My wife and i went on holiday in early June to visit and stay with freinds who live in Bergerac in the south of France and on the 22nd June i was knocked off my motorcycle Honda Goldwing GL1500Se and sustained pretty horric injuries to my left leg and ankle which resulted in me having major surgery in a Bergerac hospital, once being allowed to travel home on the 17Th August we made our way back to the u.k. at my own expence as according to my insurance company the european breakdown assistance policy which i took out does not cover for this so sitting at home now unable to work with my leg in plaster we are about £400 out of pocket from our return trip THANK YOU Insurance Co (FOR NOTHING) Well on we go getting the bike recovered to the U.K. by a freind living in France and to my home address where its all safe n sound locked up in my garage i then call my insurance company to inform them that my beloved WING is back and they arrange for this assessor to come and inspect it which did happen in about a week and i told them that under no circumstances did i want this bike written off as i had spent an absolute fortune on it and it was pretty much a one off, Well the bike went to a repairer in Dagenham, Essex for an estimate of the repair and then 6 weeks passed without even so much of a phone call from my insurance company when i get in touch with the repairer to inquire as to whats happening with my WING thinking they are going to tell me that it would be ready for collection in the near futute WELL imagine my horrah when they tell me that its about to be collected by a salvage company as the insurance company has written it off (all this still without any word from them to me) about whats going on or where MY bike is even going, so i then phone the firm of assessors that came to look at the bike and they were just as much in the dark as myself and low and behold 2 days later i get a letter from the insurance company which contained a cheque for my motorcycle which grossly under valued it which i duly rejected and i put that in writting as instructed and ive heard nothing since and as you can work out by the date this has all taken 6 months and we are no further forward, Once i have spoken with my insurance company i WILL name them so all you fellow bikers can be aware of there tactics and steer clear of them because at the end of the day i have my other motorcycle Honda fireblade insured with them and both my sons have big sports bikes which are also insured with them and what i will add is that this is a large well known company. STAY POSTED.
This insurance company that i cannot name as yet have been absolute arsehole’s to be honest, They took my bike from my house and took it to the repairs for an estimate and then would commence with the repair (or so i thought) as it went to one of there autherised repairs then without any knowlegde or communication with me they on there own back decided to have it taken to a salvage yard and wrote it off dispite my express wishes that I DID NOT want this bike written off undar any circumstances, These pricks are a law unto themselves.
Sorry to hear about your bad news mate. These scumbags need wiping off the face of the earth as they’re quick enough to take your money!!! You name them and do us ALL A FAVOUR!!!
It’s not Bennetts and Zenith is it ? Bennetts are not worth the air they breathe. Zenith said my bike was a write off and had Uiversal Salvage collect it, who then damaged it even further putting it onto a truck with chains and a hoist.
I had to spend a few hours on the 'phone bypassing Bennetts to get it back, then Universal Salvage damaged it again when they delivered it, also damaging a car parked next to the bike.
Bit fishy that you would leave it 6 weeks without calling for update. Also IME ins. co would obtain agreement over value before physically scrapping.
Good point to check what cover you’re paying for with European cover though. i.e. breakdown and/or accident. Why would you think you’re breakdown cover would help you in the event of an accident? Bit naughty you didn’t extend your insurance for riding overseas. Thank God you didn’t hit anyone! Bluddy uninsured riders/drivers!
I think they must be all the same as I too suffered an accident (not my fault) whilst out on holiday in France and I got very little help from the French Police or my insurance company! Still unresolved… watch this space as the saying goes!
Bad news. I hope it’s sorted satisfactorily very soon.
A maxiscootering friend of mine had a bad experience with her insurance company a year or so ago and it raised an important point for those riding abroad.
She skidded on a diesel spill, fell off and dislocated her shoulder.
The X9 suffered a broken mirror and scratches but was otherwise undamaged so remained completely rideable.
When she made contact with her company (rearrange these letters to discover the name…‘U’, ‘N’) she was told that they would not repatriate the bike as it hadn’t broken down.
The matter was taken up by another X9er and resolved reasonably satisfactorily although the company failed to reimburse the injured party for certain expenses as they promised.
I checked with my company, CN, and was assured that should the same thing happen to me (or other clients) the bike would be brought home.
I did have a problem with my X9 last year in France and couldn’t get it repaired quickly. (France was closed for August!)
I had a few problems with the CN rep which resulted in her getting the sack - I understand I wasn’t her first ‘victim’.
I have great confidence in them as a rule. and AXA, their agents in France, were brilliant.
Incidentally, my Dealer brought the new part out (Immobilisor Aerial) to get me going; I should put him in the ‘Praise or Shame’ section…J.D.Thompson’s, St. Alban’s.
THANK YOU Insurance Co (FOR NOTHING) Well on we go getting the bike recovered to the U.K. by a freind living in France and to my home address where its all safe n sound locked up in my garage i then call my insurance company to inform them that my beloved WING is back and they arrange for this assessor to come and inspect it which did happen in about a week and i told them that under no circumstances did i want this bike written off as i had spent an absolute fortune on it and it was pretty much a one off, Well the bike went to a repairer in Dagenham, Essex for an estimate of the repair and then 6 weeks passed without even so much of a phone call from my insurance company when i get in touch with the repairer to inquire as to whats happening with my WING thinking they are going to tell me that it would be ready for collection in the near futute WELL imagine my horrah 
when they tell me that its about to be collected by a salvage company as the insurance company has written it off (all this still without any word from them to me) about whats going on or where MY bike is even going, so i then phone the firm of assessors that came to look at the bike and they were just as much in the dark as myself and low and behold 2 days later i get a letter from the insurance company which contained a cheque for my motorcycle which grossly under valued it which i duly rejected and i put that in writting as instructed and ive heard nothing since and as you can work out by the date this has all taken 6 months and we are no further forward, Once i have spoken with my insurance company i WILL name them so all you fellow bikers can be aware of there tactics and steer clear of them because at the end of the day i have my other motorcycle Honda fireblade insured with them and both my sons have big sports bikes which are also insured with them and what i will add is that this is a large well known company. STAY POSTED.