Tracker, worth the money?

[Fudger]

My SL has a Tracker unit fitted so I called Direct Line but they said it made no difference to the cost of the insurance. I was a bit taken back but when questioned a bit further, they really were not bothered about it.

Anyone else had the same experience or know of another company that thinks they do make a difference?

 

[Wish]

Nope not in my eyes... Who wants there car back when its been stolen.
My Porsche had one fitted by the previous owner. But i insured it without and didnt pay to have it activated.

 

[C240Sport97]

My insurer was not bothered about a tracker either. However, some insurers will not provide cover without a tracker for Gp 20 cars.

I thought that thieves can easily locate a tracking device and rip it out so it's all a bit pointless if they really want to steal your car. Not so if they are just teenage joy riders perhaps.

 

[PeeJay]

I also bought a car with a Tracker previously fitted.

Elephant Insurance were not bothered, only wanted to know if it had an alarm with an immobiliser.

I paid the Tracker subscription anyway, really for peace of mind. But now I wonder if its really worth it.

 

[SilverSaloon]

I also bought a car with a Tracker previously fitted.

Elephant Insurance were not bothered, only wanted to know if it had an alarm with an immobiliser.

I paid the Tracker subscription anyway, really for peace of mind. But now I wonder if its really worth it.

i also had this delemma.. my car has a tracker monitor fitted.... its £300 roughly for "life" or £100 approx per year....

mine is still in-active as like u say most insurance companies dont care.... Chuchill wont insure my car tho unless i activate it, but then again they are £400 more expensive than elephant.co.uk so i dont care!

i wouldnt bother personally; its still in my mind, but i think think of 100's of better things to spend £300 on rather than something i'm likely never to use - if the car is nicked then it will be by professional theives (joyriders/kids will never start an E65 bmw) so they probably have a lorry on standby to store it in out-of-range of the tracker's tracking device....

 

[Fudger]

Thanks for the responses guys!

It would seem to be a waste of money getting it activated but I simply can't beleive the insurance companies don't beleive getting a car back is worth doing.

I think i'll have a chat with Tracker and see what they have to say.

Cheers

 

[Wish]

Im sure tracker will think its a good idea

 

[SilverSaloon]

I think i'll have a chat with Tracker and see what they have to say.

Cheers

i can guess that tracker will say that its definatly recommend you re-activate it! lol

 

[BTB 500]

I told Direct Line my car had two things that weren't factory-standard.

1. MBSS (M-B Security System, Thatcham category ? alarm etc.) - guess what, they weren't interested.

2. 17" M-B wheels instead of 16" - that will be a compulsory £750 excess sir (instead of £100), and an extra £100 on the premium.

 

[stats007]

I'm happy paying the subscription - my car is fairly rare and I'd rather have it back if the worst happened after the time spent polishing it!

There is a new Tracker service that lets you monitor the journey (with speeds) your car has taken online - very handy when it goes in for a service . Interesting if the Police get hold of it and track your GPS speed up the motorway!

 

[Flash]

:d Lol

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Directline require a tracker on certain vehicles but don't offer a specific discount - they just won't payout in the event of a theft without one!!

It has surprised me though, which cars they do and which they don't specify as needing a Tracker!!

If you can find cheaper insurance elsewhere by having an active Tracker then I'd go for it. If not I'd think twice.

 

[JonLittlechild]

This is my first post but here are my thoughts on this one....

1) Some insurance companies won't insure a cars above a certain value against theft without evidence of a tracker unit.

2) Professional thieves will be expecting tracker units in many of the more expensive cars and will probably have therefore located and removed the unit in a very short time after theft or at least have some how rendered it useless. Remember, if a professional thief really wants your car, they will get it.

3) I have heard of tracker units deliberately being 'disabled' by owners because they don't necessarily want their car recovered after a theft but their insurance company demands that one is fitted and active.

4) Tracker will tell you that fitting a tracker is a great idea whether your insurance company requires one or not.

5) Tracker is just a form of non-guaranteed insurance. If your insurance company requires you to have one fitted, then you are basically providing them with a second level of insurance because you're reducing their risk. If you insurance company does not require you to have one, then why pay for a tracker when your motor insurance already covers you for the same thing... i.e theft?

6) I'm sure Tracker successfully recover a lot of cars each year however - a) do you want your car back after it's been stolen and b) see point 2.

 

[DieselE]

My SL has a Tracker unit fitted so I called Direct Line but they said it made no difference to the cost of the insurance. I was a bit taken back but when questioned a bit further, they really were not bothered about it.

Anyone else had the same experience or know of another company that thinks they do make a difference?

Direct Line insist on Tracker if the value of the car is over a certain threshhold. I don't know what that threshhold value is but when my W211 E320CDI was new it must have been over it because it was not covered for theft until I provided proof that Tracker was fitted.

 

[Fudger]

This is my first post

Welcome Jon :bannana:

 

[C240Sport97]

Completely agree.

5) Tracker is just a form of non-guaranteed insurance. If your insurance company requires you to have one fitted, then you are basically providing them with a second level of insurance because you're reducing their risk. If you insurance company does not require you to have one, then why pay for a tracker when your motor insurance already covers you for the same thing... i.e theft?

That's what their blurb says but do they publish the % of cars fitted with tracker stolen that is recovered? It would be interesting to see how effective they have been over the years ...

6) I'm sure Tracker successfully recover a lot of cars each year however - a) do you want your car back after it's been stolen and b) see point 2.

 

[IanA2]

I had one fitted when I bought new back in the early 90's. I was told it was movable and I paid the lifetime subscription. Four years on when I come to change I was told it was not. The dealers were sure that it was too. After a few interesting calls to the MD of the company I got it shifted FOC (only after I mentioned that I knew a motoring journalist!) as a one off. Don't think I'd bother again for reasons covered above.

 

[PeeJay]

Well I won't be renewing my subscription then......

 

[glojo]

Quite a few insurance companies insist on a tracking device being fitted to vehicles that cost above a certain amount. Beats me why though as they are always in a win situation.

If within a financial year X amount gets paid out, then the insurance companies increases our premiums by 'Y' amount. Any property that gets recovered is a bonus. Win, win.

John

 

[GrahamC230K]

So from this thread it looks like £100 pa is the going rate for a tracker premium?

My new car has one, but I wonder whether to re-activate the subscription or not. I don't need to for insurance purposes however.