Insurance - who??

[Graeme4130]

As far as I'm aware, insurers look differently to factory performance mods (ie dynamic packs, speed delimiters etc) vs aftermarket mods, which they likely categorise into 'boy racer' territory, and subsequently load the premium accordingly
When I declared the options on my RS4, which totalled circa £12k, the only change to the premium was to cover the increased value of replacement, which I declared without applicable discounts

[Moonmonkey831]

If you ever unfortunately have to claim in a non fault situation make sure you don't take these companies up on their offer of a better courtesy car which means they pass you off to a claims handler called Albany Assistance. Stay well clear. Admiral and esure are renowned for it as they get healthy referrals fees from Albany.

Basically they will charge the third party an overinflated hire price for your hire car and drag it out for as long as possible. This is their income line. Then when the third party insurance challenges the high cost, you then may need to prove your income, appear in court or worst case be liable for the difference in costs.

Basically you take out a credit hire agreement with them, which they dress up as a car hire process. Be careful and avoid if offered. Quick search on google for Albany assistance will show (other than the fake reviews on certain review sites)

[doodlebug]

Indeed. This is common and most have no idea what they've signed up for or that they are liable. Whoever is on the other side in court will question the costs and push back whenever they can. The costs are exorbitant.

[Moonmonkey831]

My wife is with esure and she had a non-fault claim (someone reversed into her in shopping car park) and was led into Albany assistance. They charged £120 a day for a basic crappy Ford Focus and were blasé about drop off and pick up, e.g just leave the keys for the hire car under a plantpot!Bunch of jokers. Forced the issue in the end and only had it for 5 days, but if we went with their timelines it would have been 3 to 4 weeks. Your insurer washes your hands of it as they have settled already. This is then followed by months and months of phone calls around injury claims etc.

Personally I feel that the car insurance industry is on the brink of the next large PPI type claim around mis-selling. They have been getting away with <beep> for far too long.

[doodlebug]

Completely agree.

[Chesterfield]

When trying to get a quote out of direct line they insisted on knowing of every option added and the individual cost of each option.

Then when it came to listing them on the policy quote they could only add up to six on their system but make a note of the others.

When we tried adding the six they could list, their system didn't have most of them available to choose. Head up display for example, or speed limit display etc. Their list consisted of aftermarket halfords type additions.

Unsurprisingly the quote came in at over £800 with a £2k excess. Prats.

Best on the table at the moment is esure with a £1k excess and £750 premium. 36 and don't live in a big city.

I do have to keep reminding myself however that although it's "only" an Audi estate, it is still nearly as expensive as the fezza was, and more powerful. Which I paid a chunk more to insure so can't really complain.

Not a single insurer will entertain cover without a tracker, so CobraTrak 5 going in next week before collection.

[skirs6]

Over many years now I've found insurance is more hassle than it's worth. I always tried to use specialists or declare absolutely everything then when I needed to claim it was grief. Now I do confused .com go for the cheapest and after doing this with the wife's new S3 she unfortunately had a rather large coming together with a deer causing nearly 8k of damage and I have to say Quote me Happy we're absolutely brilliant and they were the cheapest.
I do exactly the same with my RS6. It does have a Cobra 5 but the insurance didn't require it.

[HF25]

100% agree with you skirs6, and following this route I have saved thousands over the years with many different performance cars, which as I mentioned previously I then pay for any minor car park dents / wheel damage myself, keeping my no claims bonus to a maximum.

I use a comparison site, get the cheapest, ring them to double check all details and go with it, I am considering GAP for the RS6, but waiting for confirmation of numbers...

And if you ever have the unfortunate event where you need to make a large claim, then the cheaper insurers will pay up exactly the same as the specialist expensive ones - without requiring a list of options or tracker fitted.

It may be my location (Worcestershire), and my no claims bonus, but at 39, clean licence, I am getting quotes around the £400 mark, with no tracker fitted, parked on driveway.....

Fitting tracker only reduces quote by £50 or so, and my view is that if someone has broken into my house, taken my keys and then ragged my car to bits, using it in various crimes etc, crashing it or having it hard stopped by Police (if they can catch it) I'd probably rather not have it back, which is where the GAP insurance comes in....

Seems some very different views and different approaches from both vehicle owners and insurance companies, I guess that explains the huge range of premiums people pay for essentially the same product...

Cheers, very interesting and helpful discussion...

[Chesterfield]

So after realising most insurers want a tracker fitted, I decide to plump for the CobraTrak5. On Saturday, I make a quick enquiry over email to ask if there is any availability for it to be fitted this next week and they reply almost immediately stating that they have availability Friday, but would need my order online.

So I duly make my order and pay my exhorbitant installation charge.

Get a call today to arrange fitting.... Earliest we have is Next Tuesday.....

Great. So after placing my order an paying the money, they then decide they havent got availability until after Ive collected the car.

Not impressed.

[neilparf]

Just a bit late to this, but I used LV - they had a comprehensive drop down menu system of modifications that when selected, affected the premium real time on the fly thus seeing what mods affect what.

Tracker; that was a prerequisite...

[wildbore]

If anyone fancies wasting 20 minutes of their life, ask Audi Insurance for a quote on your new RS6. I just did and they want £2210 to cover me (vs. £510 from LV).

Audi Insurance couldn't even give me a quote until they had phoned the underwriter because - wait for it - it's a specialist car and they don't normally cover them. I'm sorry, you did answer the phone as "Audi Insurance", didn't you?

[jezitalia]

Two interesting points

1. Audi insurance, what a joke, AUK should be made aware as seems obvious its an agency using Audi's name.

2. Tracker installation, I had the same issue with Tracker, paid up on the basis of a installation date to coincide with pick up etc, and to comply with insurance requirement, and low and behold the dat goes back. I told them the payment was based on that installation date. Be warned however I have heard of trackers being fitted and then them not being activated by the installer for a few weeks!

[Chesterfield]

Ive been given the tracker unit number up front, so I can call and activate the account and subscription with CobraTrack themselves before the fitter gets there. Im hoping for some spooks style "blip" to appear on the map as soon as the installer switches it on in the vehicle.

No doubt followed by a call shortly after telling me the car is being moved and the tracker has activated...

[Graeme4130]

Does anyone know of a tracker style phone or pc app, so I can see where my car is and speed etc ?
Could be useful for when it goes into the dealer to see how they drive it
I know Porsche have something similar

[Moonmonkey831]

With Cobratrak you get access to a web app that tells you the cars location. You can also draw zones on the map and it will text or email you when the car leaves the zone.