Vw golf - Gap insurance issue

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Wed 9 Dec 2020 23:15
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Pete green
Hope all well

in a nutshell, bought a vehicle 30 months ago, paid for gap insurance and all going well

third party hits and totals my car, their insurance will happily settle and take full responsibility, My GAP are suggesting they will not settle balance of around £15k because I never informed them
that I had purchased a private number plate about 6 months after buying the vehicle

can they actually do this? It’s the same car, the garage have been aware they’ve serviced it etc
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Thu 10 Dec 2020 07:21
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Falkirk Bairn

Write (recorded delivery) telling them that you expect them to pay out as changing a registration plate has no affect on the value of the car. In the letter request a reply within 10 working days or you will lodge a complaint with the industry Ombudsman.

This costs you nothing BUT the insurer pays for every case that IO handles.

I was short changed by an company, reported them to their industry ombudsman, it cost them £500. They defended their actions but paid up after they lost the "argument" - defending the indefensible cost them time & £500 - I was paid out in full +£100 for time spent sending 3 letters - mind you it took 3/4 mths IIRC

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Thu 10 Dec 2020 10:24
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Brit_in_Germany

As a side issue, if you want to keep the registration after the accident, take note of the guidance here:

https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/take-private-number-off

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Thu 10 Dec 2020 15:09
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Gerry Sanderson

What is in the terms and conditions whgen you took out the GAP insurance?

dvd

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Fri 11 Dec 2020 12:34
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Gibbo_Wirral

A quick Google of various GAP companies shows they have no problems with private plates - as long as you notify them.

Like Gerry says above, its all down to the fine print on the contract.

Edited by Gibbo_Wirral on 11/12/2020 at 12:34

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Fri 11 Dec 2020 13:31
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - skidpan

If its a T & C of your insurer that you need to notify them and by your own admission

I never informed them that I had purchased a private number plate

it looks like you are stuffed.

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Fri 11 Dec 2020 14:31
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Palcouk

Whilst the T&C's of the GAP insurance may require you to notify them of certain events, it could be argued at the Ombudsman that a number plate change has no value impact on the insured value of the car, and as such is an unfair term.

It would be for the vehicle owner to transfer any reg if the vehicle was likely to be written off, prior to submitting any claim.

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 14:19
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Dag Hammar

Regarding only the private plate and for the time being ignoring the GAP insurance issue, I can perhaps see a potential problem regarding the private plate and the ownership of it. ( for ownership read entitlement to use )

Following the link kindly provided above, the DVLA conditions for transferring a private plate state “The vehicle must: be able to move under it’s own power”.
So if I understand that correctly, if an accident is sufficiently bad as to render the vehicle undriveable and it is written off then one would not be allowed to transfer it to another vehicle or put the number on a retention certificate ?

Would someone with knowledge of this situation care to clarify please?

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 14:23
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Falkirk Bairn

Insurer has to pay out before they can take ownership & physically scrap the car.

As soon as you know a car is being written off you put the private reg on retention. Job done.

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Mon 14 Dec 2020 22:24
Vw golf - Gap insurance issue - Bromptonaut

What is the situation with the registration now?

Was it transferred to another car or onto a retention certificate before the car was written off?

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