Insurance Problem on my new C63

[mw_C32]

Hi Andy glad you managed to get your insurance sorted. I just wanted to say that on a car like a C63 AMG I would personally get a tracker fitted.

Only my opinion but I wouldn't bother with tracker. Who ever has the succesfull means to steal it, it would probably not come back in a very nice condition.

If it worries you to that degree I would go the route of GAP insurance.

Can't wait to hear how it is when you get it... I too am insured with Admiral (Elephant Group) and on a commercial side I went with A-Plan also suggested previously....

Mark.

 

[NewMB]

but if you buy a used vehicle privately, how are you going to know what was an option and what was std spec on the car at time of it being new

Direct Line told me that "it is your problem (and duty), Sir".

They are insane, money-grabbing thiefs!

 

[mbenz76]

but if you buy a used vehicle privately, how are you going to know what was an option and what was std spec on the car at time of it being new

Direct Line told me that "it is your problem (and duty), Sir".

They are insane, money-grabbing thiefs!

You aren't expected to know, but they will use that to their advantage when you make a claim I suspect.

Insurance companies are out to make money, and they will use every way they can to not pay you in the event you need it.

Direct Line only had the capability of adding 6 options to their system. For my long list they had to type then into a notes section, which took 3 phone calls to get them to actually do properly.

The problem is they NEVER send you anything with these notes on, soo I only hav etheir word that they will honour the notes they made (I know they are there because I have called back and had them read them back to me).

It's a joke, if it is on the invoice then they should just class it as part of the car and not ask for details. I wouldn't even mind having to send them a copy of the invoide for their records.

 

[mbenz76]

Only my opinion but I wouldn't bother with tracker. Who ever has the succesfull means to steal it, it would probably not come back in a very nice condition.

If it worries you to that degree I would go the route of GAP insurance.

I debated whether to fit Tracker or not when I ordered my car, and the whole idea of whether I would actually want the car back if it had been stolen and thrashed about.

The decision was taken out of my hands when Direct Line told me it was compulsory (along with the £500 excess and no discount for Tracker - yes, I won't be staying with them at renewal).

However, after some thought, I think I would have gone with Tracker any way.

I spoke to the claims department at Direct Line just out of curiosity to find out what happens if my car is stolen without Tracker.

Without Tracker they said they won't pay out a penny until the car is recovered. If it is not recovered they won't pay out until the policy advise them that the cacr is lost without trace, something which could take many months to get them to do.

 

[Adam230K]

I wouldn't have even mentioned that package you got, its a C63 end of story. But I guess you've learned from that lesson and you got yourself a decent deal too! your girlfriend's age coupled with that car isn't even reflected in the price of the premium which is what I'm truly amazed about, but hey thats the way things go!

There's a difference between being honest, and just too honest to the point of being naive (not meaning to offend here), i'm sure you had the best intentions but there's no point in telling them something which if you think about it, in the case of an accident they cant really say: 'OH, you have the performance pack so your insurance was illegal!'

 

[mbenz76]

But ignorance is no excuse, so if you don't tell them about it and you need to claim and they will reject your claim as you haven't notified them of the correct options etc.

I went out of my way to ask the questions rather than play ignorant as I don't want them throwing it back in my face later.

The other aspect they told me was that in the event it's a total loss in year 1 and they replace it with new, they will only re-order the car based on the spec and options list you give them, so you could lose out big time.

 

[219]

The EXACT specification of any Mercedes-Benz is recorded on the data card - it is therefore sufficient to supply your insurers with the chassis/VIN number , from which the specification can be decoded .

Since the VIN number also shows the exact vehicle specification as it left the factory , all disputes re 'modifications' ( alterations to the car AFTER it left the factory ) are beyond question .

 

[Aoraki]

How can anyone say it's standard when there are optional extras? I just don't understand where the confusion is..... End of the day, you have got a better insurance deal than before.
I declared the 2 options I had on my W212 because they are OPTIONS and therefore NOT standard, and with no increase in premium. If they're not declared, they're not covered, and neither may be the rest of the vehicle.

 

[Stratman]

Without wishing to cast nasturtiums, put youself in the position of the insurance company for a moment.

They see someone who has a 457 bhp car, but considers it not enough. If the potential customer wants more than that, the insurance company might take a view along the lines of "If he wants the extra power, he's going to use it. Otherwise why buy it? That's an attitude we're not prepared to accept."

 

[Colin_b]

Without wishing to cast nasturtiums, put youself in the position of the insurance company for a moment.

They see someone who has a 457 bhp car, but considers it not enough. If the potential customer wants more than that, the insurance company might take a view along the lines of "If he wants the extra power, he's going to use it. Otherwise why buy it? That's an attitude we're not prepared to accept."

On the other hand someone has bought an expensive, bespoke car. Thus they are unlikely to drive it like an excited 19 year old.

I've no idea which is more likely.

Insurance companies should know though...

 

[Aoraki]

Also......... You can add anything like 15~20k for optional items, why should there not be an increase in premium to cover the extra risk associated with these options??

 

[Palmball]

Hi Andy glad you managed to get your insurance sorted. I just wanted to say that on a car like a C63 AMG I would personally get a tracker fitted.

Thanks mate - its a relief it's sorted and everything declared. Not fussed about the tracker TBH; if someone takes it I don't want it back.

I wouldn't have even mentioned that package you got, its a C63 end of story. But I guess you've learned from that lesson and you got yourself a decent deal too! your girlfriend's age coupled with that car isn't even reflected in the price of the premium which is what I'm truly amazed about, but hey thats the way things go!

There's a difference between being honest, and just too honest to the point of being naive (not meaning to offend here), i'm sure you had the best intentions but there's no point in telling them something which if you think about it, in the case of an accident they cant really say: 'OH, you have the performance pack so your insurance was illegal!'

I told them because it's a £65k car and I don't ever want to be in the position of killing the car and being told it's not insured on some technicality...really, it's just not worth the risk to not tell them up front is it? I was fully aware they'd use that as an excuse to up the premium; their reaction to refuse cover was IMO just unreasonable.

Despite her age, my girlfriend actually brings the premium down by about £150 Crazy I know (especially if they knew just how much more likely she is to damage it than me!) but its all to do with some sort of discount they give for having your partner on the policy (as long as you live together and the other person has their own policy).

 

[mbenz76]

Also......... You can add anything like 15~20k for optional items, why should there not be an increase in premium to cover the extra risk associated with these options??

I did add something like £15-20k in options to mine and it made no difference to the premium.

All they wanted to know was what the car was worth in total.

So I guess, yes, it did add to the cost, but not as a second cost as it were.

 

[TheStid]

"Without Tracker they said they won't pay out a penny until the car is recovered. If it is not recovered they won't pay out until the policy advise them that the cacr is lost without trace, something which could take many months to get them to do."

I think this is pretty standard whether you have a C63 or a Ka; the company won't payout unless the card is either found or declared untraceable. Last time it happened to me (Cavalier 20 years ago) was told I would only get paid if the car turned up damaged or didn't turn up after a month; it turned up 4 days later with broken door & steering locks and out of fuel at a set of lights in Southampton (40 miles from where half-inched).

 

[SeeSixty3]

Also......... You can add anything like 15~20k for optional items, why should there not be an increase in premium to cover the extra risk associated with these options??

The main reason for why this theory falls down is because they may state that they will not cover additional options if a payout was ever required!