Tracker Required for Insurance

Toothy · January 23, 2017

My insurance company (Direct Line) insists I install a tracker to insure the IS-F.
I've looked at brokers who don't require a tracker, but it doubles my premium (from around £450 to nearly £1000).

Can anyone recommend a tracker and a company to use?
I'm apprehensive on allowing someone to pull trim apart and mess with the vehicles electronics. Never had a tracker before so don't know what to expect. What are people's experiences with fitting?

From a good few hours Google searching, I'm considering SmarTrack Protector Pro, from a company called "trackerfit".
£199 for the tracker and fitting. Then taking out the £399 subscription which covers the device for it's lifetime.

Mark G · January 23, 2017

I am insured with Lexus, they don't require a tracker, slightly more expensive than the cheapest online quote but not by much, however when it comes to claim they were very good to deal with unlike some of the cheaper companies who can be a nightmare.

NemesisUK · January 23, 2017

Before settling on a company to supply and fit your tracker check with Direct Line that they are acceptable to them. I had to have a tracker fitted in my CLS55 AMG, Direct Line were quite prescriptive regarding the one fitted...

That said have you approached Lexus? Their dealerships can supply and fit and I think would be best experienced in how to do so without causing possible issues later.

Dave McDave · January 23, 2017

I had to have one fitted on mine when I bought it in 2012 at the insistence of my insurance company. Ordered it from Trackers website and then fitted a week later in my car park at work. Choose the Locate model as had the 4 way tracker rather than just 2 way. Have no idea where it is on the car & fitter was excellent with no marks left after fitting.

When the insurance renewal came up in 2013 & 2014 insurance company didn't require a tracker so cancelled the subscription and then in 2015 & 2016 then did so just called Tracker & had them switch the unit back on.

Have had no problems with it and the on line tracking system is good, although could do with an update & mobile app. Get a call from them every time it goes in for a service & the Battery is disconnected.

Personally I wouldn't get Lexus to source & fit one as buying from Tracker direct was fine for me and getting the dealer to do anything is always more expensive.

Big Rat · January 23, 2017

Toothy

Dont know your age and not asking but I'm with SAGA 😂

No requirement from them to fit one top notch policy unless you want a tracker fitted that is.

Shop around would be my twopence worth.

Big Rat

Stuno1 · January 23, 2017

Never been made to fit one and i owned mine at 30. Try elephant and admiral as they are always cheapest for me.

MNMJ · January 23, 2017

Mine came fitted with one. When I realised the annual subscription was a lot more than any discount for having one fitted, I cancelled the subscription.

It had a problem when it was 'on' so a Tracker guy came out to fix it. It took him ages to find where it was and told me each of the fitters had their favourite hiding spots. The way they each wire and fit it leaves a signature, so he could recognise in many cases which of his colleagues had first installed it.

If anyone out there has my old one: Red BK10 NYX, I can tell you where it is if you need to know

emjay82 · January 23, 2017

The tracker only benefits the police and only useful as a deterrent if you plaster TRACKER FITTED all over the car. As soon as it's been pinched you wouldn't want it back anyway and would be recorded as such. Keep persevering and try Admiral.

Toothy · January 23, 2017

2 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

Before settling on a company to supply and fit your tracker check with Direct Line that they are acceptable to them. I had to have a tracker fitted in my CLS55 AMG, Direct Line were quite prescriptive regarding the one fitted...

That said have you approached Lexus? Their dealerships can supply and fit and I think would be best experienced in how to do so without causing possible issues later.

Lexus wanted to fit a top of the range tracker that was 3x the price. Which makes sense. They're only going to recommend the best!

2 hours ago, Big Rat said:

Toothy

Dont know your age and not asking but I'm with SAGA 😂

No requirement from them to fit one top notch policy unless you want a tracker fitted that is.

Shop around would be my twopence worth.

Big Rat

I'm 29. So SAGA wouldn't be an option haha.

1 hour ago, Stuno1 said:

Never been made to fit one and i owned mine at 30. Try elephant and admiral as they are always cheapest for me.

Was with Admiral for years on my 350Z. Until i got Direct Line multi car, which halved the premium! It's the same story on the ISF.
They don't ask for a tracker. But the extra cost of the premium would pay for the tracker and lifetime subscription. Potentially saving me £1000s over the next few years of ownership (unless my premiums drop sharply).

37 minutes ago, emjay82 said:

The tracker only benefits the police and only useful as a deterrent if you plaster TRACKER FITTED all over the car. As soon as it's been pinched you wouldn't want it back anyway and would be recorded as such. Keep persevering and try Admiral.

I would really rather not have a tracker. If the car is stolen, I don't want it back.
I'll run some more quotes and see what happens if I do multicar with admiral or similar.

Thanks for the responses so far!

Jgtcracer · January 23, 2017

I used to be with Churchill and when I changed the car on the policy to the ISF they required a tracker and quoted £450. Adrian flux on the other hand insured me with all the bells and whistles for £405 without the requirement for a tracker.

Im 30 but live in a super cheap postcode and the car is in a locked garage overnight.

p.s they offer agreed value for an additional £30

Edited January 23, 2017 by Jgtcracer

Toothy · January 23, 2017

Adrian Flux is a good shout. I'll give them a call and see what they say.
Agreed valuation would be a nice addition!

Jgtcracer · January 23, 2017

What's the worst that can happen? Phone them though as that's where you will get the best prices.

Marcus

Toothy · January 23, 2017

4 hours ago, Jgtcracer said:

What's the worst that can happen? Phone them though as that's where you will get the best prices.

Marcus

And I'm glad I did Marcus.
Just took out a tracker free policy, for less than my Direct line quote!
£430. Very surprised! Only called for a quote, didn't expect to take out a policy with them :)
I was impressed with the questions they asked. They were asking about my current car I'm swapping from (350Z), how big the engine was, the BHP, etc.
Did indeed seem to tailor it for me.
£64 for an agreed valuation by the way - Can add that at a later date if I want. What do people think? Worth it?

Big thanks for the help guys!

Mark G · January 23, 2017

Sounds like a decent price, nice one.

Jgtcracer · January 23, 2017

I wasn't aware of the agreed value offer they had until I took the policy out with them. I then got an email with docs and it offered the agreed value for £30. You may still get it.

Good to know it helped you, always had performance cars and they've consistently been on the ball or not far off, especially with imports.

Tom24 · January 24, 2017

Mine had a Cobra Tracker fitted back in 2008 by the previous owner. Cobra were aquired by Vodafone Automotive back in 2014

I've not bothered reactivating it as the previous owner payed for lifetime subscription but it's not transferable to new owners, plus the yearly premium was a lot more than the savings on my policy.

Rusty Crobar · January 24, 2017

On Monday, January 23, 2017 at 9:42 PM, Toothy said:

And I'm glad I did Marcus.
Just took out a tracker free policy, for less than my Direct line quote!
£430. Very surprised! Only called for a quote, didn't expect to take out a policy with them :)
I was impressed with the questions they asked. They were asking about my current car I'm swapping from (350Z), how big the engine was, the BHP, etc.
Did indeed seem to tailor it for me.
£64 for an agreed valuation by the way - Can add that at a later date if I want. What do people think? Worth it?

Big thanks for the help guys!

Definitely get the agreed value, it'll save all the negotiation if it's stolen or written off.

Jgtcracer · January 25, 2017

I read a topic about a user on here that had his white ISF pinched and had issues getting a fair payout. Made me think how much easier it would be just to have an agreed value

Adrian flux are good

Marcus

Toothy · January 25, 2017

Anyone have experience on how it works?

On my policy it states a value (on the section I can send away for agreed valuation) - But that's not something I gave them.
I believe it should be more. However, how do they value it? Against trade prices, private or trade in (book price).

Jgtcracer · January 25, 2017

I think it's book price but not certain. Mine was something like £14k when I downloaded the policy. I'm sure when I initially did a quote online they asked for value also.

Just had to fill in the paperwork and take a load of photos

PCM · January 25, 2017

Go through a broker and see what they come up with?

(I use LifeSure )

Mark G · January 25, 2017

Going to have a look at mine, agreed value seems to be the way to go.

emjay82 · January 25, 2017

This sounds like a good idea, this looks a bit cheaper than my gap insurance which was about £100 for a 2 year policy. Adrian Flux weren't an option for me at the time, twice as expensive as Admiral.

Jgtcracer · January 25, 2017

35 minutes ago, emjay82 said:

This sounds like a good idea, this looks a bit cheaper than my gap insurance which was about £100 for a 2 year policy. Adrian Flux weren't an option for me at the time, twice as expensive as Admiral.

Really, always found them fair. Makes you wonder how the calculations are done. There obviously isn't a 'standard' set they follow.