what is the real risk of a MH being stolen

[DavidG58]

I have been pondering a dilemma tonight, we have to fit a tracker to our MH or we do not have any cover for theft of vehicle

Cost of tracker with monitor is about £300 year 1 then £150 / year

Not much really, our MH is worth about £60K, so do I 'self insure the risk' and not spend the £300

I have been a member for 2 years on here, there have a been a couple of posts about third part thefts, but as far as I know no members have lost theirs in that time

With modern immobilisers etc, coupled with possibly the most awkward parking on our own grounds, is it really much of a risk

Mathematically I think £300 = 0.5% of value, just do it, then I think £300 = 15 litres of gin

 

[Minxy]

£300 or risk losing £60k .... hmmm big decision there ....

 

[Gizmouk]

Sounds a lot.
Previous owner had a CobraTrak fitted. All I had to do is take out a subscription. I think I got them down to £320 for 5 years.

 

[mjltigger]

Insurance over and above the legal minimum is a gamble. When you pay for insurance or to meet the requirements of your insurance company, you are betting that you will suffer a loss, they are betting you won't. It is of no benefit to you to go claim free, it is only of benefit to the insurers.

Now they cheat of course and load premiums, much about with no claims bonuses etc, but like any bet, the only way to come out on top is to consistently win.. in other words claim every year more than the cost of the premium.

So what's the alternative? You put the money you would have spent elsewhere and hope that by the time you need it, you have saved enough to cover your loss...

My life isn't long enough to recover £60k at £150 per year...

 

[DuxDeluxe]

My van was insured for £59995 with Aviva and only a Thatcham alarm was required

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[DavidG58]

Sounds a lot.
Previous owner had a CobraTrak fitted. All I had to do is take out a subscription. I think I got them down to £320 for 5 years.

Aviva seem to being a bit selective about which tracker I can use, they appear to want a genuine Tracker, so need to buy plus subscribe, being the 'market leader', they are not the cheapest

 

[DavidG58]

My van was insured for £59995 with Aviva and only a Thatcham alarm was required

been down the alarm option, we have a problem with how the Hymer was built, access o the wiring loom is restricted by cabinets, would be expensive and risky to remove / refit, so others say, so Tracker seemed best route

 

[DavidG58]

Insurance over and above the legal minimum is a gamble. When you pay for insurance or to meet the requirements of your insurance company, you are betting that you will suffer a loss, they are betting you won't. It is of no benefit to you to go claim free, it is only of benefit to the insurers.

Now they cheat of course and load premiums, much about with no claims bonuses etc, but like any bet, the only way to come out on top is to consistently win.. in other words claim every year more than the cost of the premium.

So what's the alternative? You put the money you would have spent elsewhere and hope that by the time you need it, you have saved enough to cover your loss...

My life isn't long enough to recover £60k at £150 per year...

Must be honest, even allowing for depreciation £300 / first year then £150 = £900 in 5 years, I would need to own my current MH for over 100 years to break even

But, what is the real risk of it being lost to theft, very small I reckon

 

[Judge Mental]

@ 60K surprised alarm not a stipulation...sounds a bit mickey mouse. I am at a loss to understand how insurance does not cover theft...Penny wise pound foolish springs to mind.

 

[DavidG58]

@ 60K surprised alarm not a stipulation...sounds a bit mickey mouse. I am at a loss to understand how insurance does not cover theft...

we insured it on our fleet insurance at work when first bought 2 years ago, at £1200 / year don't think the insurers were really bothered about alarms etc

Just moved it to a more conventional private policy, still with Aviva frustratingly, so not really Mickey Mouse? (don't really get your point there) but they now asked for an alarm

see above post for reasons no alarm fitted

so they now want a tracker

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[joncris]

I can say without hesitation and even though I dislike insurers (having dealt with them on a professional basis) Insure it pronto and not just with the basic alarm simply to comply with the insurers needs.
Having your MH stolen or wrecked is soul destroying so get the best device you can. As yours is worth so much may I suggest having fitted the alarm/tracker made and supplied by Eddie Van Bits.
He's a member of this forum and although not cheap its reported to be one of the best around. Contact Eddie and have him send you the lit that explains what the alarm come tracker does

 

[joncris]

Forgot to mention about the theft risk. I'm informed that the travelers are now taking a very real interest in MH's as apposed to caravans Why? because they can nick them without hitching up and they are worth more when shipped either to Ireland or the Continent where they are known to have swop meets with their continental brothers who been nicking the same over there

 

[DavidG58]

I can say without hesitation and even though I dislike insurers (having dealt with them on a professional basis) Insure it pronto and not just with the basic alarm simply to comply with the insurers needs.
Having your MH stolen or wrecked is soul destroying so get the best device you can. As yours is worth so much may I suggest having fitted the alarm/tracker made and supplied by Eddie Van Bits.
He's a member of this forum and although not cheap its reported to be one of the best around. Contact Eddie and have him send you the lit that explains what the alarm come tracker does

I have had a dialogue with Eddie already, it might come to that, although he might have same issue with not being keen to remove the cabinets around the nearside door area (no door) where the connections to the wiring loom need to be made

we would be covered for attempted theft or damage while parked, it is only if stolen and not recovered that we would have no cover (accepting that if stolen we don't want it back)

and we do have the basic Mercedes alarm already fitted, not good enough for the insurers though

I probably will get something done, the big issue with alarms is, like our house, forget to set and you are still not insured how ever much you have paid to have it fitted, at least a tracker cant not be set

 

[DBK]

I would look at other insurance companies. You should be able to get cover without the requirement for trackers etc. Just shop around although I accept there is a postcode factor - some of you folk live in dodgy areas!
The thieves these days know where to look for trackers so they no longer provide the assurance they use to. Alternatively, they can just jam the tracker while they locate it: http://www.jammer4uk.com/car-gps-jammer-c-1.html
All of which adds up to the fact that if the crooks target your MH they will take it and there is little you can do about it.

 

[DavidG58]

keeping the keys secure seems to be the biggest security measure

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[DBK]

keeping the keys secure seems to be the biggest security measure

I agree and a great let out clause for the insurance company if the vehicle is stolen with the keys.

 

[Gorse Hill]

We insured ours with caravan guard for £60k+ and they only insisted on a tracker locate were not concerned it didn't have an Alarm and cost was about £400 pa and I didn't have any NCB due to having a company car

 

[DavidG58]

We insured ours with caravan guard for £60k+ and they only insisted on a tracker locate were not concerned it didn't have an Alarm and cost was about £400 pa and I didn't have any NCB due to having a company car

Somebody has to be here to keep them in profits, everybody always pays less than me for everything, so I am not overly surprised, we are paying just over £600 / year. including 10K miles, could have had £520 for 6K miles, but did not want to be watching the mileage, we plan on using it more not less going forward

I am committed now to this years insurance with Aviva, but next year will shop around earlier, but compared to our fleet policy premium I am quids in at least

 

[Wildbill]

I would dump Aviva and go with some on else I am sure it has a manufacturers immobiliser.
And will be perfectly safe on that one the only time you don't sleep in it is when it's on your drive.
I would think just make it a bit moor difficult for them put a hidden switch on your fuel pump.
If they can't start it they cant nick it and immobiliser can be over ridden
they got to find a hidden switch mitigate the risk
put a drop in post in the centre of your drive.
but I do think that Aviva are at it I have left them after years using them
try comfort or safeguard Adrian flux I am currently with Adrian flux
bill

 

[dippingatoe]

I would dump Aviva and go with some on else I am sure it has a manufacturers immobiliser.
And will be perfectly safe on that one the only time you don't sleep in it is when it's on your drive.
I would think just make it a bit moor difficult for them put a hidden switch on your fuel pump.
If they can't start it they cant nick it and immobiliser can be over ridden
they got to find a hidden switch mitigate the risk
put a drop in post in the centre of your drive.
but I do think that Aviva are at it I have left them after years using them
try comfort or safeguard Adrian flux I am currently with Adrian flux
bill

Not certain but I think Comfort is the trading name of Adrian Flux - and they use Aviva as their underwriters.

I expect Aviva own the tracking company as well (or am I being to cynical for this time in the morning?)

Out of interest does anyone have a policy not underwritten by Aviva?

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[dave newell]

been down the alarm option, we have a problem with how the Hymer was built, access o the wiring loom is restricted by cabinets, would be expensive and risky to remove / refit, so others say, so Tracker seemed best route

I honestly think the installer who told you this just didn't want to do the job. I've fitted alarms to numerous motorhomes including Hymers of all ages and I've never had to remove cabinet work to access wiring looms. On a 2 year old Hymer (I'm assuming Fiat as the base vehicle) the majority of the vehicle signals (indicators flash, doors open, ignition on etc) can be accessed through the CANBUS system which can be connected to at several positions around the dash area. Hab doors and locker doors will probably need additional switches fitting to them which is the biggest time consumer with installing alarms in motorhomes and one of the reasons they tend to be more expensive to install than on a car.

As to your OP question on this thread as to whether or not "self insure" the risk of it being stolen its what I often refer to as the "Dirty Harry" question: "How lucky do you feel today punk?"

D.

 

[Jaws]

The theft of motorhomes is def on the rise I am afraid..

In your case a tracker would seem to be the correct way forward, but I would def take a look around at other insurers .. Ones that do not insist you go with the most expensive tracking option out there !

 

[DavidG58]

I honestly think the installer who told you this just didn't want to do the job. I've fitted alarms to numerous motorhomes including Hymers of all ages and I've never had to remove cabinet work to access wiring looms. On a 2 year old Hymer (I'm assuming Fiat as the base vehicle) the majority of the vehicle signals (indicators flash, doors open, ignition on etc) can be accessed through the CANBUS system which can be connected to at several positions around the dash area. Hab doors and locker doors will probably need additional switches fitting to them which is the biggest time consumer with installing alarms in motorhomes and one of the reasons they tend to be more expensive to install than on a car.

As to your OP question on this thread as to whether or not "self insure" the risk of it being stolen its what I often refer to as the "Dirty Harry" question: "How lucky do you feel today punk?"

D.

Morning Dave

Thanks for the inside opinion, he did refer to Canbus, although I thought he said Cambus, but the difference could have been my ears

The base vehicle is an 07/08 Mercedes Sprinter, he said the connections were all behind a cabinet fitted in front of where the nearside door would have been. Our spec is quite unique (bought used) it has an offside hab door as standard for European builds and an offside cab door with RHD

You are quite probably right, I think the fitter was a bit daunted by the spec and task, but he went to the effort of driving 15 miles to me to look without any charge, so full credit to him for that and his honesty

 

[Larrynwin]

When we bought ours four years ago £90k+ Safeguard insisted on Cat 1 alarm immobiliser but not a tracker . When the alarm was fitted they had problems as we're not aware that it was a Canbus system.

 

[34127]

I admit that I know nothing about tracker units but I am surprised at the high cost of installation and the yearly charge. I have a mobile phone that cost approx. £60 and this has a tracker on if it gets lost or stolen and doesn't require a yearly fee for this. Why are trackers so expensive.

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[mjltigger]

I admit that I know nothing about tracker units but I am surprised at the high cost of installation and the yearly charge. I have a mobile phone that cost approx. £60 and this has a tracker on if it gets lost or stolen and doesn't require a yearly fee for this. Why are trackers so expensive.

That's a good question.. I presume it's because they 'can'

I'm sure there is a skill in fitting them an they can't easily be disabled or removed but as an annual charge surely anything over about £5 a month for data costs is just robbery.. I presume they aren't being monitored full time, only when you report a theft or the alarm is triggered.

 

[joner8888]

A £5 hidden battery isolater switch , if they are in a hurry to nick it ,they wont bother to seemingly have to jump start it.

 

[ojibway]

That's a good question.. I presume it's because they 'can'

I'm sure there is a skill in fitting them an they can't easily be disabled or removed but as an annual charge surely anything over about £5 a month for data costs is just robbery.. I presume they aren't being monitored full time, only when you report a theft or the alarm is triggered.

My first motorhome had a tracker that was 'hidden' somewhere.
My current motorhome has a tracker (which I had professionally installed) and it's hidden too - in the first place I looked!! So, it ain't a lot of use if some travellers nick it as they will find it in seconds, chuck it out the window and drive off laughing!!

 

[DavidG58]

I admit that I know nothing about tracker units but I am surprised at the high cost of installation and the yearly charge. I have a mobile phone that cost approx. £60 and this has a tracker on if it gets lost or stolen and doesn't require a yearly fee for this. Why are trackers so expensive.

As suggested, because they can I reckon, when I first rang Tracker to ask if it already had anything fitted I didn't know about the offered a discount down to £150 from about £300+ from memory, £150 seems to be about the going rate

But it is wired into the electrics it is not just a box with GPS, (or that is what I believe anyway) automatically activated if moved without the key in ignition, there is a lesser spec where you have to notice it is missing then ring in to set off the tracker bit, not good if you have been to the Maldives for three weeks

You can pay less per year by prepaying a three year bundle, they used to do a lifetime option, but don't think they do now, all seem to be three or one year deals, but not enough reduction to tempt me

I suspect I will get one fitted this year, then not renew, but can still say it is fitted

 

[DavidG58]

A £5 hidden battery isolater switch , if they are in a hurry to nick it ,they wont bother to seemingly have to jump start it.

trouble is though, I would forget we had it fitted and be calling out the RAC

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