Obligatory tracker

[MajorClanger]

Hi! Finally managed to picked up our (new to us) motorhome yesterday; we'd already insured it through AIBinsurance, but they are insisting that we must have a tracker fitted within a fortnight. It has to be Thatcham Category S5 or S6 and managed (ie not self-monitored).

We're looking for something not too expensive to install or run; the van already has a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm.
I know about eddievanbitz's VTS Shadow, but I've also read Eddie's thoughts on trackers

So, what do people suggest?

 

[Christoph]

We’ve got the global Telemetrics system. I think it was around £200 fitted plus either £149 a year subs or £399 for the life of the system. Works really well with the app giving position and battery life info.

 

[Bognor Saint]

We've got Phantom and are happy with it.

 

[Bonkers the Dog]

Phantom. Fitted before delivery. Even tells you on your phone the charge level on your batteries.

 

[Speve]

With the cost of it with installation and yearly fees I would consider finding an insurer that does not require a tracker. They don’t all insist on one, what is the value of your van?

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[MajorClanger]

£60K Speve

 

[Speve]

We are insured with LV= and van over £80 k no tracker required

 

[MajorClanger]

I was really anti-trackers before we picked up the bus, but seeing it sitting on the drive, all shiny and "new", I've become quite a convert

 

[Speve]

We do have Strikeback and non starter on ours the non starter is a tracker but not managed by a company. It does tell me everything that happens and also tracks via mobile phone.

 

[Chrisvh]

NFU Insurance do not require a tracker.

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[Lenny HB]

Comfort its £75k before a tracker is required, AIB also offer the same Aviva policy as Comfort often a few quid cheaper I suggest you have another word with them.

 

[Minxy]

We’ve got the global Telemetrics system. I think it was around £200 fitted plus either £149 a year subs or £399 for the life of the system. Works really well with the app giving position and battery life info.

That's what we have too, due to the value of our MH (over £90k) we had no choice but to be fair if it went walkies we'd want it back hopefully WITH all the contents especially if our dogs were in it at the time!!! It cost £199 to fit and £399 for lifetime monitoring.

 

[funflair]

NFU Insurance do not require a tracker.

They do on ours

Martin

 

[bigtwin]

It would be interesting to know the extent to which trackers on stolen vehicles reduce the overall costs to insurers; they must reduce the cost to insurers (and hence to all policy holders).

I know that, at an individual level, the cost/benefit analysis doesn’t stack up particularly well but to the overall population of motorhomers it must be beneficial for as many motorhomes as possible to be fitted with trackers; surely?

Thoughts?

Ian

 

[Chrisvh]

They do on ours

Martin

I wonder why? My modest little home on wheels obviously does not scare the insurance people.

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[funflair]

I wonder why? My modest little home on wheels obviously does not scare the insurance people.

We made an enquiry last year and had an indicative quote from and they didn't need tracker or alarm but then come the crunch the underwriter said tracker, suits me as the remote battery monitoring is handy and I get a map where it's parked just incase I forget.

Martin

 

[pappajohn]

You pay a lot of money to insure against theft then your insurer insists you fit and maintain a tracker at your expense to reduce the risk to practically zero of them having to pay out....... Robbery by any other name.

 

[funflair]

You pay a lot of money to insure against theft then your insurer insists you fit and maintain a tracker at your expense to reduce the risk to practically zero of them having to pay out....... Robbery by any other name.

Then they gave us a discount that over a few years will more than pay for the alarm and tracker. They are indeed limiting the risk and their exposure to it, some might say responsible business.

M

 

[pappajohn]

Then they gave us a discount that over a few years will more than pay for the alarm and tracker. They are indeed limiting the risk and their exposure to it, some might say responsible business.

M

So the discount given will cover the annual cost of maintaining the tracker year on year? Average is around £150 to £200 per annum.
Even a lifetime sub of £400 to £500 will take quite a few years to get back.

 

[funflair]

Works for me

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[MajorClanger]

Minxy Girl / Christoph is it the SmartTrak Protector Pro? Cheapest I've found is these people but the £199 cost doesn't appear to include the "DRS" keys you need to disable the system. How would it work without them?

 

[Just smiffy]

I was really anti-trackers before we picked up the bus, but seeing it sitting on the drive, all shiny and "new", I've become quite a convert

If my pride and joy went missing for a few weeks would I want it back not knowing what or who has been doing in it....

 

[SpeedyDux]

Comfort its £75k before a tracker is required, AIB also offer the same Aviva policy as Comfort often a few quid cheaper I suggest you have another word with them.

Gone up. The Comfort limit before mandatory tracker was up to £50k when we bought so I limited the options to stay below that number.

 

[Geo]

It would be interesting to know the extent to which trackers on stolen vehicles reduce the overall costs to insurers; they must reduce the cost to insurers (and hence to all policy holders).

I know that, at an individual level, the cost/benefit analysis doesn’t stack up particularly well but to the overall population of motorhomers it must be beneficial for as many motorhomes as possible to be fitted with trackers; surely?

Thoughts?

Ian

I have the factory fitted Autotrail (Sargent) tracker fitted I dont pay the £99 per year or £297 3 year option
instead i stand the penalty of my Insurer to the tune of almost £1 per month thats right £11 a year for NOT having it switched on.....
Its wot they call a no brainer

 

[tonka]

Not to throw a spanner in the works but have you checked windscreen cover on your policy ?
A class screens can be expensive and some insurance providers limit this, my previous one a max of £1500. Read a post a few days ago and their replecement was £3200. Luckily covered by Comfort and no limit.

Ref Tracker, we are with Comfort and no tracker needed on a used £65k van.

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[John Barrett]

I have the factory fitted Autotrail (Sargent) tracker fitted I dont pay the £99 per year or £297 3 year option
instead i stand the penalty of my Insurer to the tune of almost £1 per month thats right £11 a year for NOT having it switched on.....
Its wot they call a no brainer

E510 is insured by SAGA. Both of us to drive: £250/annum with EU cover. They weren't the slightest bit interested in our Strikeback alarm or trackers!

 

[MajorClanger]

Not wanting to turn this into an insurance thread (I want to have a tracker fitted!), but

• AIB offered us the best quote (but needed a tracker)
• Comfort didn't mention a tracker but use the same underwriter (Aviva)
• SAGA wanted us to go back to the dealer and get an itemised breakdown of all the work we were having done, complete with prices. They wouldn't accept the overall price we were paying.

Mumma Clanger was doing the phoning around, so I only have all this secondhand. She did try some others but they weren't competitive and/or she didn't have faith in them.

Not to throw a spanner in the works but have you checked windscreen cover on your policy ?
A class screens can be expensive and some insurance providers limit this, my previous one a max of £1500. Read a post a few days ago and their replecement was £3200. Luckily covered by Comfort and no limit.

I think it's £3K (with £200 excess). AIBinsurance?

 

[MajorClanger]

It would be interesting to know the extent to which trackers on stolen vehicles reduce the overall costs to insurers; they must reduce the cost to insurers (and hence to all policy holders).

I know that, at an individual level, the cost/benefit analysis doesn’t stack up particularly well but to the overall population of motorhomers it must be beneficial for as many motorhomes as possible to be fitted with trackers; surely?

I can remember reading an article awhile ago about LoJack (US-based car tracking system), which, when introduced, fundamentally altered car theft: thieves had no way of knowing whether the car they'd stolen had a tracker so they had to assume it did. I believe they pioneered the invisible deterrent effect by not having warning stickers on vehicles (which goes against the usual advice of putting them prominently on your vehicle to prevent it being stolen). It doesn't need every car to have it fitted; just enough to provide "herd immunity" This lead to the thieves abandoning motors for a duration and only collecting them if they were still there sometime later.

I think we should get some stickers made up saying "This vehicle may or may not have a tracker fitted..."

 

[MichaelT]

We have a Vodafone VTS system, very good service, the company call within a minute of me driving it and forgetting the little fob... Can see where vehicle is, trip reports, status such as voltage of device etc, set certain criteria for ferry, garage mode etc.

 

[Lenny HB]

Gone up. The Comfort limit before mandatory tracker was up to £50k when we bought so I limited the options to stay below that number.

Do you mean it's gone down to 50k as it's been 75k for at least 6 or 7 years, it was 50k when we had our first van in 2008.