In-Car Sat-Nav Theft

The cost of motor insurance claims has increased due to a rise in SatNav theft, according to new research from Autoglass. The windscreen repair and replacement company found that the average cost of a vehicle break-in had risen to £646, with 37% of motorists now specifically claiming to replace stolen items such as Satellite Navigation systems.

Autoglass claim this is costing the car insurance industry and estimated £126m pounds a year. Nigel Doggatt, managing director of Autoglass commented "At Autoglass we have replaced 14% more side windows during Jan-Sep 2006 compared to the same period last year, which is indicative of the 'smash-and-grab' incidents in the UK".

Jon Scrase, technical team leader at Allianz Cornhill, said "the increase was not surprising as the number of SatNavs on the market had risen considerably in recent years". "We find that the average cost of a SatNav claim is between £400 to £500, but that is likely to decrease as the market become more competitive".

Autoglasses' research also showed that 15% of vehicle owners leave their valuables in full view. Rob Smale, insurance claims director at Fortis said: "We're finding that some individuals are not so sensible when it comes to the latest in-car gadgets. Though they may hide their SatNav devices in the glove compartment, they leave tell-tale signs of owning these devices, such as the SatNav stand stuck to the dashboard. Raising awareness and Educating Customers is key in combating this problem".

Source: InsuranceAge. Date: December 2006.

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