One man and his well behaved Fiesta

The Grange, Barnsley

Here is a curious motoring tale for your amusement.

In August my motor insurance company AXA sent me a sniffy letter telling me off for not informing them that I had driven into a Suzuki Celerio in Weymouth.  Neither I nor my well behaved Ford Fiesta have ever visited the seaside town of Weymouth, let alone assaulted the locals. I duly contacted them over the next few weeks with letters, phone calls and emails explaining my innocence and assumed that when investigated properly, justice would prevail, my good name would be restored and we would all have a chuckle about it. Big mistake. They ignored my communications, paid out the claim and adjusted my driving record and no claims accordingly. They said the front of my almost perfect Fiesta, (small shopping trolley ding to the badge, only noticeable in the right light), had caused £3000 worth of damage to the 2016 Suzuki celery I rang them up, ranted and raged for the odd half hour or so, (there was no chuckling), and put in an official complaint.  Following my complaint someone finally picked up a phone at AXA to check some details and found out that the rogue vehicle in the quaint seaside town, (noted for its Sea Life Adventure Park for any holiday seeking Russian spies), had in fact a one digit different reg number to mine'¦ and was a different colour! No one had ever bothered to check despite my pleas and protestations by phone, letter and email. They just took the option of paying out the claim, stuffing up my record and raising everyone's premiums. AXA have since corrected my record and offered me £100 to withdraw my complaint.  I haven't. So, as it's unlikely that AXA are the only company disposed to acting in this manner, the moral to the story is, if a similar thing happens to you don't assume that your company will investigate anything. I only just dodged this bullet, harass them relentlessly until they listen to you.