ELEPHANT INSURANCE!

[Delbox]

I informed Elephant, my insurer, about the options fitted to my new car; as these consitute modifications in its eyes, I have had my premium loaded - and been informed that, in the event of a claim, the car would only be returned to standard (non-option) specification!

With the plea to avoid any argument about whether or not options are modifications etc, does anyone have insurance (with a mainstream company) that will cover factory fitted options AND return the car to that standard in the event of a claim. If not a mainstream company then who provides such insurance?

Del[]

 

[garyw]

Del as far as I am aware I am fully covered for FACTORY fitted extra's, i.e. as the car came.
Which extra/s are they not liking?

Did you go to HQ sunday?

garyw

 

[Ivor]

Try Performance Marque 0121 248 0911. They advertise in PP and include track days in the cover.

 

[Delbox]

Hi Gary,

In essence the following:

'I have taken a look at your policy details and can confirm that we need to add the optional extras to your policy as modifications to your vehicle. The reason for this is that these items are not standard fixtures on this model.

The leather interior, heated seats, climate control, multi function steering wheel, satellite navigation and sport chrono package plus have all been added as interior decorative changes to your vehicle.

The wind deflector and bi xenon headlights have been added as external decorative changes, your alloy wheels have been added as non standard alloys and the active suspension has been noted as suspension other.'

I wonder how many people have insurance that may be invalid - because options haven't been declared - or insufficient - because any declared options aren't covered - when tested!

Didn't make the PCGB meet at Cornbury; went for a drive around the Peak District with the Yorkshire Region instead. Hope to participate in the Carol Nash Cotswolds Rally; perhaps we'll see you there?

Ivor,

Thanks.

Del

 

[Mark_Bennett]

DElbox.

Try the specialist companies in Porsche Post.
There is no such thing as a standard car! These "mainstream" companies are having a laugh[]

 

[Andrew Killington]

Hi
Admiral just needed confirmation that the spec included factory options and factory fitted
Andrew

 

[Delbox]

Andrew, I've told them - but you've seen the response: options load the premium but are not covered!

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Andrew,

Be careful -other posts on this board about Admiral have indicated they have a similar stance to Elephant - i.e. You only get a standard car back if something happens.

We even had a long long argument ourselves getting them to insure our Seicento Sporting without loading the premium as it has alloy wheels - which are standard on this model! (And on which the insurance group is calculated). Not an honest policy IMHO...

 

[mominator]

im with tesco and got told that anything fitted at the factory is not an extra.. counted as standard!!

 

[mojo]

First Alternative are exactly the same. You have to tell the all the factory fitted options on your car otherwise they are not insured. I just called FA and listed my options and the price went up by £178.00

Adrian Flux, who advertise in PP offer reasonable premiums and cover all your options.

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: Mark Bennett

We even had a long long argument ourselves getting them to insure our Seicento Sporting without loading the premium as it has alloy wheels - which are standard on this model! (And on which the insurance group is calculated). Not an honest policy IMHO...

Mark.

How on earth could they justify that when, as you said, the car comes with the wheels as standard.[] If the wheels were stolen (touch wood this doesn't happen) what would they replace them with, non standard steel wheels or the standard 13" alloys?

Bl00dy Idiots!
(I'm allowed to say that - I work for an insurance broker. It's scary that the majority of the call centre advisors know absolutely nothing about cars or insurance for that matter!)

Nic

 

[Need4Speed]

[FONT=Tahoma"]Unless insuring a basic "no factory fitted options" / "poverty spec" Porsche, these cheap insurance companies should be avoided.

At the same time, these cheap companies should communicate their non-standard exclusions better when underwriting prestigious marques.

After using the confused.com search engine for insurance renewal, I received a call from the Admiral/Elephant telemarketing team to follow-up on quote they supplied. With regards to non-standard items, I got into the discussion about every Porsche being unique as every car is spec'd to the customer's requirements. Anyway, I advised him that although their quote was competitive, there is absolutely no way I'd take-out insurance with them because of their crazy non-standard policy, especially as I paid around £10K for my factory fitted options, so would be seriously out of pocket in the event of a total claim.


Another insurance company scam to be aware of is the change in term some have sneaked in on their Protected No Claims Bonus scheme:

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=91875&mpage=2&key=��

(Edit to get the link to work. Mark

 

[Andrew Killington]

Mark
thanks; I will now double check and change insurer at renewal (next month) if the policy is different to the verbal assurance - will let the forum know the outcome
Andrew

 

[mojo]

I have to renew my insurance next week. Having got a few quotes I am very surprised that Elephant came out most expensive at £1542.00 especially if there policy does not cover factory fitted options.

 

[mojo]

I am currently with Tesco and called to check that factory fitted options are included. Apparently they are not and after listing all my options the premium increased by £203.00.

 

[Delbox]

And I'm sure that they're still not covered! They add to the insurer's risk as they may make the car more likely to be stolen - but I'm confident that they would not be replaced in the event of an accident!

 

[mominator]

ORIGINAL: mojo

I am currently with Tesco and called to check that factory fitted options are included. Apparently they are not and after listing all my options the premium increased by £203.00.

No way, i had better double check. I do remember stressing the fact that it comes with sat nav etc but they said if its factory fitted its not a modification. They said things like lowering the car is a modification!

 

[mojo]

There is a long post on one of the other forums about the inns and outs...

http://www.porsche-1.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2376&st=60

I got confirmation from First Alternative re the below:

Clarification from First Alternative (not easily gained I have to say)

Factory Fitted Options mean anything that does not come on the standard or base model of the vehicle. So, start with your base model in the Porsche configurator and that is what the policy is based on unless you declare you options. (Alloy wheels, different tyre sizes, Suspension, Upholstery change, lights, headlight washers, heated seats!!, tinted windows, Interior alterations, sports steering wheels, spoilers etc, etc etc)

Normally they would load the policy for each option fitted by 10% however if you have numerous options, such as myself, underwriting will load by a single amount.

 

[JCB..]

I'm allowed to say that - I work for an insurance broker

Can you cut us all a deal?[]

JCB..

 

[jw2015]

I looked into this in great detail 6 months ago and elephant, along with most other 'cheap' insurers I looked at, consider any optional extra a modification, and to add insult to injury, increase your premium if you inform them, but will not replace any of it in the event of a write-off (except metallic paint). I found this out when enquiring about my optional alloys after I took out a policy with Churchill. It took a lot of effort to get clarification from the insurers and in the end I went to AXA, who's premiums were almost as competitive as the cheap companies, but they cover you for anything that is factory fitted, optional or not.