Is your car stereo insured under your policy? (Motor Insurance - Comments & Tips)

Member Name: pollee

Product:	Motor Insurance - Comments & Tips
Date:	17/05/01 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: checking may save you hassle, May allow a claim to be paid

Disadvantages: takes time to check

Having just spent a morning getting new car insurance quotes I thought the following might be useful.....

Different insurance companies do and don't include your stereo as part of the policy. It's worth checking to see if you are properly insured.

When they asked the question 'Have there been any modifications to the car' I mentioned that the gagage I bought the car from had upgraded my stereo from a radio cassette to include a six cd player as part of my deal. As the car had not come from the manufacturer in that state some companies viewed the car as being modified and some not.

If I had not mentioned this to them, and then I had a claim, I would not have been paid more than the basic cover for the stereo, which in some cases is only £150.

If my claim had been for theft of the car as a wholem there is an argument to say that the claim would not have been paid as there had been a modification I had not advised them of. The reason for this would probably have been that an upgraded cd system made the car more attractive to some thieves, and had the insurance company been aware of this then they would have charged more for the cover.

As it is I am now insured with Direct Line, with an additional premium to cover me for any stereo up to £1,000.

You may not view a slight change in your stereo as a big deal, but to an insurance company it can be a material fact and it's worth mentioning. A lot of these forms are filled out by operators over the phone, if they tell you it's not important I would confirm in writing to them what they have said, to cover yourself if a claim occurs. Better to be safe than sorry!

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