Car stolen & recovered what should I insist is checked if the Insurance company wish to give me it back?

[Nabs]

Had a 2009 A4 Stolen with dynamic suspension (drive select). Has been used in multiple robberies and according to my wife who saw the car as it was escorted for inspection (I was at work) has alloys scratched to bits, multiple dents on bodywork just for starters,

The insurance company wish to inspect it to assess cost of repairs although personally I am not keen on having it back as it was mint when it went - 10k on the clock and looked after.

Any tips on what to insist is checked if they try to give it back?, I am particularly concerned about the potential mechanical and unseen damage

[113brucey]

how come they stole it did they have a fob/key or something to get in and started

[John140]

Very good question, I thought these were impossible to steal without the key, and if the insurance got wind that the key wasn't reasonably 'put away' toys may be thrown out of prams !

[Nabs]

They broke into our house and searched the place to they found where we hid the spares (both my wife's car and my own); the spares were hidden well out of site in a drawer in the house. They then took the vehicles off our driveway. We had gone out for a day and night trip to London and actually had stored the original set with my parents. In fact it was the police who telephoned me when we were in London to inform me of the fact and we have a full report therefore shwoing it was not carelessness on our part.

Our neighbour saw 4 late teens, early 20s boys with hoods from her window and alerted the police. Unfortunately she delayed calling until they had driven off for they were only on the next street under cover. It turns out that our area has been targeted, there have been at least a half a dozen such thefts I have heard about since - all of them were break-ins and keys taken by force. I suspect on one side we were lucky we were not in as we have a young baby. It turns out audis esp are being targeted - It would be useful as a security gadget to have the driver's face video'd automatically when driving and the video stored in the cloud so that they could be caught in the circumstances of theft. It seems now that the car manufacturers have stepped up the mark re security individuals are now targeted for their keys.

My wife's car has been settled as the police did not find it.

Back to my original question:
The garage who wish me to see the car today wish me to point out all the cosmetic damage, but tried to tell me that criminals will handle the car carefully and sweet talk me - it is an insurance company garage and has informed me if there was any sign of trouble otherwise the audi lights would come on (which is not true - did not make sense to me however I checked with audi)..... I therefore have no faith and am going to insist on a full report before accepting it back and from audi at that(I suspect we cannot refuse legally if the company has proof it is fit for purpose although I am not sure and am waiting for lawyers to come back to me) - what proof would be considered reasonable is another question. It appears to be amazing how little inspections from a multitude of garages seem to cover, from a mechanical point of view.

Apart from the cosmetic damage, I should be concerned re suspension (I have the dynamic suspension drive select on it and am not sure how this complicates things), brakes, engine, clutch for starters..... anything else....?

[Nabs]

Also anyone idea how insurance companies work... I suspect it is financial calculation for them if repairs cost more than they can recover they can write it off.

So if my car was a 2009 A4 sline what is the value if they wrote it off to them? If they fix it after writing it off can they sell it e.g. as a category whatever car or can they only scrap it?

I have gap and therefore it is in my interest if they write it off however even if they did not and it was fixed I would change it

[Plank]

If you're looking for info go over to pistonheads as they have a legal/law section and could help.

[Nabs]

thanks might do that

[John140]

They broke into our house and searched the place to they found where we hid the spares (both my wife's car and my own); the spares were hidden well out of site in a drawer in the house. They then took the vehicles off our driveway. We had gone out for a day and night trip to London and actually had stored the original set with my parents. In fact it was the police who telephoned me when we were in London to inform me of the fact and we have a full report therefore shwoing it was not carelessness on our part.



I'm sorry I wasn't implying any negligence and clearly there was none on your part. I'm just annoyed on your behalf that there are scroats like this out there doing this.
I'm all for the use of 'deadly force' if someone violates your home, as opposed to the current policy of sending them on an adventure holiday to 'integrate them back into society' approach !