Car Insurance

[neil_5090481]

Do i need to notify my car insurance company, that i will be using the car for towing.

 

[CliveV]

Yes!

Do not give them ANY opportunity to renege on a claim.

I have even come across one company that said that fitting a towbar was a modification! This was in the small print on the policy and would mean that you were uninsured when towing your van!

The old Royal & Sun Alliance - now "More Than" pitched for and got the Land Rover "own brand" insurance. They then proceeded to hack off most Land Rover users that signed up with them by saying that they would not be insured if the vehicle was used off road(!) and the fitting of any Land Rover "accessory" that Land Rover advertised as improving the off road capability would render the insurance null and void.

Talk about egg on face at Land Rover!

But they slapped "More Than" around abit and normal service was resumed!

DO NOT ASSUME - DO NOT RELY ON A TEL CALL CENTRE SAYING IT IS OK - PUT IT IN WRITING AND KEEP COPIES.

 

[Guest]

I agree with Clive. I am insured through Saga and when I mentioned that I used a caravan they immediately asked if there was a tow bar fitted, which seemed a little daft to me. How else do you tow? I confirmed there was, but queried the question. Saga replied that they did indeed count that as a modification to the original vehicle. No problem getting the insurance tho'. They just wanted to know.

 

[CliveV]

Not saying this is true of Saga - in fact I would say it would not BUT - you can see how an unscrupulous insurer would wriggle out of a claim by sending an insurance assessor (individuals as low in the social order and morals, as a snakes private parts are to the ground) to find ANYTHING to get out of paying the claim.

Sorry to repeat myself but - choose a good "name" - get independent advice - NEVER buy via a leaflet in a magazine - confirm everything in writing.

Do not go on advertising! If they have to keep advertising it means that clients move on - WHY?

One of my clients sons was told by a call centre - "No problem with fitting alloy wheels", then "No problem with fitting a different exhaust".

Result? - After we checked, a belated letter stating that in the event of a claim he was uninsured. Apparently they DO NOT tape calls when it suits THEM.

The insurer in this case was a "big name" so do not rely on this alone - I will not mention them here but they advertise a lot and try to make you "happy" and used to be based to the East of Peterborough and North of Ipswich.

 

[Guest]

Clive,

I do agree the world of insurance is a very murky place, mind you it isn't dissimilar to many of the other 'burdens' us poor clients have to bear. The usual motto 'caveat emptor' is always worth bearing in mind.

However, the point of the message was that I do feel that towbars are relevant when considering insurance. After all if one is wrongly fitted then the whole structure of the vehicle can be put at risk, not to mention the possibility of disaster with the trailer, which usually then ends up on top of the tow vehicle. So I have no qualms about either disclosing this fact, or paying any excess for it. I have no inside knowledge but it wouldn't suprise me that the CC's insurers are already factoring this into their quotes, even tho' they don't specifically mention it. They would be kinda daft not to seeing towing is kinda their business.

Have a good one.

 

[CliveV]

Agree 100%

What worries me is the constant emphasis on price - yes price is important but would anyone deliberatly choose an airline on price alone regardless of its safety record?

I can just see those people that say proudly "I only paid