awinskill

UKJason

You're absolutely right, most insurance companies mark up for grey imports. However, if they ask you if it's an import and you don't explain it was purchased in Europe (and therefore strictly an import) they are at liberty to refute your insurance in the case of an accident. If they still mark up for a parallel import then take your extremely large insurance premium elsewhere!

I know of a case where a car had under inflated tyres. The insurance assessor turned up took out a pressure gauge measured the tyres and then ripped up the claim form....

Check out scoobynet for the number of cases where an insurance company has refused to pay up when they've found out that the car isn't as they thought....

Do anything to your car and you're better off telling them....

Pam's got her Impreza with Norwich Union and they've been really good about modifications.... Just need to decide whether getting it Prodrived is going to be worth it....

UKjasonm

This is where I see them not having a leg to stand on, the car adheres to the same CoC and hence I dont think any court in the land (especially a European one ) would rule in their favour.

In fact I'm pretty sure that if the european courts find out about this insurance rip off then the UK insurance companies would be in hot water as this is EU discrimination ala VW trying to force their dealers to charge extra for UK spec cars purchased in Europe.

Hey, I'm all against this european law thing but if its there I'm gonna use it

Also once a EU car has been sold on the next buyer unless they are informed its an import they will never know as the log book does not record this.

A jap import will record this and I know on our CRV (Jap Import) the log book doesn't even acknowledge the Make or Model of the vehicle simply says something like 'Twin Fixed Axle Vehicle, Vehicle previously used in another country', thats the Jap giveaway.

BTW weve had our Jap CR-V for over 3 years now and its insured through Admiral who I don;t think officially insure imports but when we first insured the car we told them it was imported from Japan and ever since they just seem to treat it like any other CR-V. I think 3 years ago they wern't that clued up on imports which is why weve never changed companies

I also had my Prelude (Jap Import) insured through Norwich Union who never asked if it was an import (and of course I never volunteered the information). When the car was stolen they paid out without a problem, they reduced the price by 500 because it was an import but never got shirty about it at all.

Anyway enough rabble for now. I'm with Direct Line who know that the car is EU import and don't treat it any different but still charge me a princely sum of 1500 for the priviledge.

ianl

This is straying way outside my area of expertise but..................as I understand it the EC is a single market..............therefore, if you choose to purchase a car (with full UK specifications) anywhere within this market can it really be considered an 'import'?????? Japan, yes, Cyprus, yes, but Holland, France, Belgium etc - I would have thought not.

If any of you guys have a more educated slant on this I would be interested to hear it.