I watched a video on YT this morning about the flooding at Inchcape Derby, a JLR dealership and the resultant write off fall out. Inchcape are refusing to put the written off customer cars through their own insurance and apparently they are also refusing assessors access to the site to process claims on the flood damaged cars. Inchcape are only passing the buck and then hindering the recovery process.

Aside from Inchcape apparently being asses, the budget insurers are getting in on the act. One customer who has had his car in the garage for 2 months having a new EV battery pack fitted has been told by his insurer that his policy is void, because they don't insure defective vehicles. This could be stretched to any limit with you could imagine a blown bulb being assessed as a defective vehicle.

The salutary note here is with rising insurance premiums people will need to or be increasingly tempted to go with the lowest possible quote. I never have done that myself, I only go with the lowest quote from a company with recognised excellent customer service. The insurance bogey clauses can catch anyone unaware and every time you part company with your car at a car park (just go look up the stories about car owners affected by the Luton airport fire with no access to the site allowed), handing keys to a valet parker or car collection service and last but far from least dropping your car at a garage or service centre for repair or a MOT test. I have a valuable classic car that I asked a mechanic mate to enquire what his traders policy would cover should something happen to my car whilst he is driving it or it is in his care. Answer came back, market value which on we buy any car is £225 on my very valuable classic car. I could foresee a whole World of pain negotiating up from an opening offer of £225 so I won't let him drive or store the car any longer.

There was a time when Insurance was your not quite friend but it was there for when you needed it. Now, with all the you have never heard of insurers based usually outside of UK jurisdiction (often Jersey and the likes) a lot more research and care is required in deciding which company to go with. Your Markerstudy type insurers get a bad rap for a reason and there are lots of those types around.

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/cu...ars/293043

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/fu...ler/292874

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