Stolen stereo highlights cover confusion

We regularly warn motorists to tread carefully when it comes to modifying their car. But there’s a chance you’ve already altered your vehicle without realising it.

Reader Virginia Stanley-Williams of Peterborough, Cambs, only made this discovery after her Peugeot 306 was broken into, her new Kenwood CD player was ripped out of the dash, and the car was left with one door hanging off its hinges.

She contacted the police and insurer Zurich, her car was towed and she was given a courtesy vehicle while repair work was carried out.

So far so good. But a few days later, she received a call from the garage. “It said it would have to stop work, as I wasn’t covered, and that I would have to hand back the courtesy car.”

Victoria called Zurich to find out was wrong. “It argued I had modified my car when I fitted my new stereo, and hadn’t told it, so the policy was invalid,” she said. “But I couldn’t see any mention of this. As far as I was aware, I was covered for up to £500 worth of audio kit. So my claim should have gone through, no problem.” To test her theory, Virginia tried to log details of her stereo equipment with a new insurer at renewal, also underwritten by Zurich.

But she says there was no facility for doing this. “I was told on the phone that it didn’t matter what kit I had, as long as it wasn’t worth more than £500!”

She battled the case out for weeks, before Zurich finally agreed to settle her claim. A spokeswoman said: “The claim wasn’t declined, it was simply suspended as we investigated inconsistencies between the details we had on record about the car, and those supplied at the time of the claim.”

Zurich added it was then only processed as a goodwill gesture, and that drivers should always make sure their insurer is informed of any non-standard extras on their car.

Its spokeswoman said: “Motorists need to be careful when dealing with brokers, who may not be as rigorous in their questioning when the policy is taken out. It’s up to the owner to pass all relevant details on.”