Car Insurance Problems

[markymark1]

Just about to fit some alloys to the merc, rang the insurance company Churchill and was told that my excess will increase to £400 from £150 and premium increase of about £100 a year just for adding some 16" alloys not like i was adding some bad boy 20" rims, was looking to cancel and go elsewhere any suggestions?
Have had a quick look around but as soon as you menton any mods ie just changing from steel to alloys they sem to imagine that you will go mad and get in drifting or some other activity.
Regards Mark

 

[Alps]

for oem mb 16 alloys, i wouldnt even tell them!

 

[Howard]

Nor me ...

As long as they were an option on that car , i wouldn't bother either ...

Different if you are putting chrome spinners on though

 

[markymark1]

They are 16" mb clk alloys, but the problem is they will use any excuse not to pay.

 

[whitenemesis]

Unfortunately the insurers will know what was factory fitted by the VIN.

 

[wigs_1]

I had the same problem with direct line, £150 on the premium and £350 on the excess (£650 if the girlfriend is driving!!)

Swapped to Elephant, excess back down and a cheaper premium, they even took into account the 1 month penalty for leaving direct line.

Probably your best bet unless your premium is up for renewal soon.

Chris

 

[tromppost]

Unfortunately the insurers will know what was factory fitted by the VIN.

If you brought it used and the alloys are orig merc whos to say that as part of the orig sale they were put on at the dealers or some similar sernario!!

 

[Mr Jadefox]

basically - once they think theyhave you, they'll charge the earth for those kind of things,even though its completely stoopid.

 

[whitenemesis]

If you brought it used and the alloys are orig merc whos to say that as part of the orig sale they were put on at the dealers or some similar sernario!!

If they were added by the dealer then the car's datacard would have been updated to reflect the option.

It's never a good idea to be economical with the truth and ignorance is not a defense either.

At best the insurer may ask for an increased contribution from you in the event of a claim. Or you wont get the full value to cover replacement of the car or parts..

 

[Dryce]

I had the same problem with direct line, £150 on the premium and £350 on the excess (£650 if the girlfriend is driving!!)

Direct Line are basically the same as Churchill (and Tesco, and Privilege).

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Unfortunately the insurers will know what was factory fitted by the VIN.

Like they are going to check agaist a 12 year old W202!?! Yes if it was a 2009 E63!

My old W202 had 17" AMGs, facelift kit, grill etc etc etc. And to the untrained eye it looked like a normal W202 and they never mentioned anything.

 

[vijilants]

To be honest Churchills are a fairly useless company anyway.....wait till you have to put a claim in....thats when all the fun and games start

 

[markymark1]

Looks like i will be leaving churchill they even said they will waive the £25 leaving fee, looking for a good company who does not worry about a small thing like alloy wheels that are not standard eqpt.
As previous post mentioned that some companies do not like anything other than standard vehicles.
This would even apply as the W202 has steels as standard and i had asked for alloys as an optional extra when bought new.

 

[recycled]

If you brought it used and the alloys are orig merc whos to say that as part of the orig sale they were put on at the dealers or some similar sernario!!

they have probably asked the OP if it had alloys when he was insuring it initially.
They always ask whether it is standard or not.

 

[Dieselman]

looking for a good company who does not worry about a small thing like alloy wheels that are not standard eqpt.

I suspect you're going to come unstuck then, all Ins Co's. will add a loading for alloys onto a steel wheeled car, rightly so as it increases their risk.

 

[raymont]

Am insured with NFU. Previous car was a LR D3. I was considering having it 'chipped' and asked NFU about it. Gave them all details, power increase, torque increase etc. and they said 'no problem' and 'no extra charge'!

Might be worth a try.

 

[BTB 500]

I had the same problem with direct line, £150 on the premium and £350 on the excess (£650 if the girlfriend is driving!!)

Swapped to Elephant, excess back down and a cheaper premium, they even took into account the 1 month penalty for leaving direct line.

Probably your best bet unless your premium is up for renewal soon.

Chris

My experience was exactly the same. Direct Line whacked up the premium & excess when I declared the 17" (M-B) alloys that were on the car when I got it. Switched to Elephant, no problem. I then modified the exhaust ... no increase of premium for that with Elephant either

 

[219]

I remember reading about a case some years back where a driver had his claim rejected because his car was fitted with alloy wheels he hadn't told them about .

Feeling somewhat aggrieved , he took the insurance company to court , on the grounds that the (used) car had the wheels on when he bought it , and he didn't realise they were not standard fitment .

He won the case , and the judge not only ordered the insurance company to pay out , but ruled that an 'ordinary' owner cannot be expected to know every detail of a car's original specification and thus cannot be penalised for this .

 

[lil.smartie]

Swift cover, they allow alloys to a certain value and stainless steel exhausts etc no need to even mention them, cuts down on paperwork!

Kate

 

[JumboBeef]

My W124 has alloys...........who am I to say if they were fitted from new/when they were fitted?

£25 leaving fee

Leaving fee!? How does that work then?

I never used mainstream insurance companies: I have used Flux for years now, they are IMHO the best (and cheapest!)