More than a month after her accident on 22 July, her vehicle remains unrepaired, disputes continue over accident-related mechanical faults, and now — shockingly — the car has been returned dismantled, with unrelated interior parts removed and fluids leaking onto her driveway.

A Timeline of Failures

1. Repeated Denial of Repair Estimate
The policyholder, Ioana Monica Hoxha, says she was repeatedly refused access to her repair estimate despite asking multiple times. Tesco’s representatives claimed she “was not entitled” to see it until she cited legal rights under FCA regulations. The estimate, eventually released two weeks late, totalled £4,800 including VAT for bodywork repairs — but excluded reported suspension faults, an engine warning light, and steering noise that appeared immediately after the accident.

2. Ignored Mechanical Issues & Unsafe Instructions
Despite Ioana’s reports of:

Adaptive Dynamics suspension failure

Engine management warning light

Steering noise when driving

FMG’s engineers dismissed these as “unrelated” without technical reasoning or diagnostic proof. Instead, Ioana was told she would have to first allow partial repairs to the front end, then personally collect the car still mechanically damaged, and drive it herself to a dealership for diagnostics at her own cost. Only if she could prove the faults were accident-related would Tesco reimburse her.

FMG’s internal engineers dismissed these as “unrelated” without providing any technical explanation. No diagnostic codes, root causes, or engineering reasoning were ever shared — simply the phrase “engineer opinion.”

Ioana says: “They asked me to drive a car with suspension failure and an engine light on. That’s unsafe, could cause further damage, and puts liability on me instead of the insurer. Completely unacceptable.”

3. Contradictory Promises by Tesco’s Agent
On 4 August, Ioana spoke to a Tesco agent named Yusuf Mayet. She says Yusuf acknowledged the possibility of including mechanical faults in repairs and, when she declined repairs, promised he would email engineers to reconsider all damage and come back with a cash-in-lieu offer. Ioana followed up in writing on 5 August to confirm the discussion, but Yusuf never replied. More importantly, Tesco/FMG’s final decision letter made no mention of this call or his assurances.

“This shows they either ignored or covered up evidence that supported my claim,” Ioana said.

4. Pressure to Pay for Dealer Diagnostics
Tesco insisted that if a dealership later deemed the faults unrelated, she would have to pay for the diagnostics herself. Consumer lawyers say this is unfair and breaches FCA Principle 6 (treating customers fairly) and Principle 2 (due skill, care, and diligence).

5. Rental Car Mismanagement
Tesco attempted to collect her rental car before the promised 28-day entitlement had expired. Only after she challenged this did they extend it. Even then, she was told responsibility for a replacement would “shift to FMG,” leaving her mobility uncertain.

6. Shock Return of Vehicle in Dismantled State
On 27 August, RAC attempted to return Ioana’s car to her home. Instead of being reassembled as promised, the vehicle arrived with:

The front end stripped and accident parts thrown loose into the boot.

Certain parts missing.

The rear interior door panel dismantled, despite not being part of the accident.

Visible fluid leaks on her driveway.

Her husband, acting on her behalf while she is abroad in Bali, refused delivery. “FMG told me the car would be returned in the same condition I gave it to them. Instead, they caused more damage. This feels like retaliation because I refused to authorise partial repairs,” Ioana said.

Regulatory and Legal Concerns

This case raises serious questions about Tesco Insurance and FMG’s compliance with:

ICOBS 8.1.1R – obligation to handle claims fairly and promptly.

FCA Principle 6 – duty to treat customers fairly.

FCA Principle 7 – duty to communicate in a way that is clear, fair, and not misleading.

Consumer Rights Act 2015 – right to proper service delivery.

Returning a dismantled, leaking car, and asking the customer to drive a damaged vehicle for diagnostics, could also breach the insurer’s duty of care.

Policyholder Speaks Out

“I have lost all trust in Tesco Insurance and FMG. They ignored my mechanical faults, tried to make me pay for diagnostics, asked me to drive a damaged car, contradicted themselves, and even returned my vehicle dismantled. They’ve mishandled this claim from start to finish, and I will not stay silent. I am escalating this to the Financial Ombudsman Service, the FCA, and sharing my experience publicly so other policyholders know how badly these companies treat customers.”

Next Steps

Ioana is demanding either:

A full write-off at fair market value, or

A cash settlement including both bodywork and mechanical faults.

In the meantime, she is documenting her case with photos, videos, and a paper trail of correspondence.

She concludes: “If insurers think they can drag people through months of stress, deny valid damage, and then hand back cars in worse condition, they are wrong. I will not stop until accountability is achieved.”