Jump to content

Do you declare all to your insurance


Pete-B

Recommended Posts

Hi, I'm always honest and declare everything when dealing with insurance companies but still had problems when I renewed this year.

 

I was asked if I'd made any changes, I said,"no other than adding a second solar panel but I guess this doesn't count because when I told you I'd fitted the first one last year I was told this was no problem". Anyhow the young lady gave me the quote and I thought that was it for another year. A couple of days later I got a call from someone else to say they'd been listening to a recording of my conversation and were concerned about the addition of the solar panel. They wanted to know were it was situated, how much it cost, and was it done professionally. I answered all his questions and he said that's all fine but you will get a call from our underwriters.

 

Sure enough I was called the next day and was asked all the same questions but this time the lady was more concerned as to whether I could prove it had been professionally fitted, I said "of course I could and I wasn't in the habit of telling lies". She said "I'm sorry I didn't mean to suggest you were but these questions are purely for your sake because if anything did happen and we don't have these details there would be a problem with your claim. I said "in that case you ought to have words with the people who answer the phones because on both occasions I'd mentioned the panels and was told that's no problem.

 

So I just wonder if you were to fit your own like many people do, would this cause a problem if you didn't mention it and then put in a claim?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't recall being asked such questions, on renewal. I get asked about health and any changes.

i know that on car insurance they ask if any modifications have been done, though

Be interesting to hear from others ?

PJay

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Short answer - no. We've had ours re-mapped but the previous owner could have done that and we'd be none the wiser. Same with solar panels and sat dish - fitted by previous owner/s, so we assume they've been done to a professional standard (whatever that may be). Same for the towbar - it was retrofitted by A N Other but it may have been a factory fit so how an I to know.

 

A little knowledge can be dangerous, maybe we all need to be like politicians and not give direct answers and perhaps lenient with the truth lol.

 

Should I tell our insurers that we've replaced the halogen bulbs with LEDs or that we've added chrome covers to the wheel nuts or that we have a Duvalay mattress topper? How much do we actually need to tell brokers/insurers/underwriters?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps this is another reason for not fitting a solar panel.

 

I have been considering the matter at length, as I already have the necessary wiring, and an MPPT regulator is incorporated in the CTEK D250S DUAL. The addition would only involve fitting the panel and cable inlet.

There are problems with the transverse corrugations on the roof of my early 2006 Ducato, but I can see a solution to these and with a professional engineering background, (I deplore the all too frequent use of the term engineer to describe a mechanic or technician.) I would want to carry out or at least specify the method of installation. as custom brackets and rivnuts would be required for the fixing.

 

I have an interesting parallel when I purchased an almost 3 year old Skoda Fabia 2 Elegance estate, in February this year. It is no longer the current model, so obtaining details of options is difficult. The vehicle is fitted with a sunroof, but when seeking for insurance quotes I was not sure at what stage the sunroof had been fitted. It was in fact a factory fitted option. Also on another Skoda Fabia we had seen a raised boot floor (Actually a Variable Boot Floor). We arranged for this option to be retro fitted by the dealer,as it helps with loading/unloading the weekly shop. There was also a demountable tow bar fitted but we were informed prior to purchase that this had only been used for cycle carrier.

I initially sought a quotation from SAGA as we had two cars and the motorhome insured with them.

When I mentioned the additional equipment, I was put on hold several times while the underwriter was consulted. The cost of insurance went sharply upwards, so as to be nearly 50% higher than the original quote. I eventually insured with Admiral at a significantly lower price, but the tow bar, which I don't use, still attracted an additional premium of over £20. Removing the tow bar and replacing the rear cross member could prove more expensive.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since my original posting I got to thinking why Saga should make a point of questioning me about the panels but then my wife said, can you imagine what would happen if they were to come off whilst travelling down the motorway, or any other road come to that.

 

But I have to say after all this and in fairness to them, there was no increase in the original quote of £230 to renew.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Solar panels can be a problem from the insurance point of view, as a lot of them are only bonded on with an adhesive. The adhesive has been known to fail and the panel lost. A friend of mine returned a hired motorhome, and was asked ,where is the solar panel? . Must have been lost on the holiday somewhere !

 

Brian B.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just renewed with comfort, they asked if any mods had been done, I said only Motorhomes bits like solar panel they said no just the vehicle like a towbar.

 

Car insurance (Saga) asked about mods I declared my towbar they asked if professionally fitted I was honest and said fitted myself they then referred it to their underwriters came back and said OK no change to the premium.

 

What bugs me is a lot of the time they expect you to shell out loads of money for a professional job so they can tick the boxes and you end up with an inferior crap job you have paid through the nose for.

Most jobs I am capable of doing myself to a far higher standard as I have more time to ensure the job is done properly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

lennyhb - 2016-05-29 10:08 AM......What bugs me is a lot of the time they expect you to shell out loads of money for a professional job so they can tick the boxes and you end up with an inferior crap job you have paid through the nose for. Most jobs I am capable of doing myself to a far higher standard as I have more time to ensure the job is done properly.

Insurers vary enormously in what they expect you to tell them and what they will regard as conveying extra risk (and therefore maybe extra premium) and since most insurers also seem to try to treat existing policyholders as captive customers and therefore apply an increase anyway, the only way to protect yourself against exploitive practice is to shop around at every renewal, to keep them competetive.

 

And when you get older I'm told that lots of insurers won't take on older drivers as a new risk, so you end up stuck with your existing insurer anyway.

 

Of course insurers have to budget for manipulative policyholders, for example people who fail to declare risk-affecting things like engine remapping and expensive and vulnerable accessories like satellite aerials and solar panels, so they do need to look at claims with due suspicion.  If you have failed to declare these things you can hardly complain if they repudiate any claim you make and serve you right for your foolishness.

 

The law treats insurance in a special way as a contract "of utmost good faith" which means you have a special obligation to declare anything which affects the risk to the insurer, even if you are not asked a specific question about it.  To answer questions evasively or dishonestly is to risk complete repudiation of any claim for recompense on your part.

 

I'm not being holier than though is saying this, insurers employ loss adjusters to assess claims and the first thing they look at is whether there has been any dishonesty or ommission on your part which would allow the claim to be repudiated.  They know what to look for too, so don't imagine for one moment that your lame excuses for not declaring things will carry any weight.

 

I'm not sure why insurers are so keen to check whether accessories have been professionally installed.  It might be concern about the risk of things falling off if they haven't been properly fixed and damaging a third party but I remember one exchange with an insurer which revealed that they (or rather some of them) regard fitted after-market accesories as outside the scope of the motorhome policy so don't assume that if they haven't asked about them, your expensive rooftop accessories are covered.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slightly astray but still about the subject on honesty with insurances.I told Saga that I take high blood pressure tablets and it is under control ie 125/70, they quoted a further £50 for it, had to pay it as no time to look further.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here goes

Driving my wife's car (Iam a named driver) someone hit us, long story but neither of us made a claim.

Now worried that it may have been a scam when I renewed my wife's insurance I told them what had happened, no problem,they said, we just make a note.

A month latter renewing the vans insurance (my wife is a named driver) I told them, sharp intake of breath, your insurer won't cover you (equity red star) but aviva will for another £195.00 taking the premium up to £795.00, I said that I would shop around, phoned a few and got it down to £500.00 which is what they were asking for, tried another, (shield) and they quoted £241.00 for the same cover except now i have three years new for old instead of two years. I have limited the windscreen cover from unlimited (with excess) to one a year (been driving for 45 years and only lost one screen and have been driving vans for a living) and cut the euro cover to 90 days as we hardly go abroad for more than two weeks.

The amazing thing is, it is Equity red star who has provided the cover, funny old world, isn't it.

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...