Recently purchased a second hand Honda, which came with mechanical insurance thrown in.
A few weeks ago, a noise started coming from the engine - quite akin to a supercharger whine which matched the engine revs. I used my amateur detective skills and diagnosed it as it possibly being the bearing for the serpentine belt tensioner (It's a cam chain engine by the way - this was the tensioner for the belt running the water pump/alternator/ac etc).
Took it to my local MTA mechanic as required by the insurance policy. They said yup, it's the tensioner bearing. The mechanics opened a claim with the insurance company, and I paid the $350 excess (+ another $150 for parts not covered by the warranty). The insurance company directly paid the mechanics $200, so the job all up was $700 ish. (ouch..).
Few days later, picked the car up and took it home....and the problem is still there - nothing has changed. (It only happens when the engine is warm, which is why I didn't notice it straight away).
Now, here's the catch.
As far as I'm concerned, the fault still exists. So by all accounts, it should fall under the same claim with the insurance company, because it's the same fault from my point of view. As such, I shouldn't have to pay an excess again.
I've just gotten off the phone with the insurance company, and they said the original claim is closed and the mechanics have been paid out, so any further work done on the car will fall under a new claim. I said the original fault is still there, so the claim is still open in my eyes and that I shouldn't have to pay another excess fee. They said to take it up with the mechanics.
The car is booked to go back in next week, and I intend to take it up then. But I am not sure how well they will take my request to pay the $350 excess if the insurance company requests it or denies re-opening the original claim.
How should I approach this? Is my expectation that I shouldn't have to pay another excess fee reasonable?
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