Problem Insurance (1 Viewer)

ChrisandFred43

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Apr 30, 2014
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PROBLEM INSURANCE!
Recently, whilst touring Bezier in Southern France, our motorhome was broken into. They broke a window to get in and stole various items including a laptop, ipad, satnav, amd my wifes handbag, which had passports, cash and credit cards inside. The alarm was on and everything was out of sight, but they still managed to find them. All this was reported to a police station from where we obtained a stamped report.
On arriving home I made a claim on my insurance for damage to the vehicle and for personal items lost. My agents are Advance Insurance Agents who use victor Millwell for their brokers, who also trade as Comfort Insurance, and Aviva are their underwriters. I understand a very large percentage of the motorhoming community use these companies.
When I took out this insurance I specifically asked for personal effects cover and was assured I was covered for up to £3000. Whent the certificate arrived endorsement 16b clearly stated cover up to £3000 for pesonal effects. There was a booklet with the paperwork, which I briefly read (my mistake), although this did not arrive until some time later when I had agreed and paid for the insurance.
It turns out that there is a £200 excess on vehicle damage and a further £200 excess on personal items, except this does not cover items such as lap tops, cameras,sat navs,passports, cash etc. The list is endless. What it does cover however is bedding, cooking utensils and luggage. Why would you need luggage in a motorhome and who is going to steal your saucepans?
To put icing on the cake, it cost £95 each for emergency travel documents, which can only be used once, and a further £72 each for new passports. None of which is recoverable on our insurance.
Up to now it has cost us about £1000 before we start replacing any of the items stolen. Needless to say we will not be using this company again and we will check the smallprint first before signing anything.
Fred Allen-Birmingham
 
Feb 24, 2013
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sounds like you had a bad experience, but with a very limited knowledge of the insurance market, it sounds like most of what you suffered losses for would be covered by travel insurance not motor insurance IMO (y)
 
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ChrisandFred43

ChrisandFred43

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Apr 30, 2014
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Yes your right but as we had specifically asked for personnel items cover and told we had it to cover £3000 we took it of home insurance.
 
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ChrisandFred43

ChrisandFred43

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Apr 30, 2014
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Problem with 3rd party is in most cases its dearer than fully comp. its sorted as much as the will deal now definatly no payout.
 

tonka

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If your van was stolen or burnt to a crisp then i guess this is where the contents come into play.....
Sorry to hear about the breakin it's never a nice thing... :(
Maybe check on home contents or travel insurance cover incase something is covered there...

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Apr 30, 2012
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Chris & Fred, so sorry for your loss. Obviously replacing everything is costly but the cost in your time is probably the worst part. Clutching at straws, did you have travel insurance as well? Either way, really feel for you. :(
 

CWH

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Jan 29, 2014
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What a nightmare! Sincerely hope you can get it sorted.
it sounds like most of what you suffered losses for would be covered by travel insurance not motor insurance
... or also you could check your household insurance, it's surprising what this can cover

EDIT snap with Tonka!
 

tonka

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If your van was stolen or burnt to a crisp then i guess this is where the contents come into play.....
Sorry to hear about the breakin it's never a nice thing... :(
Maybe check on home contents or travel insurance cover incase something is covered there...

Whoops. just read you took it off home contents...
(Before you read the small print i guess)...

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Last edited:
Nov 6, 2013
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We were told by Caravan Guard the same - that they only cover basic personal possessions, such as pots pans etc etc. And, that everything else would be covered by our Home Contents Insurance, under "all risks". Our Home Contents Insurance (with Direct Line) does include All Risks, but, doesn't include any items in a caravan / motorhome.
If I'm robbed of my laptop by a gang of field mice while walking across a campsite - I'm covered.
If the same gang of field mice break into our motorhome and steal the laptop - not covered.
A bit worrying.

What do others do for cover ?
 

sedge

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I daresay your clothing and toiletries were also covered as well as the saucepans.

But why don't you check and see what cover you would get with any other insurer, before you have a rant about your insurer? because as far as I know, no-one ever covers stuff like that on things like 'caravan' policies - which really is what we are talking about, except our caravans have engines LOL
 

Dafydd

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Oct 12, 2011
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Window lockplates (screw the windows shut)
I've been looking up window security. As many people point out, if a thief really, really wants in then they'll find a way (like getting onto the roof and in through a roof-window, smashing the cab windows etc). Decent deterence is the best we can hope for.

So far this system from germany is the best I've seen, from wohnmobil-sicherheit.de (google translate is your friend!), contact them in english for more information as their english page is not yet written. You can use google-translate for the german text and you'll understand well enough. These are steel plates (drilling required) and you screw the windows shut when leaving your motorhome.
Alan Heath has made this informative video of him having the locks fitted:
Unless I see better available in the UK, I will get these fitted in Germany when I get my van next year.
Daf

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Jan 3, 2008
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Intersting video and I expect the device might put someone off. However, plastic windows are very easy to break with or without such a device they won't stand up to a large screwdriver of similar in the sides or top. I think I prefer an obvious very visible alarm on the window as it is easy for a potential thief to see and I hope make them move on.
 
Mar 11, 2014
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ChrisandFred43 - so sorry to hear of your break in. I'm covered by Aviva too and did notice this on the personal possessions section - I had been looking at increasing the £3000 cover to £5000 cover but then since it doesn't cover much of value I decided not to.

It's ok vehicle insurance expecting us to claim for laptops, tablets, cameras etc from our home insurance, but I did notice last time when I was trawling around for home insurance that a lot of them now have a maximum limit on what you can claim for stolen from a vehicle - and given the cost of some cameras, laptops etc it barely covers it.

I'll have to have a bit better look around next time it comes up for renewal as we seem to take more and more electronic wizardry with us and OH has upgraded to a better camera too.

At the moment I'm relying on a mix of the MH, home and travel insurance to cover most eventualities.
 

musson

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Dec 25, 2013
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Hi there is a company that make a product that fits over the window catches cost about £10 per catch

BgggSr-CYAAEeKk.jpg:thumb

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Sep 10, 2013
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My general experience of the insurance industry is that they are a bunch of crooks.
As soon as you make a claim they look for ways to avoid payment, any loophole will do.
We all have to deal with them, but we certainly should not rely on them stepping up to the plate when you need it.
 

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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Hi there is a company that make a product that fits over the window catches cost about £10 per catch

BgggSr-CYAAEeKk.jpg:thumb
As iandsm said....plastic windows are easily broken.

The latch may be secure but anyone could get it in less than 5 seconds by simply ripping the window in its entirity from its frame.

NOTHING on a motorhome will stop even the thickest of theives forcing entry.
 

Judge Mental

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Deceased RIP
Sep 2, 2009
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Where was van parked when this happened please...site or street :( leaving a bag with all valuables in is nothing less than astonisingly nieve?. Plus depending on an alarm that no one takes a blind bit if notice of plain daft, fit a safe.

Thieves know exactly where people hide stuff and in and out in a few minutes...no one except the foolish will interfere with them.

Keep valuables with you. If you go swimming tuff, go one at a time. Engage your brains and play safe..above all pay close attention to where you park. A motorhome full of goodies is like leaving an open box of sweets in a school playground and expecting it to be there untouched on your return.......

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