Everyone who has a car insurance probably has a ULR policy - it's the essential service which most insurance agents and some insurance companies add on to their motor insurance quotation "to pursue a claim on your behalf" for things like policy excesses and personal injury after a car accident.
Most people think the service is an extra insurance provided by their motor insurance company. It isn't. Most people think it is an insurance. It may not be. Most people think the service will buy them access to their own lawyer if they need one. Guess again.
You might find that your claim will be 'dealt with' by an inexperienced clerk in a car hire company office. If you are told that your claim against another driver has failed, it may be more to do with the skill of the claims organisation than the merits of your case - or if you do succeed and your claims service says 'we have received an offer of £250', you will never know that your claim actually was worth £5,000.
BEWARE accepting the add-on to your motor insurance without question.
BEWARE ESPECIALLY the 'free hire car' deals which are sometimes on offer. The companies involved can offer you a free car because they will get their substantial hire costs back from the other driver as part of the claim they handle for you. Unless your claim is being handled by a solicitor, who decides how a settlement offer is split between you - total excess and damage claim say £200 - and the hire company, whose total hire claim might be £2,000? Unless the claim is paid in full, you may find that you get paid whatever is left AFTER all other expenses have been settled.
So is ULR worthwhile? You can get injury claims handled on a 'no win, no fee' basis by many solicitors. If the accident is clearly not your fault, you may be able to deal with a claim yourself. -But there are a lot of accidents where the circumstances aren't so clear, and you may need some specialist help.
On balance, if the service is reasonably priced and operated by an authorised insurer, the product is well worth it.
DO MAKE SURE that
If you have any queries or problems, report the agent to his professional body; the underwriters to the ABI, and the details to us.
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