumulate!

[Mike JosephParticipant @mikejoseph75242]

Good luck!

[stew 1Participant @stew]

Thanks! I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I’m 51, and it’s hard enough. Another 25 years or so older and it might have been the end of it for me. It’s a lot of hassle.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Well I am at that age now and if that all happened to me Id go crawl into a corner.

[stew 1Participant @stew]

Hi Bernard.

The best thing is that our other neighbours have been lovely. I’ve had so many offers of help. It’s quite surprising how many people are thinking of you that you didn’t even know.

I’m just looking forward to having my workshop rebuilt and getting back to it being an escape for me, and not a chore. It was my little bit of quiet, and a distraction from a seemingly insane world, and I badly want it back.

 

[stew 1]

On stew 1 Said:

…I’m just looking forward to having my workshop rebuilt and getting back to it being an escape for me, and not a chore. It was my little bit of quiet, and a distraction from a seemingly insane world, and I badly want it back.

 

Try not to let it get you down – none of this is your fault and it’s covered by insurance.

Don’t get hung up on getting the best deal possible out of the insurers because you’re unlikely to achieve it and might blame yourself for failing.  Plus, starting a fight with an insurance company is probably the last thing an unwell person should do.  Watch out for well-intentioned folk advising aggression; it’s you who has the hassle and responsibility, not them.  “Go on, hit him, I’ll hold yer coat…”

As health is far more important than money, I’d take any reasonable settlement and move on.

In the meantime, perhaps the team can help by suggesting armchair and dining table alternatives:

• Computers aren’t for everyone, but
  • games like Solitaire, Tetris and Sudoku are good for recovery.  (Porn, gambling and shoot em ups are bad.)
  • learning 3D-CAD, and perhaps 3D printing.
  • Arduino
  • Amateur Radio using online SDR Receivers
• Meccano.   (My first clock was standard Meccano)
• Airfix/Revell/Tamiya models
• Macro Photography
• Painting models & pictures
• Teach self to measure accurately with gauge blocks, micrometer, & height gauge etc.
• Train set
• and much, much more…

The trick is to select something you like and can control and avoid anything frustrating.   Meccano is good because it covers all ages, allowing the user to extend or not as he wishes.  Not just for kiddies: grown-up Meccano is a serious hobby, with chaps producing truly remarkable models.   CAD is a shade risky because it has a steep learning curve – good fun once cracked, but getting started can be painful.

Revert to metal bashing when the workshop is restored.

Remember this old joke?  Two Englishmen are captured by cannibals, and the first, terribly wounded, is put in a pot coming slowly to the boil.   “I say Carruthers”, says the other, “does it hurt terribly?”   “No” replies Carruthers, “only when I laugh…”

Dave

 

 

 

 

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Hi Stew, very sorry to read all the foregoing, just what you don’t need. As another poster said, don’t take no for an answer. I say don’t accept an insurers try-on with a very low payment. Think they may try as it sounds like the  car owner doesn’t have couple of pennies to rub together, which means a total loss and write off for the insurers. No reason why they should try to minimise their losses by reducing your payout. My Uncle ran his own transport business years ago and his lorry was off the road for repairs. Other driver completely at fault. Insurers tried to settle loss of business based upon annual rather than very busy time of the year when it happened. They paid in full when he threatened Court action. Insurers sending loss assessor who is employed by the insurers to minimise the claim. You could employ a loss adjuster to combat him.

Good luck, hope it all resolves satisfactorily for you.

John

 

 

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