I am being ruined by an insurance company - is there anything I can do to stop them?

I have been trying to resolve an insurance claim for uninsured losses via a policy with the XXX. Under the terms of the policy they were to recover my losses after a major road accident, involving myself and eight members of my family. This was a completely non-fault accident and full liability was accepted by the other driver’s insurance. It went all wrong when the XXX appointed agents to handle the claim.

They settled without notifying me, way under the value of my loss, and also failed to inform me of the settlement for two months. At this point I complained to the insurer, XXX, which accepted that its agent was wrong but failed to correct the mistake. I issued court proceedings on the XXX in September 2012, and to date they have continued to palm me off. My loss for the claim was in excess of £21,000 and to date I have legal fees of a similar amount. Although a solicitor has stated I can go to trial to recover my loss and the mistake by the XXX, they have put additional costs of approx £20,000 that I cannot afford now to go forward with this, and the XXX has achieved its goal and finally priced me out of the claim. This all resulted from a non-fault accident and the XXX agents settling the claim without telling me. The XXX is using a firm of lawyers threatening me with further charges, which I cannot afford.

I only ever wanted the value of my loss, but due to the mistake by the agents appointed by the XXX, I now face financial ruin, and my loss due to this non-fault accident, this has taken every penny I had, and I am under daily threats from the XXX lawyers threatening further fees if I do not pay up. Please help or advise.

Asked on 20 July 2013 by RD, Bowers Gifford

Answered by Honest John
I can't advise you of this. I have no legal qualifications. The way you put it, the matter of this injustice is a disgrace. Very similar to a case brought by a reader against Mercedes-Benz Chelsea, which he ended up actually winning but which still cost him more than £20,000 which he was unable to recover. If you want to try to use the power of the media, I suggest you contact BBC Watchdog urgently.
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