Diamond Cut Alloy Wheel Insurance

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Merc CC Coupe

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Joined
Dec 16, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Lancashire
Car
Mercedes E Class Coupe C238
Has anyone taken out or can suggest a company who will cover damage to "diamond cut" alloys. All my searches up to now exclude cover for diamond cut alloys!

Cheers
 
Diamond-cut alloys tend to deteriorate over time even without kerbing them.
A good quality refurb works out at around £75 per wheel, so one would have to balance the cost of the insurance against the cost of a new wheel or refurbishment.
 
I wouldn't imagine that any insurance company would cover diamond cut alloys on a 'new for old' basis - if that's what you are meaning.
 
Have you had your wheels recut? My wheel peeps have pointed out that it's difficult to get the same finish so looking for feedback in advance...
 
Have you had your wheels recut? My wheel peeps have pointed out that it's difficult to get the same finish so looking for feedback in advance...

Impossible to get the same finish I've had one of mine done and its slightly different you would hardly notice but it is different
 
Try these 01454642327, came as part of the deal when I brought my car, the do cover diamond cut alloys..
 
I should pick up my W205 next week, and am looking for some wheel insurance as the wheels are diamond cuts so refurbs are more expensive and less durable.

The dealer (Jardine Group) have offered a 3yr deal for £449 which includes up 5 tyres and 5 wheel repairs. Or wheel replacement upto a value of £250, which most probably wouldn't cover the cost of a wheel replacement.

T&C's here Jardine Alloy Wheel Protection T&C's
See Level 3 which includes Diamond Cut.

Searching the web, there is not many companies offer coverage for Diamond Cut.

The only other company appears to be Mercedes Direct, but I'm struggling to get a quote as the dealer wants to over their own product.
Mercedes Official Alloy Wheel Insurance

Does anyone have any feedback on these policies?
 
Most dealer policies are underwritten by either Premia, Abraxus, Autosure (MAPFRE) or Shine. In my line of work I have done work for all companies, and most will cover Diamond Cut rims along with standard wet finish although cover is selected by the dealer. I do most work with Premia and the price for a dealer policy underwritten by Premia is c£400, with coverage and limits tailored to the dealers. IMHO it is great value, cover is good, they are quite flexible, and the claims process is quick and easy. BUT, they are just a work provider for me, and it is the relationship with the repairer and the end user, ie me & you, that will dictate whether the policy and relationship works.

And, with the greatest respect, most people woefully underestimate the cost of a Diamond Cut wheel refinish, when taking into account collection, delivery, base price and time without a car unless you are very fortunate to have a repairer on your doorstep. HTH :thumb:
 
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I should pick up my W205 next week, and am looking for some wheel insurance as the wheels are diamond cuts so refurbs are more expensive and less durable.

The dealer (Jardine Group) have offered a 3yr deal for £449 which includes up 5 tyres and 5 wheel repairs. Or wheel replacement upto a value of £250, which most probably wouldn't cover the cost of a wheel replacement.

T&C's here Jardine Alloy Wheel Protection T&C's
See Level 3 which includes Diamond Cut.

Searching the web, there is not many companies offer coverage for Diamond Cut.

The only other company appears to be Mercedes Direct, but I'm struggling to get a quote as the dealer wants to over their own product.
Mercedes Official Alloy Wheel Insurance

Does anyone have any feedback on these policies?

My son had a wheel and tyre policy supplied by Jardine (don't know who the underwriter was) on his last car. They wanted the car for a week to get the repair done on his diamond cut alloy because it would have to be sent to a specialist, they said. They did not have the facility to borrow/rent a wheel so he could continue using the car and of course he could have a loan car…if he paid. The claim process was not seamless or easy either.

Then they had the effrontery to say that as he was limited to the number of repairs, he would be better driving around with the damage and then make a claim just before he traded it in, especially if he damaged any other wheels in the process. When asked about the yearly claim limit, they blustered and lied.

Needless to say, he has not bought this policy from them and to be honest, because of the way they peddle all of their policies, I would't be surprised at all if this didn't turn into a mini-scandal. Very, VERY hard sell by Jardine's sales people.
 
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My son had Jardine wheel and tyre policy on his last car.

It won't have been a Jardine policy, it would have been underwritten by Abraxus / MAPFRE (see T&C's). Very few dealers have facilities to do any non-mechanical work, and it is usually passed on to bodyshops or where suitable, people like me. I have done work for these people, and whilst it is the dealers choice who underwrites their policies and I won't criticise any company publicly, if it's underwritten by Premia, I would suggest you would have few issues.

Also, a good relationship between dealer and repairer would prevent "puff and bluster" responses from sales staff who don't know what they are selling. As with most things, the customer has a choice whether to buy or not, but don't blame a product suitable for many on sales staff poor training :doh:

As an aside, I have done repeat repairs for the same customer, on the same wheel/s, via a Premia underwritten policy with no issues at all :cool:
 
The Jardine policy is underwritten by Abraxas.

I expressed concerns regarding how long it would take to repair a diamond cut wheel and my car being off the road. The answers were rather vague and don't seem to align with the T&C's.

Currently thinking to put the £450 in my back pocket, and put it towards a wheel repair,replacement if and when it happens.
 
I should pick up my W205 next week, and am looking for some wheel insurance as the wheels are diamond cuts so refurbs are more expensive and less durable.

The dealer (Jardine Group) have offered a 3yr deal for £449 which includes up 5 tyres and 5 wheel repairs. Or wheel replacement upto a value of £250, which most probably wouldn't cover the cost of a wheel replacement.

T&C's here Jardine Alloy Wheel Protection T&C's
See Level 3 which includes Diamond Cut.

Searching the web, there is not many companies offer coverage for Diamond Cut.

The only other company appears to be Mercedes Direct, but I'm struggling to get a quote as the dealer wants to over their own product.
Mercedes Official Alloy Wheel Insurance

Does anyone have any feedback on these policies?

Wheel insurance is a minefield. Most insurance is for "just in case" events, Kerbing an alloy is more a case of when rather than if.
 
renault12ts said:
Wheel insurance is a minefield. Most insurance is for "just in case" events, Kerbing an alloy is more a case of when rather than if.

This is my thought so how can an insurance company cover a forgone event?

Has anyone not kerbed a wheel? Even if your really careful at some point you get into a tight parking place or odd car park, etc, etc and hear that dreaded noise!!

So how can an insurance company cover this? Without an enormous premium.
 
Given that a refurb for a diamond cut alloy is only £80 max why bother with insurance? I've had two done first was major caused by SWMBO and cost £78 + VAT second was done by me swerving to miss a knobhead cutting a corner that was only £50 + VAT think you are right to put the money in your pocket for when the inevitable does happen
 
Insurance is also about making a return on cash invested and getting cut prices by buying on a large scale, and even high probability events can be profitable if they are better at assessing that probability (and need for reassurance) than the person paying the premium (and the excess).

Personally I would not even bother.
 
Rimfurbish charge £115 for 19" rim diamond cut wheels, whereas MB charge £85 for returning a lease vehicle with a damaged wheel. I damaged 2 wheels, so was expecting a bill, but received none.

ALA quote for alloy wheel insurance is £127 for 2 years. Also their scratch and dent insurance would have been £200. Repainting a whole door cost me £190.

Based on this single experience I'm inclined to take a gamble again: take out no insurance and don't refurbish any wheels. At worse I'll pay MB very reasonable charges, at best, nothing.
 
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My car is going back later this week so I decided to sort out two 19" diamond cut alloys. Lots of recommendations for Reinventing the Wheel in Tewkesbury and I have to say, they were superb. Only needed a day to sort out some kerb rash and re finish and you can hardly tell the difference. Including a courtesy car I paid £190 in vat.

BCA handle the 'off hire' for MBFS and sent a guy out last week for a pre return inspection. He was a bit of a stickler and didn't notice they were repaired. However, he did mention that each assessor has a level of tolerance so although the return guide mentions around 2 cm, he said Merc allow nearer 20cm of kerb rash before charging. And although he may highlight repair costs on the report, if it's within his 'tolerance' you wouldn't be charged if it looks like an isolated incident and the rest of the car is clean and tidy.

Back to the OP, I wouldn't bother with the insurance when the rims can be repaired for a reasonable cost.
 
I should pick up my W205 next week, and am looking for some wheel insurance as the wheels are diamond cuts so refurbs are more expensive and less durable.

The dealer (Jardine Group) have offered a 3yr deal for £449 which includes up 5 tyres and 5 wheel repairs. Or wheel replacement upto a value of £250, which most probably wouldn't cover the cost of a wheel replacement.

T&C's here Jardine Alloy Wheel Protection T&C's
See Level 3 which includes Diamond Cut.

Just picked up my car today from a Jardine dealer and their policy seems to have changed. Their policy only pays out £150 towards a new or re-cut wheel. For tyre replacement / wheel repair "package" they where quoting £399.

Curbing is a risk where a wheel may be repairable, but from painful experience, buckling from the craters we find in the middle of 'A' roads is becoming more and more common and local councils really balk at an £800 bill for a new wheel.

One nicely pinched tyre:
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I did have a video clip of it wobbling about on a tyre balancing machine. Alas, Google Auto-Backup didn't bother with that one!

Anyway, back to the OP's question. Any recommended policies that cover diamond-cut replacement?

Thanks

W.
 
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Comparing the wording of MBUK and Jardine's policy, Jardine will only pay up to £150 if the wheel needs replacing, whereas MBUK's policy says you can have 4 replacements - £45 excess.

Although I expect the wording in the MBUK policy:
The maximum amount the insurer will pay is up to the aggregate limit of the policy inclusive of VAT as indicated on your policy schedule, dependent on the size of Your Alloy Wheel.
means that you will only get one wheel replacement or part of the cost for one. It doesn't say what the "aggregate limit" is.

I have emailed MBUK directly. I'll post back with their reply (if I get one).

Another discussion I had with the salesman was over the tyre policy and one point occurred to me. The car comes with tyre weld and a compressor. If you're out and about and get a puncture, you have no choice to use it. Some resent research suggest tyre places won't go to the trouble of cleaning out the glue left by the tyre weld, leaving you no option but to buy a new tyre, whereas, on Run Flats, they can be repaired (depending on how far you have driven with no air in it). Run flats also don't appear to be as expensive as they possibly once were.

For me, if I had had the choice, I would go for run flats - seems the better option in the long run.

Thanks

W.
 
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