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Categorized as Stolen and Recovered

J

Jester

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If your Bus is stolen and repaired/returned is it automatically categorized as stolen and recovered upon your V5. and would it depreciate, anyone with first hand experience, its just that I have been asked to fit a tracker via the insurers. Really don't think I would want it back.

Should i find a company who do not require a tracker?

Your thoughts please.

Will
 
That what I did, fitted a Back2You GPS tracker and found a company that is happy with type="Other GPS Tracker"
 
Hello Will,
I think the current insurance categories that might be applicable in these circs would either be Category C or Cat X.

I believe a Cat C is where a vehicle has been damaged and repaired but the cost of the parts and labour exceeded the value of the vehicle hence it being written off.

As far as I'm aware a Cat X is where a vehicle has been stolen and recovered with ghd owner having been paid outand. The cost to repair is usually minor. Such vehicles are often roadworthy.

I'm not aware of any of the Cali's that have been stolen and reported on this forum which have ever been recovered. I suspect that they have't been found. In the unlikely event of your Cali being stolen I doubt if you would ever see it again. I also suspect they are either broken up for spares or stuck in a shipping container and sent abroad.

I think that any form of category recorded against a vehicle will have an effect on it's value. I have had experience with a dealer who sold me a vehicle that eventually turned out to be a Cat C. (The Cat C designation hasn't always appeared on the V5). I only found this out when I advertised it on Autotrader some years later. It's value had to be reduced because that label puts off most potential buyers. I also had another occasion recently when I was looking to buy a very nice Audi TT for my wife. Again the dealer (a local VW Commercial dealer as it happens) claimed not to know that this vehicle was also a Cat C write off!!!

I am of a similar mind to you in that if my Cali was taken I am not sure that I would want it back. Never the less my previous Calis have both had Vodaphone Cobra Track trackers fitted. They cost around £500 to fit with an annual subscription of about £145. This time I got a Back2You self contained tracker which doesn't involve subs and is cheaper in the first place. The only trouble is that I've since discovered that most insurance don't recognise these devices..... yet!

I currently insure with VW who didn't ask about a tracker.
 
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Use a decent insurer who does not require a tracker. If mine was stolen, I’d never want to see it again to be honest, I’d want a new one.
 
Hello Will,
I think the current insurance categories that might be applicable in these circs would either be Category C or Cat X.

I believe a Cat C is where a vehicle has been damaged and repaired but the cost of the parts and labour exceeded the value of the vehicle hence it being written off.

As far as I'm aware a Cat X is where a vehicle has been stolen and recovered with ghd owner having been paid outand. The cost to repair is usually minor. Such vehicles are often roadworthy.

I'm not aware of any of the Cali's that have been stolen and reported on this forum which have ever been recovered. I suspect that they have't been found. In the unlikely event of your Cali being stolen I doubt if you would ever see it again. I also suspect they are either broken up for spares or stuck in a shipping container and sent abroad.

I think that any form of category recorded against a vehicle will have an effect on it's value. I have had experience with a dealer who sold me a vehicle that eventually turned out to be a Cat C. (The Cat C designation hasn't always appeared on the V5). I only found this out when I advertised it on Autotrader some years later. It's value had to be reduced because that label puts off most potential buyers. I also had another occasion recently when I was looking to buy a very nice Audi TT for my wife. Again the dealer (a local VW Commercial dealer as it happens) claimed not to know that this vehicle was also a Cat C write off!!!

I am of a similar mind to you in that if my Cali was taken I am not sure that I would want it back. Never the less my previous Calis have both had Vodaphone Cobra Track trackers fitted. They cost around £500 to fit with an annual subscription of about £145. This time I got a Back2You self contained tracker which doesn't involve subs and is cheaper in the first place. The only trouble is that I've since discovered that most insurance don't recognise these devices..... yet!

I currently insure with VW who didn't ask about a tracker.
Hi Borris, again a mind of information and thank you for your in-depth reply, noted re B2Y tracker both companies required a minimum cat 6, it’s not that I mind the expense I’d rather not have it recovered. I was hoping auto ghost 2 would suffice but apparently this is also not recognised so may end up having both installed the at least there will be no recovery.

Thanks again,

Will
 
Use a decent insurer who does not require a tracker. If mine was stolen, I’d never want to see it again to be honest, I’d want a new one.
Both the companies advertise on this forum.
 
If your Bus is stolen and repaired/returned is it automatically categorized as stolen and recovered upon your V5. and would it depreciate, anyone with first hand experience, its just that I have been asked to fit a tracker via the insurers. Really don't think I would want it back.

Should i find a company who do not require a tracker?

Your thoughts please.

Will
Yes. I don’t want mine back if it is taken. Good Insurance is required and I’m prepared to take the hit, financially.
Caravan & Motorhome Club didn’t require a tracker.
 
If your Bus is stolen and repaired/returned is it automatically categorized as stolen and recovered upon your V5. and would it depreciate, anyone with first hand experience, its just that I have been asked to fit a tracker via the insurers. Really don't think I would want it back.

Should i find a company who do not require a tracker?

Your thoughts please.

Will

Hi Will: The DVLA are only informed and the vehicle classified on V5 as a Cat whatever if it has been written off i.e. the insurance co have paid the policyholder out and taken ownership of the vehicle. Apart from that there’s no stolen / recovered marker that potential purchasers can see.
 
Hi Will: The DVLA are only informed and the vehicle classified on V5 as a Cat whatever if it has been written off i.e. the insurance co have paid the policyholder out and taken ownership of the vehicle. Apart from that there’s no stolen / recovered marker that potential purchasers can see.

Morning Wiggly Woo
Ok that covers that, good a piece of mind will be installing Autoghost 2 as well although the insurers do not recognise it but should stop it from it being driven away.
 
Hi Borris, again a mind of information and thank you for your in-depth reply, noted re B2Y tracker both companies required a minimum cat 6, it’s not that I mind the expense I’d rather not have it recovered. I was hoping auto ghost 2 would suffice but apparently this is also not recognised so may end up having both installed the at least there will be no recovery.

Thanks again,

Will
That's what I ended up doing. I would have gone for another Vodaphone Cobra track plus on our latest van but their service hasn't been that good when it came to renewal time. Also I found out that if you have one it doesn't seem to make much difference to the premium.

Another interesting fact concerns the new for old feature on some policies. Someone on this forum recently asked the Campervan and Motorhome club insurers (Devitt) about this feature. I insured through them with our previous two Calis partly because of this attractive extra. However it appears that if you were to have your T6 written off within the first two years then they would only give you the current market value as they class the T6-1 as a new model and therefore not like for like. VW, my current insurer, don't see the T6-1 as a new model so for the first year you would get a brand new T6-1 as a replacement. They only provide this feature for the first year but the second year would effectively be the same as with the C and MH club.
 
Good afternoon,

My van insurer won't ask for a GPS tracker in my California. But reading through the posts make me think.

My van is almost 2 1/2 years old now. According to VW it would have a trade-in value of about EUR 50.000. How much I would get from my insurer, in case it gets stolen, is another question.

If I think about the worst case scenario the camper gets stolen, means to me the end of a camper van hobby, life, entertainment. At the moment there are only very few VW California vehicles on the market in Ireland. As far as I can see most of them more expensive than EUR 50.000. I can't afford to spend another EUR 10.000 or 15.000 for a used replacement VW California van (early retirement). The money from the insurer can only be used to get a car.

Of course I could import one from outside Ireland, but I don't want that.

But even if this mentioned, I would feel as other people posted here, that I am not sure if I wanted the van back. Strange to say, but if it is gone it is gone.

The best would be to ensure that the van won't get stolen in the first place. At the moment I try to prevent this by parking the vehicle in "secure" places, ensure that the van is locked and the alarm is on. I would love to improve the security using the "Ghost" technology, but have not found a reliable company in Ireland that I trust, not only to install the technology properly, but also provide support. Also I am a friend of "good old hardware" meaning I would love to have the "Bear Lock" installed. But again, I can't find anybody in Ireland to install it.

Even if I would find workshops able to install both I could imagine that would cost me EUR 2 - 3000, which is a lot of money.

If I would be able to afford the additional security I believe this would be the maximum I could achieve myself:
  1. Van locked with VW central locking
  2. VW Alarm switched on
  3. Van parked in most secure place as possible
  4. Ghost installed and activated (and published on the window)
  5. Bear Lock installed and in place (and published on the window)

This should do the trick to ensure that it is very unlikely that the van gets stolen. Because if this happens see my comments at the beginning... :oops:

Regards,
Eberhard
 
Hi Will: The DVLA are only informed and the vehicle classified on V5 as a Cat whatever if it has been written off i.e. the insurance co have paid the policyholder out and taken ownership of the vehicle. Apart from that there’s no stolen / recovered marker that potential purchasers can see.
Sorry but that’s wrong, maybe not for the V5, but certainly on the HPI check

I had a BMW 435 stolen off my drive last year which regrettably the Police found some 3 miles away and recovered. It had been parked discretely to see if it had a tracker which it didn’t, however BMW can track a car via the SOS button subject to the owners authorisation.

The car was marked on HPI as being stolen and recovered, due to me informing the insurers the minute I noticed it gone. I am not sure anyone would avoid this in case it isn't found, however this saw me lose circa 20% resale value when the time came.

Per most above, if it’s stolen...hope it isn’t recovered
 
My 2016 Beach is a Cat D write off - after some arse broke in and set fire to the passenger seat. The van was written off as beyond economic repair. I took a gamble and bought back the salvage from the insurers, and although there are still signs of the smoke / heat damage, i have restored it to a good standard and we intend to keep it for a good/long time - I was surprised to see that DVLA do not make a note on the registration document, and the only ref is on a HPI check. I have not had any issues with insurers making demands / charging more - and as i do not intend to sell it, i cant comment on resale.
 
That's what I ended up doing. I would have gone for another Vodaphone Cobra track plus on our latest van but their service hasn't been that good when it came to renewal time. Also I found out that if you have one it doesn't seem to make much difference to the premium.

Another interesting fact concerns the new for old feature on some policies. Someone on this forum recently asked the Campervan and Motorhome club insurers (Devitt) about this feature. I insured through them with our previous two Calis partly because of this attractive extra. However it appears that if you were to have your T6 written off within the first two years then they would only give you the current market value as they class the T6-1 as a new model and therefore not like for like. VW, my current insurer, don't see the T6-1 as a new model so for the first year you would get a brand new T6-1 as a replacement. They only provide this feature for the first year but the second year would effectively be the same as with the C and MH club.
Originally discounted the VW Insurance as back in February they asked me was my California made by VW? which put me off, I will give them a call today.
Thanks,
Will
 
My 2016 Beach is a Cat D write off - after some arse broke in and set fire to the passenger seat. The van was written off as beyond economic repair. I took a gamble and bought back the salvage from the insurers, and although there are still signs of the smoke / heat damage, i have restored it to a good standard and we intend to keep it for a good/long time - I was surprised to see that DVLA do not make a note on the registration document, and the only ref is on a HPI check. I have not had any issues with insurers making demands / charging more - and as i do not intend to sell it, i cant comment on resale.
Hi CALIFATE,
Thanks for sharing your experience, love to catch the buggers who do these things.
 
Sorry but that’s wrong, maybe not for the V5, but certainly on the HPI check

I had a BMW 435 stolen off my drive last year which regrettably the Police found some 3 miles away and recovered. It had been parked discretely to see if it had a tracker which it didn’t, however BMW can track a car via the SOS button subject to the owners authorisation.

The car was marked on HPI as being stolen and recovered, due to me informing the insurers the minute I noticed it gone. I am not sure anyone would avoid this in case it isn't found, however this saw me lose circa 20% resale value when the time came.

Per most above, if it’s stolen...hope it isn’t recovered
Thanks Simo for your clarification. Great to see BMW’s Operation Cuncliff works,
 
Hi CALIFATE,
Thanks for sharing your experience, love to catch the buggers who do these things.
Well funny you should mention that - there is a thread on here somewhere about the story and how our criminal justice system dealt with the gentleman who broke in and set the van alight. He got his comeuppance is all ill say - and if you believe in heaven and hell might be regretting his reckless arson criminality.
 
Well funny you should mention that - there is a thread on here somewhere about the story and how our criminal justice system dealt with the gentleman who broke in and set the van alight. He got his comeuppance is all ill say - and if you believe in heaven and hell might be regretting his reckless arson criminality.
 

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