Insurance with roof off
Insurance with roof off
Author
Discussion

iandbeech

Original Poster:

2,709 posts

280 months

Friday 4th April 2003
quotequote all
As we have only been using our Chimaera on fine days, we have got in the habit of leaving the hard section off while in garage and storing in the house (if going out with weather not looking 100% its put in the boot just in case and we put the window section back up to preserve the window when not in use).

What I`d like to know is does insurance cover like this (either in garage or if out in a public place - not that its ever out of sight if not in garage) as obviously its locked, immobilised and alarmed still.

shpub

8,507 posts

294 months

Friday 4th April 2003
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Ask your insurers...

P7ULG

1,052 posts

305 months

Friday 4th April 2003
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Tricky, suppose if they wanted to be awkward they could say by leaving the roof off you did not take all reasonable precautions to secure the vehicle.Must admit I will only leave the roof off where I can see the car,however saying that I left it off at my front door and someone threw a lit cigarette into it!!!!!!

>> Edited by P7ULG on Friday 4th April 09:57

trefor

14,715 posts

305 months

Friday 4th April 2003
quotequote all
Thing is, the roof is not going to stop someone trying to nick the car/break into the boot etc. The only thing is does is deters people from having a shufty at what's nickable inside the cabin and I assume you don't leave anything in the cabin.

.Mark

11,104 posts

298 months

Friday 4th April 2003
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I would like to think that the insurers would take in to account it is a convertible and would understand it would be left with the roof off sometimes?

Yea right sorry - stupid statement.

iandbeech

Original Poster:

2,709 posts

280 months

Friday 4th April 2003
quotequote all
One thing that old (only slightly!) age and experience has shown me is never assume anything with insurance - our specialist TVR insurer had our Chimaera down as a five seater on our cover note!!

I think I`ll write to them (again - experience) rather than phone and try to get a definitive answer.

Tony Hall

22,119 posts

304 months

Friday 4th April 2003
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Have to say that as a loooonnnngggg time convertible owner I leave the car all over the place with the roof off and never suffered any trouble. NEVER leave anthing of value in it though. Concertible range through Sevens/Elans/MGs/Chimaera.
Fate now tempted to the limit!

naith

92 posts

298 months

Friday 4th April 2003
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I would be very surprised if you put in a claim for a stolen car, stipulating that the roof was off at the time, and your insurance company paid it willingly.

I have stopped leaving the roof off my car ever since I popped into a shop for 5 minutes, leaving my Chimaera targa-topped but immobilised and alarmed. When I came back out, the alarm was screaming, the lights were flashing, and I could see some blokes feet sticking out of the top while he was industriously working away at the dash.

My advice? Don't leave your top off if you can help it. But if you do, and your car gets lifted, you might want to seriously consider whether or not you tell your insurers that the roof was off at the time.

markbigears

2,485 posts

291 months

Friday 4th April 2003
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so what do you do naith? to the git i mean?

naith

92 posts

298 months

Monday 7th April 2003
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Well, it was a bit of a Carry On farce...

I pulled the gentleman out by his ankles and asked him to empty his pockets and such. (I'd foolishly left some cds in the cubby behind the handbrake, and couldn't see them. Turns out they'd fallen behind the seat during the lightfingered chaps aerial entry.)

He strenuously denied having taken anything, but a short frisk revealed my stereo control in his trousers. So, I realised that the only way to be sure that I'd get all my stuff was to strip the chap. (This was the idea offered by a very enthusiastic and animated passer-by, who actually did all the stripping. This process revealed that the light-fingered opportunist was wearing not one, or two, but three pairs of jogging bottoms; each one stuffed with various car trinkets and goodies - though most of which did not come from my car...)

Once Operation:Strip was complete, and all my bits and bobs were recaptured, my enthusiastic assistant sent the chap scampering on his way in his vest and underpants. I suppose in retrospect, it was actually quite funny - but at the time, I was livid!

If you're reading this, overly enthusiastic assistant, many thanks again for services rendered. And if you're reading this, you thieving little imp, many thanks for the nice set of screwdrivers you left behind.