Insurance dont want to pay for replacement Satnav

Insurance dont want to pay for replacement Satnav

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Discussion

Stakeknife

Original Poster:

76 posts

123 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Hello people, this is for my sister who had her VW Golf broken into last week.
She went through her insurance to pay for her smashed window and stolen radio (had satnav so was probably a RNS 510?).
Reading about these radios its quite common and it was the 3rd one that week according to RAC who collected the car.

Now the insurance are saying that it wasn't a standard radio for that car and that she needs to send proof (any pics of it before, which she doesnt have) to prove the unit was the one with satnav. I'm guessing new ones are well over a grand compared to £70 for a bog standard radio. Its a 2010 model and she's the second owner so its possible, but unlikely the first owner swapped it after buying it from new.

Can you decode the VIN to check what was fitted from factory?

Thanks.


Crafty_

13,269 posts

200 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Try this, there is a sticker somewhere with codes on: http://igorweb.org/equidec.aspx

Alternatively if the car does have sat nav it will have a GPS aerial, so a dealer may be able to inspect and verify it did have sat nav fitted for a fee ?

Sticker is in rear wheel well / under rear seat or boot floor.

Found a lsit of option codes hwere: http://vag-codes.info/files/options/vag-option-cod...

Seems you are looking for 7Q<number>

Also found an app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com....

Can't test any of this stuff as I haven't a VW vin to check..

Edited by Crafty_ on Sunday 23 April 11:29

Ahbefive

11,657 posts

172 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
I didn't know people still broke into cars to steal the head unit. Did the alarm not go off?

Edited by Ahbefive on Sunday 23 April 11:35

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Stakeknife said:
Hello people, this is for my sister who had her VW Golf broken into last week.
She went through her insurance to pay for her smashed window and stolen radio (had satnav so was probably a RNS 510?).
Reading about these radios its quite common and it was the 3rd one that week according to RAC who collected the car.

Now the insurance are saying that it wasn't a standard radio for that car and that she needs to send proof (any pics of it before, which she doesnt have) to prove the unit was the one with satnav.
So she told the insurer it was a standard-spec car, and is now claiming for a non-standard/modification/upgrade?

Seems very reasonable of them to accept the claim providing she proves that's what was there.

Cold

15,233 posts

90 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
So she told the insurer it was a standard-spec car, and is now claiming for a non-standard/modification/upgrade?

Seems very reasonable of them to accept the claim providing she proves that's what was there.
It's a shame they're not as diligent when it comes to whiplash claims.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Funkycoldribena said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Stakeknife said:
Hello people, this is for my sister who had her VW Golf broken into last week.
She went through her insurance to pay for her smashed window and stolen radio (had satnav so was probably a RNS 510?).
Reading about these radios its quite common and it was the 3rd one that week according to RAC who collected the car.

Now the insurance are saying that it wasn't a standard radio for that car and that she needs to send proof (any pics of it before, which she doesnt have) to prove the unit was the one with satnav.
So she told the insurer it was a standard-spec car, and is now claiming for a non-standard/modification/upgrade?

Seems very reasonable of them to accept the claim providing she proves that's what was there.
So every second hand car you buy,you're meant to know every bit of standard equipment and what was added as an upgrade?
"Oooh, look, this one's got built-in satnav - most haven't..."

'course, it isn't a problem if you're happy with the insurer actually replacing what you'd told them was there - a standard-fit stereo for a 2010 Golf <whatever spec>.

Crafty_

13,269 posts

200 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
So you detail every single option your vehicle has with your insurer ?

PAULJ5555

3,554 posts

176 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Crafty_ said:
So you detail every single option your vehicle has with your insurer ?
Looks like that's the best way to protect yourself against the bully boy insurers and that tends to be the signals there sending out.



MitchT

15,839 posts

209 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
They might not have known that the sat nav was rare on that car. Also, if it's a factory option then it's not a modification. My old BMW has a Sport pack on it. It's been damaged twice over the many years I've owned it. I was never told I could only have the standard bits because I hadn't declared that it had a Sport pack. When buying insurance I've never come across an opportunity to declare factory fitted options, only modifications.

photosnob

1,339 posts

118 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
"Oooh, look, this one's got built-in satnav - most haven't..."

'course, it isn't a problem if you're happy with the insurer actually replacing what you'd told them was there - a standard-fit stereo for a 2010 Golf <whatever spec>.
As usual you are talking rubbish. I talk rubbish but I don't try and spoil peoples day when I do so.

OP: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications...

Look up the definition of innocent.

Threaten to take the matter to the FoS. I promise you the insurers will back down.

aka_kerrly

12,416 posts

210 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
So she told the insurer it was a standard-spec car, and is now claiming for a non-standard/modification/upgrade?

Seems very reasonable of them to accept the claim providing she proves that's what was there.
Don't be ridiculous .

Having just renewed my car insurance yesterday I was told I get £1200 worth of stereo equipment cover included, at no point was I asked what type of stereo system is installed in the car. From factory my car could have come with a cassette deck, a cassette deck + cd changer, a TV screen, a DVD player, a DVD/Satnav which could have a huge impact on the value of a claim.

For those who have seen a selection of MK6 Golfs there a CD player, CD/Sat Nav, CD//sat nav/DAB combinations which hardly look any different.


TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
photosnob said:
Threaten to take the matter to the FoS. I promise you the insurers will back down.
Umm, perhaps you've forgotten - in the usual haste to shoot the messenger - that they're going to pay. They're merely asking for proof that's what was there.

Stoofa

958 posts

168 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
It does all sound very reasonable.
To those that are jumping to the conclusion that they are refusing to pay - read the post again. They have not said that at all.
They have said that you are claiming for something that was not standard in this car - can you prove it was installed.
Why is that so unreasonable? If my house was to burn down and I started adding numerous "just under the £500 limit" items to my claim I'd expect them to want proof those items every existed, that they did indeed burn down with the house and I wasn't trying to pull a fast one.

Original invoice for the vehicle listing a satnav? Go back to the dealer where it was bought - do they still have a copy of the original advert? A copy of the specification?

PorkInsider

5,882 posts

141 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Can't really help the OP, but for those questioning the SatNav being common or not on Golfs of that era, the RNS510 isn't exactly rare, although it was a pretty expensive option.

I also happen to have one in perfect condition still hanging around from one of my previous cars if anyone needs one. wink

750turbo

6,164 posts

224 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
photosnob said:
TooMany2cvs said:
"Oooh, look, this one's got built-in satnav - most haven't..."

'course, it isn't a problem if you're happy with the insurer actually replacing what you'd told them was there - a standard-fit stereo for a 2010 Golf <whatever spec>.
As usual you are talking rubbish. I talk rubbish but I don't try and spoil peoples day when I do so.

OP: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications...

Look up the definition of innocent.

Threaten to take the matter to the FoS. I promise you the insurers will back down.
One day, "Norris" will post something positive...Not holding my breath though Photosnob.

TwigtheWonderkid

43,317 posts

150 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
photosnob said:
Threaten to take the matter to the FoS. I promise you the insurers will back down.
Umm, perhaps you've forgotten - in the usual haste to shoot the messenger - that they're going to pay. They're merely asking for proof that's what was there.
Exactly. Insurers being perfect reasonable. "This head unit isn't standard in your car, so we just need you to provide proof that's what you had and then we'll replace like for like."

Idiot response...report them! rolleyes

Tomo1971

1,128 posts

157 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
The codes mentioned on post 2 are the way to go - My Yeti has the RNS510 - was not a standard option but was factory fitted and so listed on the aforementioned sticker and in the cover of the manual somewhere.


Stakeknife

Original Poster:

76 posts

123 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Tried to get a little more info. My first thought was the insurance were trying to pull a fast one and fit a cheaper radio (prolly more than £70 worth mind you.) She sent a pic of the sticker in the service book since she doesn't have the car.
Couldn't match any 3digit codes to anything about a radio.
Its a bit confusing as to what has been said, but what I can gather is that the insurance have told the company who is fixing it that her car wasn't spec'd with satnav from the factory but also sounds like they believe her that there was one fitted at the time of the theft. Maybe a dealer fitted it who knows but there's no record.
Told her to contact VW and if the VIN shows no satnav was spec'd then fair enough its one of those things.
She barely remembers to tax,insure and mot the thing, I don't think she would think twice about double checking her satnav was a ticked option, in fact I doubt she would question it if it said Pioneer on the front lol.

Sheepshanks

32,705 posts

119 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
I thought stealing then had died out too, but obviously not. There was almost an epidemic of them being stolen a few years ago though, so there's every chance the one in your sisters car was stolen from someone else and retrofitted.

SteBrown91

2,377 posts

129 months

Sunday 23rd April 2017
quotequote all
Easiest way to tell if factory fit is if the shark fin aerial is on the roof. No retrofitter goes to the effort of drilling the roof and running the cable when a universal gps antenna stuck under the dash does as good a job