Thursday 24th February 2005

Don't leave your motor running

Insurers say unattended defrosting means nicked cars

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With the cold snap set to last, the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) is warning motorists not to leave their vehicles unattended with the engine running whilst defrosting the windscreen, as many insurers will not pay the claim should the car be stolen.

BIBA predicts that many drivers may leave their vehicles at risk by leaving the keys in the ignition while the vehicle is unattended. But motorists should be aware that if the vehicle is stolen they may not be able to claim on their insurance because:

Most motor insurance policies now have a specific "keys in car" or "vehicle left unattended" clause and exclude claims in these circumstances.

In addition, there will be a reasonable care clause, whereby the insurer may reject a claim on the grounds of the policyholder being "reckless" in not safeguarding the vehicle.

BIBA is urging consumers to be aware that there are a number of situations that could leave them at risk:

• Leaving the keys in/ on the vehicle or in the ignition.
• Leaving an unlocked vehicle unattended.
• Vehicles are most vulnerable when people are paying for petrol or are outside the family home.

Graeme Trudgill , BIBA’s Technical Services Manager, said, "Waking up on a freezing cold morning, it can be tempting to save a few extra minutes by starting the engine and warming the vehicle up while you nip back inside to finish getting ready. But, from experience, we know that many motorists who do this may be at risk from ‘frosting’, which is when opportunist thieves steal the vehicle with the keys in the ignition, while the windscreen is being defrosted. "

There are a number of exclusions that can lead to the policyholder not being able to claim for the stolen vehicle and BIBA’s top tips for ensuring drivers don’t face this problem are:

• Leave enough time to defrost the car properly
• Stay with the vehicle at all times when defrosting
• Never leave the vehicle unattended (however briefly) with the keys
• Never leave the vehicle unlocked, or with an open window, whilst unattended

Motorists are advised to contact their broker if they need more information on the clauses that are in their policy.

Thanks for Jean-Paul Scherrer for the photo: www.pbase.com/scherrer/s2_january_2005_ice_storm

[thekirbyfake]

Well duh...

[eein]

Is that top picture from the recent weather in the uk?!

[Balmoral Green]

I would wager that the number of claims from people who cant see a damn thing out of an un-defrosted car and crash, far outnumber those claims from stolen vehicles being thawed out. Based on what I have seen this week.

If my car is frozen up, I will leave it running, but locked. Warm and cosy in ten minutes. What do they do in Scandinavia where many cars have a timer to run the engine half an hour before required?

[FesterNath]

eein said:

Is that top picture from the recent weather in the uk?!

I saw another similar picture which said it was France. Looks a bit nasty, wherever it is!

[flooritforever]

It's spray blown off a lake in Geneva (or somewhere in that vicinity). The spray freezes onto the surface of the vehicle as soon as it touches it, and builds up a thick layer of ice over the course of a few hours - overnight for example.

[eldonj]

On a cold night, to stop your car frosting over, wind your windows down for about three minutes, to let all the cold air in, then close the windows, lock the car and leave it. Hey presto, no frost in the morning. Sounds bizzare, but it does work. I got the tip off a guy from Iceland. Apparently that is what they do over there. I have tried it and it worked.

[rich 36]

thats an interesting idea, i suppose it makes sense really since the interior would have gotten' nice and warmed up on way home etc

[GetCarter]

eein said:

Is that top picture from the recent weather in the uk?!

these pics are really worth a look

www.pbase.com/scherrer/s2_january_2005_ice_storm

especially this one: www.pbase.com/scherrer/image/39174539

Steve

>> Edited by GetCarter on Friday 25th February 09:32

[Hayes]

That is really ... almost unbelievable. Imagine your wife is pregnant and you need to get to hospital in a rush...
Hmmmm, "Honey... I think we got a problem..."