cumblechook22 Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 Greetings, everyone. I understand that this message is lengthy, but I would really appreciate any help from anyone who have had a similar scenario. I own a policy of insurance that provides complete coverage and protection. I travelled to France for vacation in my BMW 5 Series, which was less than a year old. Unfortunately, on Friday at 11:00am local time, I had a puncture and contacted BMW Roadside Assistance. They informed me that they would arrive within 90 minutes. Despite many discussions and commitments made by BMW Roadside Assistance, I was not picked up until 1900 local time. BMW Roadside Assistance had knowledge of my intention to depart from France on Sunday. Since it was a Friday, all establishments were closed and my vehicle was sent to a secure storage facility where it would be kept until a BMW Dealership could replace the tyre. Despite many phone calls, BMW Roadside Assistance remained unresponsive until Tuesday, when my vehicle was finally transported to the BMW Tours Chambery shop for a planned tyre replacement on Wednesday afternoon. After completing the task, my plan was to get the vehicle and go back to the UK (I had previously prolonged my stay in order to wait for the car to be repaired). During the early hours of Wednesday morning, a fire broke out at the Tours Chambery dealership, causing my automobile to be declared a total loss. The exact origin of the fire has not been discovered yet. However, BMW Insurance has already informed me that they would not process my claim, since it seems to be a deliberate act of arson. I had a situation where a little puncture in my vehicle led to BMW Roadside Assistance taking control of it and transferring it to the BMW Tours Chambery store. Unfortunately, the dealership declared my automobile as irreparable, and now BMW Insurance is refusing to process the claim. Undoubtedly, this situation does not portray BMW and its affiliated companies, who provide services like Roadside Assistance and Insurance under the BMW brand, in a favourable light. Had my automobile been retrieved earlier and not been in storage for a duration of 4 days, it would not have been stationed at the BMW Tours Chambery store during the specified period. Is my grievance a valid case? Has anybody had a comparable situation where the act of arson was determined to render your claim void? We would much appreciate your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgx Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 When you mention BMW insurance, are you referring to the insurance provided by the garage or the insurance policy you have with BMW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumblechook22 Posted July 9, 2024 Author Share Posted July 9, 2024 I insured the car with BMW Insurance, specifically BMW Flex Insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevorseaf Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 Seek the assistance of a reputable Solicitor instead of further delaying the process. They will see you as an inexperienced person (without intending to offend) and will dismiss you repeatedly until you get exhausted and frustrated, ultimately leading you to accept the simplest and most effective solution that benefits them. The ultimate determination of the reason may need a significant amount of time since the insurance assessors and the police will ultimately determine the conclusion. Remember that your automobile is not the only vehicle that has been damaged, which means you may find yourself in a line of prospective individuals seeking compensation. I anticipate / want that the automobile be insured regardless of the reason. Wishing you the best of fortune in achieving a prompt and effective outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumblechook22 Posted July 9, 2024 Author Share Posted July 9, 2024 Thank you. I need legal counsel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard_silver Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 I request that you provide us with regular updates on this matter as I will be closely monitoring it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumblechook22 Posted July 9, 2024 Author Share Posted July 9, 2024 One hundred percent. If posting will help someone avoid a similar situation, then it is worthwhile to invest the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VWDaveBMW Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 Have you notified your insurance provider about this incident? If you have European Cover and Arson is not explicitly excluded in your policy, you should be eligible for coverage and they will be obligated to provide compensation. The responsibility is with the individuals to make a claim on the insurance for the garage. However, it is important to note that this claim will be seen as a formal request for compensation, which may result in an increase in your insurance rates. Nevertheless, if your insurance company successfully recovers the entire amount from the garage's insurance, you may get a refund for the premium increase, and the claim will ideally be categorised as not being your fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumblechook22 Posted July 9, 2024 Author Share Posted July 9, 2024 Indeed, I have filed a complaint with my insurance provider, namely BMW Flex Insurance. I have insurance coverage for travel in Europe, and the term "arson" or any similar term is not included in the insurance contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM10000 Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 You should be protected by the dealership's own insurance since they were responsible for the automobile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgx Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 They will claim that the automobile was not under their supervision when it was taken out of hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpaco45 Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 The quality of BMW service has reached an unprecedented level of incompetence, beyond my expectations. Frankly, I would just go to the closest tyre store, providing they had run-flat tyres available. However, I would never purchase a new vehicle from BMW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumblechook22 Posted July 9, 2024 Author Share Posted July 9, 2024 Since I had never used run flat tyres before, I had to rely on BMW Roadside Assistance. Valuable knowledge acquired. I appreciate the responses from everyone. I am grateful for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM10000 Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 After reviewing the policy online, I have found no restrictions regarding arson, unless you are the primary suspect. Since the dealership and your policy are both with BMW, I recommend contacting them directly to get a comprehensive explanation for their refusal to cover your claim. BMW flex Insurance is provided by LV and they may be contacted if necessary. If all other attempts prove unsuccessful, you have the option to file a complaint with the Insurance Ombudsman. I have included a PDF file that displays the pertinent pages extracted from the policy paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM10000 Posted July 9, 2024 Share Posted July 9, 2024 file:///C:/Users/Downloads/Policy20240709_11241501.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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