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Direct Line, along with many other insurers, offer a like for like replacement in the event of a major accident resulting in a total write off or the car being stolen and unrecovered. It would seem that they offer this type of policy if the car is purchased new but what doesn’t seem to be so clear is the position if you buy an ex-demonstrator with no miles on the clock.

Thinking of a change but unsure as to the best way to finance your car? Then you need a copy of my car finance book, Car Finance – A Simple Guide by Graham Hill. Click on the link below to buy the best car finance book on the market, available as a Kindle Book and Paper Back.

Currently it may take you 6 months to get a Range Rover, however, David Mitchell of Sidcup couldn’t wait so he bought a car from a main dealer that was pre-registered (i.e. registered in the name of the dealership). Soon after buying the car it was stolen so knowing that he had paid full retail price (ie the price he would have paid for an unregistered car) he asked Direct Line to replace it like for like as per his policy.

They refused, claiming that he could only make a claim if he was the first registered keeper, which he wasn’t, it was the main dealer. Instead they offered him the market value which was £10,000 less than the £60,000 he paid for it. After complaining Direct Line stood firm and refused to either replace the car or pay out the full amount paid referring Mr Mitchell to the terms of his policy.

So be warned. Had he taken out ‘back to invoice’ GAP insurance he would have recovered the £10,000 difference. But, to be honest, I’m a little concerned about the policy he took out as some of these like for like replacement policies can be a couple of hundred pounds more expensive. Assuming he didn’t misinform Direct Line when completing his application, stating that he was the second registered owner of the vehicle, he may have a case for miss-selling.

He was sold a policy to include a level of cover that they weren’t prepared to pay out on. Something they knew when he took out the policy and something they clearly failed to highlight. There could also be a claim under the Unfair Terms In A Consumer Contract 1999 legislation. The car was technically new as it was unused, should it really matter if someone else’s name appeared in the registration document first?

Direct Line said that they assumed any buyer of a pre-registered car would be paying much less for the car than a new unregistered car but this doesn’t seem to have been mentioned in the contract. Yes he paid full price for the car but he would have paid the same if the car was unregistered before he took ownership.

Shame on you Direct Line, personally I would take them to court and guess what, if you had legal cover included in your policy you could go through an independent solicitor and they would charge Direct Line for him to take legal action against the Insurer. Don’t you just love it! Sadly Mr Mitchell isn’t a client of mine so he has had to rely upon the advice of journalists. By Graham Hill

Last year Direct Line carried out a survey into car vandalism and found it to be at epidemic levels. They found that most people (64%) that had their car vandalised knew the person who vandalised their car. They questioned offenders as well as victims and found an ex boyfriend or girlfriend to be the top target.

Thinking of a change but unsure as to the best way to finance your car? Then you need a copy of my car finance book, Car Finance – A Simple Guide by Graham Hill. Click on the link below to buy the best car finance book on the market, available as a Kindle Book and Paper Back.

This was followed by a current or ex boss and even the ex’s new partner! Next door neighbours or people living in the same road were also offenders. So much for the assumption that all vandalism was caused by testosterone charged young males high on Special Brew and crack cocaine! So what was the type of damage caused I hear you ask?

In top place is keyed or scratched paint, followed by damage to door mirrors then smashed windows. In fourth place is radio aerials snapped off then snapped windscreen wipers. Tyre slashing is in 6^th place, stolen badge next and in 8^th place smashed lights, in 9^th dents from Car Surfing (whatever that is) with graffiti or paint on car at 10^th. So there you have it, if you are going to fall out with any of the above make sure you lock your car away! By Graham Hill

Bits & Pieces: Boris has set up a task force in London to carry out road improvements. A budget of £30 million was announced by the task force when they unveiled their plans which included more 20mph zones, proposals to improve cycling routes plus more travel at off-peak times.

If you’re reading this Boris I don’t suppose you could bung a few quid in the direction of West Sussex in order to fill a few bloody potholes could you? I’ll take that as a no then!

According to Home Secretary, William Hague, foreign diplomats and embassies owe more than £68.6 million in unpaid parking fines, congestion charges and business rates. Apparently the biggest culprits are the Americans, with unpaid fines of £7.2 million. I have to say William – your debt collection is shit! If you need a hand I know a couple of gentlemen that know their way around a baseball bat if you get my drift.

Thinking of a change but unsure as to the best way to finance your car? Then you need a copy of my car finance book, Car Finance – A Simple Guide by Graham Hill. Click on the link below to buy the best car finance book on the market, available as a Kindle Book and Paper Back.

Ever had a row with your neighbour? If you have it is most likely to have been about parking, as according to the AA (not the group who like a drink or two) fall outs between neighbours, in the majority of cases, are over parking.

In a third of all quarrels investigated they turned out to be over a blocked access or driveway or parking outside a neighbour’s home. For goodness sake sort your lives out! Good grief! Do you have a little receptacle in your car into which you drop your loose change for use when parking?

If you don’t, you should! It would seem that a staggering £1.3 billion is wasted every year by drivers who don’t have the correct money when they pay for parking at the pay and display ticket machines.

The study, carried out by Direct Line, found that drivers overpaid on average by £2.19 per week or £113 wasted each year. All for the sake of throwing your loose change in a pot in the car!

A constant problem when customers take out a lease agreement is insurance. You have to cover your car with fully comprehensive insurance. If other drivers will drive the vehicle they must also be covered by the policy and if the vehicle is used for business this must be covered also. The problem is where to go. I still find it amazing that I have Read more �

Autoglass carried out a survey to see what distracted motorists most. Whilst not top of the list and it depends who and when the survey was carried out children in the car distracted a high number of drivers, in fact 36%. The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) reported that back seat brawls reduced reaction levels of the driver to that of those driving on the drink drive limit. Direct Line commissioned the study which Read more �

If you buy my book, An Insider Guide To Car Finance, you receive a free book on general hints, tips and safety. One of the things I cover is setting the headrest at the correct height. A very important piece of information as proven by recent research by Brake and Direct Line Car Insurance in which it was shown that 2 out of 3 drivers Read more �

Most car cloning has been carried out to avoid parking tickets and speeding tickets but insurer Direct Line has warned of another reason for cars being cloned, to carry out a crime. The most common, according to Direct Line is forecourt petrol theft. According to the British Oil Security Syndicate, thieves are stealing a significant amount of fuel with the average offender escaping with fuel worth Read more �