Not sure that you can, unless you can get an engineers report that backs up your opinion.

Thanks for the reply. I'm having problems with the first point though!

We had an independent report done, and this was based purely on what was currently wrong with the car. The report agrees that the front wheel and hub were damaged at the same time, but it doesn't agree that they were part of the same accident. Unfortunately for me, I know that this is the only possible time it could have happened. Audi very clearly told me that all of these parts don't just fail together without a pretty big whack and I know that the only time that could have happened was during this accident. My problem is proving it to the insurance company.

I don't understand why it's even a question though - surely if my back wheel was pushed in by the kerb it would be obvious that the bounce back forced the front wheel into the kerb too? Won't it be seen as too much of a coincidence that my brakes fail a month after getting the car back, then again a month after they're replaced? It obviously all got damaged in the accident. How do I convince them?!

WizPip: How can I get my insurance company to 1) agree that the front wheel was damaged in the accident and cough up the £1,130 for the wheel and brakes (which overheated because of the damage to the hub), 2) therefore refund my local garage for the 'warranty' repairs which I believe to be accident damage and 3) convince the insurance company that my story is the only story and thus win my case (and give me my £220 excess back)? Thanks in advance!

1) Obtain an independent motor engineers report at your cost, which shows that the accident damage was most likely to be the problem. I think AA/RAC can arrange or there may be other engineers locally that can provide a report. Check with the Insurers first, whether they will accept an independent report, before you pay for this.

2) Depends on info found out after 1) above. The garage may use this to pursue, if they can or want to.

3) You won't convince your Insurers, unless you have a court decision in your favour. No independent witnesses and no CCTV or other evidence to really help The only way you have of getting a 100% decision is to go to court. You would have to speak to your Insurers about the consequences of doing this. If you have any legal expenses Insurance on your Car Insurance, will they help ? Ask them.

Consequences could be of going to court, is that you have to pay the defendants costs and your Insurers will not rebate these to you. If the court comes to a worse outcome money wise, the Insurers may refuse to help you if they had not sanctioned the court action. So speak to your Insurers first and if you are not being given a reasonable explanation, ask to speak to a manager.

Hello all,

I was involved in an accident on the last day of November. The other guy had a scratched front os bumper and I had a scratched back ns wheel and slightly bent inwards back os wheel. The collision happened on a dual carriage way whilst I was in the outside lane, passing some slower traffic in the nearside lane. Essentially, one of these slower cars did not see me, turned into me and collided with that rear wheel which bumped me across the rest of my lane into the kerb on the right hand side.

During repairs at the approved garage I asked for my alloys to be reconditioned; the front os one of which was found to be cracked and replaced at cost to me.

Repairs took 23 working days and my excess was £220.

A month after having the car back it began to judder heavily whilst braking. The front brakes were replaced at my local garage at cost to me, cause: overheating.

A month later the juddering came back. The garage just called to say that the brakes have overheated again and it seems to be being caused by a faulty wheel hub and strut.

Now, it all seems patently logical to me that during the accident the front of my car must also have collided with the kerb, cracking the front wheel and damaging the hub. Unfortunately I'm having difficulty convincing the insurance of this and am left with a bill of £700 for the wheel and £430 for the brakes. The other parts (and second set of new brakes) are being replaced on warranty, as my local garage cannot attribute it to accident damage.

The insurance company are also being very lax with my case and push for 100% against the other driver. Although there were no witnesses, myself and the other driver both agree on the stretch of road where the accident occurred and I have given my insurance company detailed evidence of the damage to my car and layout of this road (via architectural drawings from the highways agency) in an attempt to prove that not only is my version of events the correct ones, but that the other driver's version of events are impossible.

How can I get my insurance company to 1) agree that the front wheel was damaged in the accident and cough up the £1,130 for the wheel and brakes (which overheated because of the damage to the hub), 2) therefore refund my local garage for the 'warranty' repairs which I believe to be accident damage and 3) convince the insurance company that my story is the only story and thus win my case (and give me my £220 excess back)?

Thanks in advance!