Motor Insurance Ombudsman

born_again

ColzD said:

My car was an Audi A3 63 plate 2.0 TDI. The main optional extra for me was the built in sat nav and bluetooth etc.  It also had through load, front and rear arm rests etc along with low mileage. The money they were offering would have bought a car a year or two older with no sat nav and standard mileage.  Don't really see why I should have to downgrade my car following a non fault accident.
I'm having it repaired but will probably end up running it into the ground now that it'll be a Cat N.

Had Admiral been informed of the optional extra's when you insured the car? If not then the payout is based on a standard car, but you could go and take your extra's out of the car.

Sandtree

born_again said:

ColzD said:

My car was an Audi A3 63 plate 2.0 TDI. The main optional extra for me was the built in sat nav and bluetooth etc.  It also had through load, front and rear arm rests etc along with low mileage. The money they were offering would have bought a car a year or two older with no sat nav and standard mileage.  Don't really see why I should have to downgrade my car following a non fault accident.
I'm having it repaired but will probably end up running it into the ground now that it'll be a Cat N.

Had Admiral been informed of the optional extra's when you insured the car? If not then the payout is based on a standard car, but you could go and take your extra's out of the car.

Even if they had been told they wouldnt receive payout for them as Admiral exclude all modifications from cover.

They can only take out the in car entertainment if they have the original one to put back in else they've been overpaid as Admiral will have T/L based on the original ICE... its really an uninsured loss to be taken up with the at fault insurer

jimjames

Sandtree said:

caprikid1 said:

Make and Model ? Hard to find upgrades do not always add value.

But Admiral explicitly state they dont cover the value of modifications so its a moot point

As I read it these are not modifications, they are additional equipment from new

Jenni_D

But someone said previously that factory options are also excluded (by Admiral) unless specifically declared?

Sandtree

jimjames said:

Sandtree said:

caprikid1 said:

Make and Model ? Hard to find upgrades do not always add value.

But Admiral explicitly state they dont cover the value of modifications so its a moot point

As I read it these are not modifications, they are additional equipment from new

That is a modification according to Admiral... look at their help text on their quote and buy page... any optional extras even if fitted by the factory are a modification for them. 

ColzD

These "extras" were optional extras from new, not modifications - if you look up the VIN it explains the extras on that model. At the end of the day it goes for £8k to £10k for the equivalent car but they offered £6.5k. I'm getting it repaired and will just have to take the hit on the fact it'll be massively devalued as a Cat N but would rather that than lose my car.

scrappy_returns

Sandtree said:

jimjames said:

Sandtree said:

caprikid1 said:

Make and Model ? Hard to find upgrades do not always add value.

But Admiral explicitly state they dont cover the value of modifications so its a moot point

As I read it these are not modifications, they are additional equipment from new

That is a modification according to Admiral... look at their help text on their quote and buy page... any optional extras even if fitted by the factory are a modification for them. 

From their policy book third party only doesn't cover any audio/visual/electronic-manufacturer equipment, every other cover does.
From their policy book third party only and essential doesn't cover any audio/visual/electronic-aftermarket equipment, every other cover does.

scrappy_returns

They also don't cover you if your vehicle is taken from you via deception, sounds like theft to me. Or on MOD property as this is deemed high risk. That's annoying and I bet there's a load of squaddies that don't realise that.

Sandtree

ColzD said:

These "extras" were optional extras from new, not modifications - if you look up the VIN it explains the extras on that model. At the end of the day it goes for £8k to £10k for the equivalent car but they offered £6.5k. I'm getting it repaired and will just have to take the hit on the fact it'll be massively devalued as a Cat N but would rather that than lose my car.

Yes, which Admiral define as modifications as per the policy wording:

Modifications Any changes to your vehicle’s standard specification, including accessories and additional parts, optional extras and aftermarket alterations, trade related changes and parts.

Admiral are almost unique in this but it states it in their quote system and again in the policybook.

So you buy a Mercedes SL500 Black Edition you dont need to declare any of the "black edition" variations from the base model as its part of the variant standard specification. You buy a Mercedes SL500 AMG and choose to add the "Black Edition Alloys" for an extra £3,000 then they have to be declared as a modification and wont be covered by the Admiral policy.

With 99% of other motor insurers the factory fit optional extras don't need declaring and will be covered but this is one of the ways Admiral makes its policies cheaper.

However you say this is a non-fault accident so if the Sat-Nav adds £100 to the value of the car you can claim this from the third party as an uninsured loss.

Car_54

Sandtree said:

ColzD said:

These "extras" were optional extras from new, not modifications - if you look up the VIN it explains the extras on that model. At the end of the day it goes for £8k to £10k for the equivalent car but they offered £6.5k. I'm getting it repaired and will just have to take the hit on the fact it'll be massively devalued as a Cat N but would rather that than lose my car.

Yes, which Admiral define as modifications as per the policy wording:

Modifications Any changes to your vehicle’s standard specification, including accessories and additional parts, optional extras and aftermarket alterations, trade related changes and parts.

Admiral are almost unique in this but it states it in their quote system and again in the policybook.

So you buy a Mercedes SL500 Black Edition you dont need to declare any of the "black edition" variations from the base model as its part of the variant standard specification. You buy a Mercedes SL500 AMG and choose to add the "Black Edition Alloys" for an extra £3,000 then they have to be declared as a modification and wont be covered by the Admiral policy.

True, but if I could afford £3,000 for fancy wheels (let alone the S class Merc) I probably wouldn’t be shopping at the bottom end of the insurance market!