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Just to say a fond farewell to ALL....I've thoroughly enjoyed all the interaction over the past 11 years during that time I owned a IS 220D and did 250k kilometres in it. Only issue I had was keep EGR clean every 15k klms. Changed brake pads only once!! Kept record since the very beginning of every litre of diesel...ended with 42.5 mpg over the 11 years all types of driving. I have to say it was a wonderful car and I know this model had plenty of critics. I have owned Mercs before have to say Lexus is a beautiful car when compared to the names in the marketplace. I've purchased the 2018 G01 BMW X3...never had a 4x4...never had a BMW....never had an Automatic. Kind of a bucket list as I'm retired and probably won't be purchasing too many cars as I get older. Thanks to all of you for any assistance or info I ever sought and best of luck to you as you drive these remarkable cars. (safely)

I have to agree with you...WHY? because it makes sense...reality bites always! Some you win some you lose, we can argue here all we like but that's the rules we should all be playing by. Many forget that insurance is more than just cover and remember that it's a binding contract and there's no if's and's or but's ....honesty and truthfulness are prerequisites otherwise the insurance can rightly say the applicant is in breach of contract for non disclosure and literally walk away and let you face a civil claim for MILLIONS. Above all else I'm not willing to take such a risk...life's too short. Imagine telling the court in such a civil case that you felt the insurance company was fraudulent and they applied illegal penalties because of the way they assessed you as a risk would bring the house down with laughter. Get Real...count our blessings if it's only paint and move on.

I have a feeling this is how no claims protection works...automatically. I also feel that companies probably treat third party policy holders only as people who aren't prepared to cover all the bases and may in turn view them as a higher risk....only a hypothesis so (others) please don't come back with zillions of arguments.

Like I said you make your choices...the rest of us will pick up the tab. By the way you seeing insurance as an illegal penalty??? Says it ALL. When in Rome!

Just a reminder of the rules really....still not fraud on behalf of the Insurance. BUT....not to tell them is indeed dishonest and indeed fraud. A bit like having terrible eyesight but telling no one in case you get put off the road! The implication of entering into an insurance contract is first and foremost ALL declarations are 1) Made. 2) Truthful. Don't get me wrong...I do see your point and can commiserate regards the price going up...but that's the price we all have to pay (if) the company we are with applies such extra costs to the premium (or) the insured hasn't purchased protection. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about...the one where none of us tells the truth on our declarations and we let the truthful honest people pick up the tab on our behalf. Time to move on as it still remains a fact that insurance premiums are not calculated on a fraudulent basis ....but dishonest declarations certainly are. Just because the truth isn't declared doesn't mean the applicant hasn't been dishonest and untruthful therein lies the crux. They see you as a risk irrespective of blame and have assessed the application in that way, it isn't personal everyone is exposed but better exposed to a fully covered situation than a situation that can be undermined. You were right about your premium going up but remain incorrect about the fraud you perceive it to be.

Since new Jan 2007....243,000klm...151,875 miles...Only regular servicing done.... NO expensive major component replaced like clutch or exhaust. Kept a record of every litre of diesel put in average 44 mpg overall.

If it's very humid outside and the vents are pulling in the humid air then it condensates straight away on the cold windscreen....switch on fan boost and up the temp a little once screen is warmer you can back off with both boost and warmth...also worth recirculating cabin air until the car warms the cabin air a little. It happens to me very occasionally if I leave the car out for a long period on a misty muggy morning or evening. I garage my car every night never left out in all the years I've had it since new...so once in a blue moon it might happen to me. Leave A/C off until it settles as the cooling will only keep the screen cooler on the inside and again exacerbate the condensation effect. If that doesn't cure it then as others have suggested you may well have a poorly fitted screen. Now Autumn has arrived cooler and wetter...could be the reason. I think there's a smoke test than can be used to fill the cabin and see does it leak out with all vents closed. Worth considering too that you may have a leak elsewhere bring moisture into the car and its staying there...worth checking for any damp carpet and any damaged rubber seals.

No problem John...aka... Royoftherovers 47 years driving, under 70...Retired....4 accidents/incidents ...all no faults on my part...one of which wrote off the car 25 years ago...two rear-end incidents...one sideswipe. Never anyone hurt. Always Fully Comprehensive ...always NCB Protected...never lost NCB. Never cost extra other than inflationary rises which happen anyway. Most recent incident rear-end 4 years ago...never claimed injury only for material damage. Rather than wait for insurance to be worked out always got the car fixed through my Comprehensive Policy ...in one case had to be replaced with brand new...would always use insurers recommended garage...never penalised. Never received any points on my licence. (which helps insurance too) Only ever used mainstream companies to insure...never a broker. THE END...again!

Get back to OP....I only used Germany to illustrate to you how flawed was your reasoning that other countries had cheap insurance so it followed as night follows day that the UK Insurance market was a fraud. UK 1 in 25 Germany 1 in 500 Sweden 1 in 1000.... not paying for insurance at all. Hence UK expensive... If you don't see that as part of the reason then you're a lost cause. When you go out on such a limb do not cut off the branch behind you. You haven't at any stage in this saga produced one word or sentence to coherently support that premise. This cul-de-sac of technicalities doesn't support it either. Copy and paste limits your ability to follow up on your own advice not to purchase NCB protection as it too was considered as fraud. The reason being there isn't anything out there to support that stance. Not alone that you have stated your insurance provider doesn't offer that product which is again spurious if you never intended purchasing it. Yet and this is the astonishing bit you see yourself as best place to advise. THE END.

1. Actions to take immediately after road traffic accidents The police must be notified if people have died or been injured in the accident. The police can be contacted on the national emergency number 110. The police will then draw up an official report. Whether or not you should inform the police in other cases, depends on the severity of the damage. In the case of accidents involving limited damage to property, the police are not obliged to draw up an official report. You may not leave the scene of the accident before you have exchanged information necessary to settle any claims with the other parties involved in the accident. It is a criminal offence to do so. If the police are not called to the site of the accident, for example, when the accident involves material damage only, you are strongly advised to use the European Claim Form which can be obtained from your insurance company. It is important that both parties involved in the accident sign the form because the form is normally used as evidence. It is also important to take down the names and addresses of any witnesses as well as to give information on the facts of the accident. It is also advisable to take a photograph of the scene of the accident. NB: Do not sign the European Claim Form if you do not understand the content! The same applies to other statements on who is to blame for the accident. You should not sign the form if there are differences of opinion on the facts of the accident. In such a case it is advisable to contact the police, even if the accident only involves damage to property. 2. Legal procedure In accordance with the German Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrsgesetz), the holder of a motor vehicle is strictly liable for the damage caused by him when using the car, even if he cannot be blamed for the accident. A motor vehicle is in use for so long as it is in traffic and exposes other road users to danger. The holder of the car is not liable if he can prove that the accident was caused as a result of force majeure. The strict liability does not apply to passengers. In addition to this strict liability, there is also fault-based liability. According to the Civil Code, a person who does not exercise the due care required on the road, is liable for the damage caused by him as a result. Note a few things which have relevance: 1) Your insurance company may walk away if you admit liability you don't sign anything...Catch 22 2) The European Form must be signed by both parties.... Very difficult to do insofar as you're advised by your insurer never to do so. 3) Accident means injuries in some German Jurisdictions whereas incident means material only. 4) Many injuries including Whiplash et al usually get claimed when everyone has gone their separate way. 5) In Germany the Police report becomes admissible evidence Car accidents in Germany - What to do? What not to do?...Advice to visitors to Germany Many still consider Germany the country of fast driving without any limits and is as such unique in the world. But if problems on the road do occur, many rules are strange and unknown to foreign travellers. Here are the 7 worst mistakes you should avoid when you are involved in an accident on Germany's roads: It is a mistake not to call the police, because every accident must be registered by the police, otherwise problems are inevitable with the insurance companies. It is a mistake not to secure the accident site: the first action after an accident must be securing the accident site, so no secondary accidents will happen. If you don't take this measure it will cost you a minimum of 30 euros. It is a mistake to drive the car to the side of the road too soon quickly. First, mark the car's positions with a chalk marker, and then take pictures. If only minor damage has occurred, the vehicle must be taken off the road speedily. It is a mistake not to include all data in the claim report. Otherwise there will be delays in settling the claims. The insurance company pays only when all necessary data are reported. It is best to use a form to report a damage. It is a mistake to make incorrect claim reports. In case of false declarations, the insurance company pays less or nothing at all. It is a mistake to negotiate with the opposing insurance company by yourself: When it gets complicated, best to turn to a lawyer; and consult with your own insurance company in any case. It is a mistake to make decisions without consulting your own insurance company: When the insurance company must pay, they may also decide where, for example, a vehicle shall be repaired.

Quote: I see you you not interested defending you fantasy about hit and run fines and German laws... fine... I guess it was not you who said that either. No nothing else... you got what you asked for...pity it had to be spelled out....but being a stickler for detail I thought it'd be nice for you to see the sources at least. If you wish to turn a mole hill into a mountain it's fine by me. The OP has plenty now to go on don't you think!

Enjoy....Sources Included...The AA (England)...Insurance Federation Germany...Criminal Code for Drivers Germany Source http://www.theaa.com/newsroom/news-2013/pr-new-uninsured-driver-fines.html It is believed that at 1 in 25 the number of uninsured drivers in Great Britain is one of the highest in Europe. In Germany, for example, it is estimated to be about 1 in 500; in Sweden 1 in 1,000; in the Netherlands about 1 in 150. AA Source: Motor Insurers' Bureau. Germany being 20 times better than England in this respect so 499 drivers pay for every uninsured there (1 in 500) In the event of a non-fault collision with an uninsured driver, the victim is likely to lose their excess and no-claim bonus because there is no insurance company against which to claim. However, a claim can be made through the Motor Insurers' Bureau, which is funded by the insurance industry and compensates the victims of crashes caused by uninsured drivers. A lost no-claim discount will eventually be restored once this recovery, minus an excess, is paid but it can take many months because of the due legal processes involved. Some insurers including AA Insurance offer an 'uninsured driver promise' which ensures that an AA Insurance customer doesn't lose his or her excess or no-claim discount at all under such circumstances. http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/vehicle-insurance.html Vehicle Insurance in Germany Before a person can register a car in Germany he or she must have proof of third party liability coverage for all damage or injury to another person, car or object. While collision or comprehensive insurance isn't required by law, most institutions financing the purchase of a vehicle do require it. This can raise the insurance bill considerably, and insurance is not cheap in Germany. There are numerous factors in addition to coverage that influence the insurance price. Beginning drivers pay more than experienced drivers; those driving big, powerful cars pay more than those with more modest vehicles; those living in urban areas pay more than those in rural areas, and those who have been found liable in accidents pay more than those who haven't. If you have a good driving record in your home country you can get credit for it here. Get a letter from your insurance agent back home. If the German agent says you can't get this credit try another agent. There is no requirement for a driver to have any but third party liability insurance, but others kinds are available and sometimes advisable. There is full comprehensive, covering all damages or injuries done to your own car, another car or a person or object. There is also partial coverage for fire, theft and other sorts of damage (from break-ins, shattered glass, animals, etc.), and policies covering the death or disability of a passenger. Such policies often have deductibles, meaning you must swallow the cost up to a certain upper limit. These make the insurance less costly. Rental agencies and institutions financing the purchase of a car often make some sort of collision insurance a condition of the transaction. Several insurance agents in Germany are geared to getting the expatriate through these complexities. (See our Resources data base) Your agent will issue you, free of charge, an International Green Card as the proof-of-insurance document you need to drive in other European countries. For information on getting a no-claims bonus (NCB) for your German insurance before arrival in Germany. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stgb/englisch_stgb.html#p1336 Section 142…Criminal Code …Drivers Leaving the scene of an accident without cause (1) A party to a road traffic accident who leaves the scene of the accident before he 1. has facilitated, on behalf of the other parties to the accident and any persons suffering injury or damage, the determination of his identity, his vehicle and the nature of his involvement through his presence and an statement that he was involved in the accident; or 2. has waited for an appropriate period of time under the circumstances, during which no one was willing to make such determinations, shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding three years or a fine. (2) A party to an accident shall also be liable under subsection (1) above if he 1. after expiry of the waiting period (subsection (1) No 2 above); or 2. justifiably or excusably left the scene of the accident but subsequently does not without undue delay make these determinations possible. (3) A party to the accident satisfies the obligation to subsequently make the determinations possible if he informs the persons entitled to receive such information (subsection (1) No 1 above) or a nearby police station that he was involved in the accident, and if he states his address and whereabouts as well as the licence plate number and location of his vehicle, and makes it available for prompt examination for a reasonable period. This shall not apply if he intentionally obstructs the determinations by his conduct. (4) The court shall mitigate the sentence (section 49(1)) in cases under subsections (1) and (2) above or may order a discharge under these provisions if the party to the accident subsequently voluntarily makes the determinations possible (subsection (3) above) within twenty-four hours after an accident which did not take place in owing traffic and which resulted in merely minor property damage. (5) A party to an accident shall be deemed to be anyone whose conduct under the circumstances may have contributed to causing the accident. In most cases, court proceedings end – if it has actually come to a prosecution – not with a not guilty verdict but with a conviction. The court then sentences to a fine or prison sentence, whereby the prison sentence may be turned into a release on licence. A conviction may, however, entail many other even much more painful consequences. In a nation of drivers, a ban on driving pursuant to § 44 German Criminal Code is a severe sanction. As an incidental legal consequence, a ban on driving may only be imposed in conjunction with one of the main types of punishment, i.e. a fine or a prison sentence, but not on its own. If there is a corresponding qualifying crime, a ban on driving can be imposed for a period or one to three months. As § 44 German Criminal Coded requires a real crime and not just a misdemeanour, § 25 German Road Traffic Act stipulates a corresponding regulation for traffic misdemeanours. There are three kinds of crimes (so-called qualifying crime) that can lead to a ban on driving: Crimes whilst driving a vehicle: These are all traffic offences, i.e. such as crimes like driving without due care as per § 315c German Criminal Code or driving under the influence of alcohol as per § 316 German Criminal Code. In these cases, it is customary to order a ban on driving. Crimes associated with driving a vehicle: Judicature construes this term extensively. This takes into consideration all crimes where driving the vehicle serves as promoting the crime, as with the likes of drug smuggling or using a vehicle as a getaway vehicle. Breaches of a driver’s obligations: The offender has not violated any traffic regulations but other obligations as a road user. He has, for example, hit and run as per § 142 German Criminal Code or has repeatedly driven without a driving license. If there is a so-called qualifying crime, it is up to the court to impose a ban on driving. In the judgement, it can prohibit the driving of all or only certain vehicles for a period of up to three months. The driving license is usually confiscated for this period...Fine €500

I don't have Pugilist Insurance...any advice welcome...

I assumed nothing... LEAGUE TABLE OF THE UK'S TOP 10 UNINSURED VEHICLE HOTSPOTS Area Percentage of vehicles that are uninsured & Chance of vehicle involved in an accident being uninsured East London 13.40% 1 in 8 North London 9.30% 1 in 11 South East London 9.10% 1 in 11 Liverpool 7.90% 1 in 13 Bradford 7.60% 1 in 13 Manchester 7.40%1 in 14 North West London 7.40% 1 in 14 Oldham 7.20% 1 in 14 Ilford 7.10%1 i n 14 East Central London 6.60% 1 in 15 The rest of the UK .4.5%....That is the 1 in 25% I used being extra generous insofar as I chose the lowest figures Source: Churchill Car Insurance Quote from you: Note: the bigger is the market the lower is the risk and the more consistent is the average claim amount. That's complete TOSH...the uninsured are included in the risk...and then the risk is shared. In the above example East London means every 7 insured drivers pay for every single uninsured driver. Again I was very generous and used the rest of the UK figure of 1 in 25 saying 24 drivers pay for the extra 1 uninsured! You state a chance of an accident is 1% that is a small risk but the chance of an accident with an uninsured driver is HIGH as per above and that is ALL left out of you simple calculation. As for your costings take these figures into account...your quote simple calculation does not...your chance of being killed in a road accident in the UK is 1 in 200. Your calculation is based on the chance of any road accident being 1%...yeah right. 2538 people die a year on average as a result of road accidents in the UK. Risk Analysis: Your chance of being killed Car Accident - 1 in 200 Who are the Victims? Men account for 76% of all road fatalities Age of Victim: 0-15 years - 12% 15-59 years - 77% 60+ years - 10% Road User: Pedestrian -12% Cyclists - 4% Motorcyclists - 6% Car occupants - 70% Other - 8% The Components of a Fatal Car Crash Speed: 49% of Fatal Collisions occur at over 55 mph Alcohol: Blood alcohol levels of 0.08% or greater Age: Teens and Young adults die the most on the road Mobile: 2.8 times more likely to have a crash when using your mobile Time: August is the month with the most fatal collisions The cost of a single road death to the UK economy is £1.79 million Serious Incidents by Region North East - 1064 North West - 3634 Yorkshire & Humber - 3187 East Midlands - 2781 West Midlands - 2695 East England - 3431 London - 5187 South East - 4773 South West - 2640 The Most Dangerous Roads In the UK: A537 Through the Peak District, known as the Cat & Fiddle. 34 killed or seriously injured a year. A motorist forking out £376 for car insurance can expect £287 or 76 per cent of that to go towards people's claims costs. Aviva said nearly half, or around £141, of the £287 goes towards third party personal injury claims, such as whiplash. In 1999, only a quarter of claims spending went on this cost.Out of an initial £376 premium, £48 also goes on marketing and operational costs, while insurance premium tax takes up £35, leaving £6 as a pre-tax operating profit, Aviva said. Aviva says the Government should finalise its reforms outlined in November to scrap cash compensation for whiplash claims. The firm says proposed reforms could cut premiums by around £43. A survey of 2,000 people for Aviva found 85 per cent believed that Britain has a compensation culture, with 88 per cent agreeing that compensation was an easy way to make cash. I hope you now see who is causing the costs of insurance to rise.... Four Comments summing up my stance throughout this thread I've claimed all along that insurance is complex....many mitigating variables Know the T&Cs in the contract along with your obligations when entering into such a contract...implied or asked Shop around for best value and that is generally you get what you pay for...Basic TPFT...Comprehensive...NCB Cover Advice can come from many contributors ...judge...make your own mind up ...Caveat Emptor...Buyer Beware Summarising your stance in four comments: Insurance is simple Insurance is considered by you as fraudulent...you calculate no overheads for running a company included Insurance is overly expensive and a rip off...your figures diverge from industry figures wildly...(see Aviva last paragraph above) I and other contributors are making up our contributions and fantasising It's been a thread with discussions that at times have been tit-for-tat...facts and context are paramount when making sense of such simple subjects as insurance...LOL Drive safely with valid insurance seems to be the way to go...DO NOT invalidate it for the sake of a few £££ is my closing advice!

Quote: That means that insurance (in UK) is overpriced, service is substandard and insurance companies are fraudulent and inefficient, firstly for fudging their balance sheets to minimise taxable profit, secondly because of very high running costs. That's all hearsay on your part...and a pretty poor defence of your opinion. The contract itself doesn't state you're obligated or you personally are obliged....its implied when they ask you were you involved in any accident incident over a stated period usually last five years. You're OBLIGED to tell the truth! Oh that isn't stated either... well I never. With regards to what your insurer allows you to purchase or not as in NCB protection...you will see clearly that I have stated all along that such matters are the choice of the consumer, all these products are available it's a matter of shopping around. As for value for money...that's a perception which I make for myself and you make for yourself. Clearly I'm happy and you're not. Maybe look at some of the choices you have made for yourself instead of saying everyone else is wrong. I have stated also all along that generally speaking you get what you pay for. The OP asked for advice ....and has received several points of view and it's now up the the OP to make their mind up as to whether or not they feel obliged to be truthful or hope they'll get away with a white lie...bearing in mind that not saying anything can also be a white lie. Insurance is renewed every year and any changes have to be notified ...to include contact details and incidents. Everyone usually has the point of view that and incident accident wasn't their fault but not notifying the other party to the contract is a breach as they to have an opinion and the right to decide for themselves. The fact that services and premia are cheaper or for that matter more expensive in other places does not mean anything. A £40k car in the UK can be €60k in another country for the same car which is 40-50% more expensive when even exchange rate are taken into account. This is just pointing out that products and services vary right across a broad section of markets. People buying cars at this higher regime of prices don't turn around and say it's fraud. The UK insurance market is assessed on the risk generated by all drivers in that market place...for instance in 2014 it was reported that 500,000 UK motorists had received penalty points over the previous three years for driving without insurance. The insurance companies look at this and calculate that approx 33% are caught so the figure is likely closer to 1,500,000 drivers hence very high insurance costs in the UK as 1 in 25 has no insurance, this figure was 2,000,000 a decade earlier. Don't forget the people driving with insurance have to cover the whole risk for the market they operate in...so no matter how cheap or expensive your policy is each 24 of us are paying for someone who doesn't insure. In Germany to claim from insurance the Police must have been called to the accident scene in order to claim....this make insurance cheaper and cuts out fraud and scams. Hit and run incidents in Germany are very serious and incur huge fines and penalties...in the UK £100 fine!!! Facts and context are everything.