My son has had his car written off. Opened up like a tin of sardines by a tractor with a post hole attachment on the back. Fortunately no injuries but how should he respond to the first insurance settlement offer? At the bottom is a ‘Tick if you accept’ box. Insurer is Admiral.
First you need to decide what the car is worth to your Son. I hope you have some good photos of it before the accident that prove that it is in good or exceptional condition. Next trawl through advertisements for cars in near similar condition. Try to go for dealer’s prices rather than private sales as this is what you would have to pay to replace the car quickly. Then start haggling with the insurance company. If the liability is with the tractor driver then you should be discussing the value with his insurers not yours. Their duty is to put him back in the same condition car or equivalent value before the accident.
Thank you. Apart from dealing with the at-fault driver’s insurance that’s exactly what I said. However, should it be my son’s insurer dealing with the other driver?
It probably is correct to get your Son’s insurer to deal with the claim. In the good old days onewould rely on one’s insurance broker to sort it out but I am not sure how insurers like Admiral work. They might be low cost for a reason and therefore try to press for a quick settlement. It may be advantageous to be an awkward so and so!
I agree, get a price to buy another equivalent car - preferably from dealer, not the trade price, as this is lower. If you can find some links to these cars, they will act as evidence to support your claim.
The answer is yes 
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+1 for Always yes.
At the end of the day it won’t be Admiral paying ( unless both insurance companies have the same underwriters then it will be a bit tricky). 
In my experience with Admiral, from forty years ago so it might have changed, if they do ANYTHING for you about an accident regardless of whose fault it might be, that is “A Claim”. This includes using their Legal support. So NCB takes a hit, premiums go up, etc.
It’s also why I don’t take ‘Legal Cover’ from a car insurer, and have my local solicitor proceed on such things. He might be more expensive as a one-off payment if he cannot recover his costs from the other party, but long-term over the last fifty-plus years this has proved to save me thousands on premiums.
Best example was when a neighbour reversed fifty yards up the street to miss most of my correctly parked five-year-old two-door Mk1 Cavalier, but still managed to hit the rear wing just in front of the wheel.
When I tried to claim directly against the other driver’s insurance through the other driver, Admiral wanted to do “Knock for Knock.” We assumed this was because they insured both vehicles.
How utterly ridiculous.
Solicitor solved the issues with one letter; Admiral caved in, no arguments, no premium penalty to me and no hit on my NCD.
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Thanks for all the replies. Reassuring that they confirm our views and subsequent actions.
An update. Things have moved on with the offer quickly being increased - twice - to a point where my son is happy to stop. There’s still the Excess to sort out but it feels like he’s getting there, so thanks for all the help.
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good news - last accident i had was with Admiral, was preparing to do all the above that everyone suggested and they sent through an offer more than i was expecting - took it straight away after getting back up off the floor!
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I’m with Admiral, so glad hear this. Of course I don’t want to have to deal with anything like this, trying to avoid it.
The company have always seem ready to listen and cooperate when I’ve spoken to them about renewal prices.
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Further update:
Son now being called to settle by the Insurers but hasn’t. His response each time is ‘Still trying to find an equivalent replacement for the money, within allowable travelling distance - there’s nothing’.
As a result the offer has been upped three more times since my last update and is now exactly DOUBLE their opening gambit!
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