Dads car pinched from under his nose...
- Thread starter JDM
- Start date
times must be hard your way...... 
John - That's a real shame.
Sadly as cars become harder to steal without keys such opportunistic thefts are increasing and I'm sure insurance companies taking a harder line.
People tend to be creatures of habit - always leaving keys in the ignition when short stopping, leaving engine running while car thawing screens, etc., so people just wander around looking for the opportunities. I'd bet it's not the first time your father has left the keys in the ignition.
We have someone comes around about once a quarter, in our quiet little village testing door handles and he gets a few radios, contents and the odd car on almost every single trip....
Sadly as cars become harder to steal without keys such opportunistic thefts are increasing and I'm sure insurance companies taking a harder line.
People tend to be creatures of habit - always leaving keys in the ignition when short stopping, leaving engine running while car thawing screens, etc., so people just wander around looking for the opportunities. I'd bet it's not the first time your father has left the keys in the ignition.
We have someone comes around about once a quarter, in our quiet little village testing door handles and he gets a few radios, contents and the odd car on almost every single trip....
Sorry to hear about this John. Yes he made a mistake, but that's no reason to excuse the thieving sods who took his car.
Thanks all for the kind replies. He's just waiting to hear back whether they will be paying out. They have to partake in a phone type interview thing which takes about 40 mins apparentley over the next few days. It's not just the car being stolen though it's the things that were in it. Cash, cards, house keys etc. I've already had their locks changed so at least they don't have to worry about people getting in the house.
To be honest insurance is the biggest scam. Charge you a bloody fortune to insure every year and if u have to claim you have to pay an excess and they do everything they can to wriggle out of Paying out... Hate them!!!
To be honest insurance is the biggest scam. Charge you a bloody fortune to insure every year and if u have to claim you have to pay an excess and they do everything they can to wriggle out of Paying out... Hate them!!!
A
Anonymous
Guest
Not what you want to hear, but all insurers have this exclusion in their policies, so it's not wriggling out when it's stated up front.
They won't pay out if our Zeds are stolen with the roof down, it's all there in writing.
Even my insurance will not pay out if my car is stolen from my home between the hours of 10pm and 6am unless it was in the garage at the time.
We just have to be aware and a little more careful nowadays.
I still do it when I'm cleaning the car's and have to go to the garage for something, but I soon put them back in my pocket when I realise the consequence of what I have just done. Its just about changing habits.
They won't pay out if our Zeds are stolen with the roof down, it's all there in writing.
Even my insurance will not pay out if my car is stolen from my home between the hours of 10pm and 6am unless it was in the garage at the time.
We just have to be aware and a little more careful nowadays.
I still do it when I'm cleaning the car's and have to go to the garage for something, but I soon put them back in my pocket when I realise the consequence of what I have just done. Its just about changing habits.
Sorry to hear about this, hope it works out ok one way or another.
Friend of mine parked at work and either forgot to lock his S Class, or maybe the remote was blocked. He came back to find the contents of the car stolen including CDs etc and also his house keys and a few items of post. He drove home then had to call a locksmith to get into the house where he discovered they'd ransacked the place, including taking a 48 hour old 50 inch TV :thumbsdown:
Friend of mine parked at work and either forgot to lock his S Class, or maybe the remote was blocked. He came back to find the contents of the car stolen including CDs etc and also his house keys and a few items of post. He drove home then had to call a locksmith to get into the house where he discovered they'd ransacked the place, including taking a 48 hour old 50 inch TV :thumbsdown:
The insurance broker I use specifically mention that the car is not covered if I leave the keys on the ignition or the car and it's taken.
They run through this every time I've renewed along with all the other legal stuff. Only just had the speech this week as I've just renewed my Cooper policy.
I just don't leave my keys in the car, even for a couple of seconds, because that's all it takes...
They run through this every time I've renewed along with all the other legal stuff. Only just had the speech this week as I've just renewed my Cooper policy.
I just don't leave my keys in the car, even for a couple of seconds, because that's all it takes...
Ok so ive not read the first three pages.
Now i have worked in the insurance claims department of a large insurance company for 7 years now and i know for a fact that my company would not pay for this claim, your father unfortunately has not taken steps to ensure his vehicle is secure and has therefore not met the conditions of his insurance policy
Now i have worked in the insurance claims department of a large insurance company for 7 years now and i know for a fact that my company would not pay for this claim, your father unfortunately has not taken steps to ensure his vehicle is secure and has therefore not met the conditions of his insurance policy
Sorry to hear this John, your dad must be gutted.
Disgusts me that, even though your dad shouldn't have left his keys, some thieving scum bag thinks they can just make off with someone's car.
They want something evil doing to them.
Hope insurance pays out but I'll be surprised if they do unfortunately.
Disgusts me that, even though your dad shouldn't have left his keys, some thieving scum bag thinks they can just make off with someone's car.
They want something evil doing to them.
Hope insurance pays out but I'll be surprised if they do unfortunately.
lacroupade
Veteran
Its a bitch to have happened but perfectly reasonable not to pay out I'm afraid as it constitutes gross negligence as far as the insurer is concerned. Can you imagine the free-for-all if we could all just leave our cars unlocked with keys in the ignition without penalty?
Its harsh but I'm afraid we have to take responsibility for our actions sometimes.
Its harsh but I'm afraid we have to take responsibility for our actions sometimes.
lacroupade said:Its a bitch to have happened but perfectly reasonable not to pay out I'm afraid as it constitutes gross negligence as far as the insurer is concerned. Can you imagine the free-for-all if we could all just leave our cars unlocked with keys in the ignition without penalty?
Its harsh but I'm afraid we have to take responsibility for our actions sometimes.
Happens all the time, people jump out the car to pay for parking or to pop something in a letter box, a good one is people starting the car on a cold morning to warm it up and then go back inside the house and an opportunist will take advantage in seconds!
i actually once watched someone get out of their car and go into a shop, with the engine still running! i was so angry at their stupidity that i got in and moved it down the road and waited for them to come out! he was actually thankful once i had spoke with him!
Not only at risk of theft, but also illegal to leave engine running while vehicle is unattended (what would happen if a child jumped into it, etc).Nova2k7 said:
I grew up in Dublin, at a time when car theft was endemic (the joke used to go "Have you heard about the new German take-away in Dublin? It's called a BMW!") so taking the keys out of the ignition whenever I get out of the car is as deeply ingrained with me as putting on my seat belt when I get into the car - it's an automatic reaction. This sometimes annoys my wife when she's in the passenger seat and listening to something on the radio, and I stop for petrol!
I sincerely hope that the OP's father gets his car back (and that the scrotes who stole it get their just deserts), but I'm afraid that I'm in the camp that says that we all have to take responsibility for our actions, and it's not unfair to put up everybody's premiums to cover those who don't. In the same vein, you wouldn't leave your house unlocked when you go out, on the grounds that it's insured so it doesn't matter if you get burgled.
I know that it's fashionable to criticise the car insurance industry, but they actually make very little profit - at one point they were paying out something like £1 for every 96p they took in in premiums, and it was only the interest on the premiums (assuming that most people pay in a lump sum at the start of the year) that made it even slightly profitable. I don't know whether things have got any better now, but it's an extremely cut-throat business.
Taz x said:
Were they? I cant see the insurance companies accepting that as an excuse.
Very unfortunate situation for your dad, and i hope there is a positive outcome from the insurance claim.
On the odd occasion many years ago i used to leave the keys in the ignition when quickly nipping into a shop for a paper for example. Im sure most of us have done a similar thing.
Not anymore! In todays world, and especially in the current climate its far too risky. I now despair when i see vehicles parked outside shops left unattended with their engines running!
