Driver ‘at wits end’ after car left flooded for a month as insurer slow to pay out | Personal Finance | Finance

A family has been left furious after claiming their insurers left their car flooded for over a month after being hit by a storm. Not only was their car flooded while sitting on our drive, but their home was flooded too, they claim.

Outraged by the situation, the vehicle owner, known only as A.M, from Nottingham said their house was in the process of being fixed, but their car was yet to get sorted.

They claimed to have tried countless times to get though to their insurer, however phone lines are always busy and emails never get answered.

The insurance policy allows for a courtesy car in time of need, however, AM has not been able to receive this either.

They told This is Money: “Our insurer Sheila’s Wheels has been a disgrace. I have called 13 times and the firm keeps saying it’s all in hand, when it is obviously not. Emails are not being answered.

“Three garages they have picked to fix it have said they can’t take the car for health and safety or other reasons. On one occasion Sheila’s Wheels told me it had instructed a garage – but the garage had already told me it wouldn’t do the repair.

“I contacted the company that is meant to come and rescue the car, and it said it hadn’t had the go-ahead from Sheila’s Wheels to do so.”

After contacting the media outlet, Sheila’s Wheels did pay the car owner £19,000 to replace their vehicle, plus £300 for compensation. The cost of a courtesy car used was also covered by the firm.

The damage was inflicted by Storm Babet, which had devastating impacts on the Nottingham area as a month’s worth of rain fell in just a few days – leading to 200 homes being evacuated.

The council declared a major incident and severe flood warnings, signalling danger to life, were issued for parts of the county.

The anonymous driver explained how frustrating the whole situation was as their neighbours went through the same situation as their car was flooded too.

However, the neighbour’s insurance company had already had it written off, paid him and he now has a new car.

“This is the last thing we need after our home was wrecked in a flood. We’re at our wits end,” they added.