A Warning About Online Insurance Comparison Sites
Wednesday, 29. September 2010
The dangers of using insurance comparison sites has been highlighted by incidents in which payouts could be avoided by the insurers because drivers have been confused by some of the questions that may have been handled differently and more clearly if an actual broker helped you to compete your application form. As most people know insurers have to be made aware of any modifications that have been fitted to the car. If the mods have not been declared the insurer could refuse payout in the event of an accident. But what constitutes a modification? What if the car is a special edition. Well, as long as you tell the insurer the exact model and it’s a manufacturers factory built special edition, you should be fine but if the special edition isn’t on a drop down selection box you must make sure that you include the fact that the car is a special edition in the notes. A little less straight forward is a dealer’s special edition. You may see a dealer providing an ‘anniversary edition’ as they celebrate say 30 years and supply cars fitted with extras that are not standard that are fitted in the dealership. These changes, whilst part of the special edition, must be notified when you take out insurance. Finally, anything else that is fitted to a car after it has left the factory, must be notified to the insurer or you run the risk of having a claim refused. In the case of insurance it’s always better to tell them everything rather than miss things out that you may consider to be unimportant such as car mats or a stacking CD system. Have you ever had a claim refused through the fitting of extras to your car? Please let me know. By Graham Hill
