monitored car tracker -Insurance problem

[jrc193]

Prior to ordering my GTI Launch PP 5 door DSG I checked insurance cost with several companies and was informed there would be no problem.
Today I was told that the car would not be covered for theft unless it was fitted with a monitored car tracker (which apparently is likely to cost around £250 /year) so I tried several other recommended companies with similar results. I have seen low quotes from several companies with no tracking requirement  but customer satisfaction is poor and they do not provide the cover I require including overseas coverage for up to 5 months ,for example. Has anyone else come up against this problem and any advice available as to best value tracking system please?

[matchboy]

I've done a few quotes, and have to say I've not come across this.  In fact, I did a quote with Direct Line only this time last week and I remember selecting the 'no tracker' option and it went through fine.

I am certainly not paying for a tracker.  Its a Golf, not a Ferrari!

[monkeyhanger]

Tracker usually isn’t a problem with GTI/GTD (insurance is cheaper for me with a GTI than a GTD), the problem is your very atypical driving habits – 5 months overseas coverage.

I would suspect it significantly increases the chances of your car being stolen by an East European/Russian gang and shipped out to an old Eastern Block country/Russia/North Africa under a new identity – hence the tracker requirement.

[Bill_the_Bear]

Not sure the OPs problem is the overseas cover... do monitored trackers even get monitored overseas?

For the OP... can you take out a policy with one of the "low quotes" who don't give you the overseas cover and then take out a second policy for the overseas cover with another insurer when you need it?  I've never done this but there has got to be specialist insurers who cover for long term overseas stuff right?

[p3asa]

The problem being you can only have one insurance policy per car. So he would have to cancel the original which might end up costly or just take it for 6 months which again is sometimes a lot dearer.

[Bill_the_Bear]

The problem being you can only have one insurance policy per car. So he would have to cancel the original which might end up costly or just take it for 6 months which again is sometimes a lot dearer.

You can have a GAP policy though because the two policies don't overlap.  Can you not do something similar for overseas cover?

I've never needed it so I know nothing.

[p3asa]

Possibly. GAP is different as it pays the shortfall so not actually affecting the insurance.

Imagine you could insure your car with more than one company?! You would get some folk deliberately getting it stolen and having 2 or 3 pay outs!!

[Bill_the_Bear]

Yeah I understand that, thats why I used GAP as the example... I was just wondering if you could take out additional cover from a specialist that will handle something your basic policy does not.  If so the OP can take the policy where he does not need a tracker and then get additional cover purely for the overseas part.

[Sootchucker]

Well talking weird insurance deals, just rang my insurer, Direct Line, to tell them about the new GTD which will (hopefully) arrive sometime in September, and to get a quote for the difference over my Current Scirocco 2.0 TDI 140ps Bluemotion for the remainder of my insurance period, and amazingly, it's dropped ! They will owe me (after the £15.90 administration fee they will charge me) £36.80 

So overall the 181hp GTD will cost me £52.70 less than a 140hp Scirocco for the remainder of my policy year which is 9 months left. That's based upon my original fee (for a whole year) of only £305.00 which included, the wife as a named driver, no claims protection, Guaranteed car hire plus, motor legal protection and £0 voluntary excess (with a £100 compulsory excess). That's about a 17% saving 

I know it's only a GTD not a GTI, but whilst I was on, I asked about needed a tracker fitted, and they said nope, not required at all. So result all round !

This just being 50 years old lark pays then 

[p3asa]

I've found insurance to be absolutely crazy and follow no logic.

I have twins aged 17 who have just started learning.

I added twin 1 to the policy and it went up £400 (naturally)

I added twin 2 and it came down £20.

Crazy.