A word to the wise comes from Direct Line with a reminder that any modifications made to a vehicle change the risk profile and therefore the insurance premium.
Lots of car owners are making changes to their vehicles now, personalising them with new wheels, sound systems and much more. Drivers are advised by Direct Line to get in touch with their car insurance provider to let them know about these modifications and enable them to recalculate the premium. If this is not done then the vehicle insurance could well be invalid should a claim be made.
A Direct Line spokesperson did say that modifications that improve the safety or security of a vehicle would not usually see premiums increased, though most mods are usually about enhancing the looks or performance of a vehicle and so would incur costs.
Hastings Direct has been fined GBP735,000 by the FSA (Financial Services Authority) for treating its customers unfairly. The car insurance company was found to have cancelled over 4,500 policies following a pricing error.
The problem was caused by the Hastings Direct car insurance quotation system, which generated quotes that were lower than the market rate. The insurer then decided to cancel these policies, a step that was not acceptable according to the FSA.
Although a cancellation clause was included within the policies the FSA felt that Hastings Direct should have considered other options first rather than invoking the cancellations. They believe that it is not acceptable to cancel cover because of what is simply a pricing error.
The RAC are trying to get the message across that as well as buying travel insurance prior to a holiday so car insurance should not be overlooked.
As more Britons travel into Europe and beyond in their cars and on their bikes, so the need for adequate insurance has never been greater. If an accident does occur then car insurance, from the RAC or another provider, will ensure there are people on the end of the phone who are trained to deal with situations. Where there are potential language difficulties then these experts are all the more valuable.
There can also be significant costs involved with accidents abroad, so once again adequate car insurance, like the RAC recommends, is a must. The RAC are best known for their recovery services, and the fact that their European Recovery operation saw a ten percent increase in demand last year underlines the need for sufficient protection when abroad.