Car Insurance - Specification Questions

Grumpy_chap

Hello everybody, 

I am hoping someone can assist me.

My car insurance is up for renewal and the renewal premium is a shocking amount so I am looking for alternative quotes.  There are two questions I am unclear on.

What type of alarm and/or immobiliser does the car have?

1. Factory Fitted Thatcham Approved Alarm/Immobiliser
2. Factory Fitted Thatcham Approved Alarm
3. Factory Fitted Non-Thatcham Alarm/Immobiliser
4. Factory Fitted Non-Thatcham Alarm
5. Factory Fitted
6. None

Is the car fitted with a tracking device?


For the first of these questions, Tesla have provided the accreditation approvals (copy below).  I am unsure how to verify whether this standard that the alarm has been accredited to matches the "Thatcham Approved" favoured by UK insurers.  I would expect there may be some automatic approval applied for overseas built vehicles tested against an international standard, or does the "Thatcham Approved" mean the test must have been undertaken at Thatcham and there is no international parity?


For the second question, the car has an APP and that shows me the location of the car.  As a lay-person, I consider that to be a tracking device so the answer will be "YES".   Or, does the question mean there must be a bespoke device fitted after-markets?  (https://www.tracker.co.uk/)


Here is the alarm letter:

DullGreyGuy

https://www.thatcham.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/March-2022-OE.pdf

The 3 and Y both are listed by Thatcham

Ultimately normal advice applies... quote based on what you think the correct answers are and if in doubt then phone the insurer/use Live Chat and confirm before buying. 

Grumpy_chap

Many thanks DGG - I was counting on your advice

Would you also agree with my interpretation that the APP showing the vehicle location qualifies as a "tracking device"?

I am hoping this will help my premium - when I got the car and did not know, I simply entered "no" on the basis that was worst case.

DullGreyGuy

Grumpy_chap said:

Many thanks DGG - I was counting on your advice

Would you also agree with my interpretation that the APP showing the vehicle location qualifies as a "tracking device"?

I am hoping this will help my premium - when I got the car and did not know, I simply entered "no" on the basis that was worst case.

As always you ultimately need to read the question, any help text related to it and ideally the policy book to see if it's a defined term. The ombudsman, if it comes to it, will consider if your interpretation is reasonable based on the above rather than "what the insurer meant" 

Personally, seems a reasonable enough interpretation to me in the absence of any defined term etc and a quick check of a handful of policies, none have a defined term. 

Security declarations however can be a bit of a double edge sword, sometimes they give a discount but also sometimes they activate endorsements that mean certain claims will be declined if declared security devices aren't operational at the time. Admiral have a clause saying trackers must have an active subscription for example so if you had a Tracker you cannot claim the 2% discount and then cancel the subscription straight after. 

For Motor its most likely worth having the declarations, I have seen with Home cases where declaring you have an alarm gave no premium discount but did mean theft claims were only covered if the alarm was set, so you were better off not declaring it.