insurance Grammar.....

crankshaft · December 8, 2004, 16:29

Ok, so I'm thinking of upgrading my ECU or in more common language 'Chipping' my 2. So I could call them and say "I am considering fitting this computer that strangles the boll**ks' out of my engine and produces so many horses that you are going to need a fu*#!^n big rope to hold me back, or I could say that I have invested in a enginge enhancement system which improves the engine efficiency by around 10% and also reduces CO2 emissions, and by the way also reduces my 0 - 60 time by about 1.5 seconds !

So how do I put this to the 17 yr old idiot who is on the other end of the phone, following teleprompts and inflating my premiums based upon his interpretation of our conversation ?

Crankshaft

Anonymous · December 8, 2004, 16:36

I think the only way to have them not double your premium is by not telling them to be honest - I'm not saying do this, but chippings a well known thing and every insurance company is going to know exactly what it intales.

Anonymous · December 8, 2004, 16:57

Just tell them you are upgrading the ECU to a more efficient system.

It's vague enough without mentioning performance directly, whilst mainly sounding like a fuel emissions/mpg thing s;)

s;)

crankshaft · December 8, 2004, 16:57

Odub;

Thanx for replying, but I am thinking of calling them and saying that I felt that the car was too powerful, an have therefore had it de-tuned and would like to know what the reduction on my premiums will be due to reducing my power output by reducing the power 2 rate ratio by eating an additional 4 big macs a week for the last 6 weeks !

Has anyone ever called an insurance co to declare a reduced power output ?

Crankshaft.

Anonymous · December 8, 2004, 17:10

oh thats a good idea, never thought about that,

Although to be honest, if they charge extra for things like chassis bracing, which doesn't make the car faster, but will only make it safer, and things like new exhausts or alloys that only look different, then they're going t o charge you for changing the ECU. Is suppose you can argue that by bracing your car, you're declaring that you intend to fling it around corners etc etc, but still.

Anonymous · December 8, 2004, 21:53

Why would one have to inform an insurance company about any running adjustment? Install an alarm system? Let 'em know. Get in an accident? File a claim for repairs.

If you have any mods that are damaged in a collision, then all you can expect is that you'll be reimbursed for stock repairs and the mods are on you. Or is the idea here that you want to insure the value of your mods? This could be a transpondian difference - over here, you don't hafta tell the insurer squat. Toyota, on the other hand, may have justifiable warranty quibbles.

roger · December 8, 2004, 22:01

Quote from: "southerneditor"over here, you don't hafta tell the insurer squat.

Just out of interest if you turn a 10 sec 0-60 bog standard into a fire breathing 3.5 sec monster, are you saying the US insurance companies won't want to know???

Surely US premiums are based on power, value and their view of the driver i.e. as happens in the UK

If not I strongly suggest they set up offices in the UK s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Roger

Tem · December 8, 2004, 22:07

Quote from: "roger"Just out of interest if you turn a 10 sec 0-60 bog standard into a fire breathing 3.5 sec monster, are you saying the US insurance companies won't want to know???

Surely US premiums are based on power, value and their view of the driver i.e. as happens in the UK

No idea about US, but over here pretty much nothing but the engine size affects premiums. Any grocery getter with N/A 2.0l is about same as any 2.0l turboed "WRC" Subaru/Mitsubishi.

And the only mods that affect premiums are engine swaps, if you increase the cc...for example a 1ZZ->2ZZ wouldn't interest anyone as they are both 1.8l engines s8)

s8)

roger · December 8, 2004, 22:29

I repeat:

Why don't they do that HERE?

?
s:cry: :cry: s:cry: s:cry: :cry: s:cry: s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Unless of course you pay £1,000 for your "grocery getter"

roger

Anonymous · December 8, 2004, 23:16

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgh

Thats all i have to say about that

Tem · December 8, 2004, 23:46

Quote from: "roger"Why don't they do that HERE?

Looking at the insurance-thread, you have some crazy insurances over there anyway s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

We have our insurances in two parts, 1st is obligatory and covers damages to other cars/persons. That's 148e/year (£100) for my '2. The other is voluntary and covers damage to your car/you, which is 200e/year (£140).

(age 30, few dozen fines, everyone can drive the car, year 2000, EU, red, manual, no hardtop, in 3rd biggest city in Finland, no garage, lotsa mods that are covered, trackdays are covered, in case of totaling it I get the value+20%, in case the cars fails on the road I get a free towing and possible overnight/travel expenses, in case I need a lawyer related to accident it's free, if the car is being repaired/undriveable due to accident, I get 85e/day (£58 ))

Anonymous · December 9, 2004, 00:10

Sorry (in advance!) for the topic drift, but I think I'll be moving to Finland!

I just got my re-newal through and it's £1130!!!! s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

Tem · December 9, 2004, 00:41

Quote from: "Mr 2"Sorry (in advance!) for the topic drift, but I think I'll be moving to Finland!

Well, the downside is that you'll be paying about 10k euros to get your car registered over here s:? :? s:?

Anonymous · December 9, 2004, 04:57

The U.S. and Finland appear to have the same general setup. As Tem says, the insurer doesn't car a whit what you do to your car - it's insured for its stock market value and any damage it causes to another vehicle. Over here, they look up your car and apply a tabular rate affected by your record, age, income, education, etc.

But if I had to inform the insurer that I had modified my ECU, I'd be inclined to say something vague, e.g., "Due to engine problems, my ECU has been adjusted."

heathstimpson · December 9, 2004, 07:21

Quote from: "southerneditor"The U.S. and Finland appear to have the same general setup. As Tem says, the insurer doesn't car a whit what you do to your car - it's insured for its stock market value and any damage it causes to another vehicle. Over here, they look up your car and apply a tabular rate affected by your record, age, income, education, etc.

And we pay for all those millions of idiots that drive without insurance/MOT/Tax etc s:cry: :cry: s:cry:

Anonymous · December 9, 2004, 07:26

Quote from: "roger"I repeat:

Why don't they do that HERE??
s:cry: :cry: s:cry: s:cry: :cry: s:cry: s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Because it's all about making money....

If they think you're more likely to claim, they charge you more (to cover that), if you phone 'em up, they'll charge you an admin fee.

They're trying to perfect the fine art of extracting as much money as they possibly can from people, and reducing their costs at the same time.

Just like practically every other company.

I tell you what though, I'd love to see Woolworths try similar discrimination.... "That'll be 50p to you sir, because you're quite young", or "Ahhh, for women we charge £23.50". How long before they get hauled to the courts?

Anonymous · December 12, 2004, 02:57

Quote from: "southerneditor"Why would one have to inform an insurance company about any running adjustment? Install an alarm system? Let 'em know. Get in an accident? File a claim for repairs.

If you have any mods that are damaged in a collision, then all you can expect is that you'll be reimbursed for stock repairs and the mods are on you. Or is the idea here that you want to insure the value of your mods? This could be a transpondian difference - over here, you don't hafta tell the insurer squat. Toyota, on the other hand, may have justifiable warranty quibbles.

yup.......but as se mentioned, the insurer will only cover damage to stock parts, the replacement costs of any aftertmarket parts you have will come out of your pocket unless you can show that they were included in the vehicles original (new) purchase price........

kev