Having a whinge

[NighEve]

Sorry if someone has been through the whole AAMI insurance '3 strikes and your out deal' already, but I just have to have to vent in relation to their ridiculous policy conditions.

I rung them today thinking I was doing the right thing to include the dealer options - sports roll bar, tonneu cover, sports leather steering and gear knob, scuff plates, tow pack etc. I was informed by an annoyingly non-genuinely nice service officer that some of these were considered "cosmetic non-standard accessories" and with my exhaust mods I had already disclosed, I was now unable to add anything else to the car as this would mean I would not be covered. Fark - careful, I'd hate to make my car dangerous by adding an aftermarket non-standard tissue box!!!!

I had the useful dummy spit and asked how they considered a Ford fitted part from the factory when built a non-standard mod. I debated that what happens if I had of optioned a sun roof, leather seats and a number of other factory "cosmetic" items - would this then mean AAMI wouldn't cover a brand new car rolled out from the factory with such parts? Farking pathetic response not even worth repeating making me wonder why I had gone the cheap option by going with AAMI and not checking into the "fine print" associated with accessories (oh but then again, there is nothing in their policy which identifies this rubbish specifically!!!). So does this mean they make up a new condition when I want to make a claim? I guess the piggy back chip idea will have to take a break until I get some satifaction out of this knowing my car will be covered. And now I am wondering what will happen when I put my sub and amps in!

SUggestions, help, anything???? I'm thinking of a new jingle for their adds; Arseholes Ashamably Making Inconsistencies!

Sorry about the whinge!

[Falchoon]

I'm with NRMA due to hearing similar horror stories about AAMI and other cheaper insurers but NRMA aren't perfect either. My Premium Sound is listed as an aftermarket system and they wouldn't list the 18" factory alloys saying that wheels are an intergral part of the car. My argument was of course that if the wheels are stolen or damagged I want 18" ones as replacement, not 17s. Couldn't make the woman understand so I gave up.

[dutchie]

Bud,

I'm surprised as I'm also with AAMI and never had a problem with all my mods......

Not sure but it might have something to do with your membership, years of service, rating etc..........

I've not had a problem with them for a long time and this is my 4th car with them.......

Phone up again and try and speak to someone different.....

dutchie

[NighEve]

Dutchie - I think you could be onto something re: ringing up again and finding someone different to talk to.

I doubt they would differentiate between memership details - we're talking insurance here - they take risk calculations from static and dynamic variables and come up wih a premimum based on these factors primarily and ofcourse a person's rating - as this reflecs their driving history (I've been a rating one for a few years now and I am not sure that even with this it would make a difference when we're taling about sports roll bars and the like).

I will try again once they send out the policy update with the new items listed. I'll refraim from arguing logic this time too - as it ends in me becoming highly frustrated when you can't expect this from a professional service like insurance when they are selling you something on a probability!

[colbourne]

I have found AAMI a good company to work with. I was hit in the back and had great service from them unlike NRMA who handled my girl friends car in a similar situation.

One advantage they offer is by increasing your excess you can halve your premium. I thought $490 comprehensive for a BA XR8 was pretty reasonable.

[dingah2]

Use the online Web-based quote system first a couple of times with different variations and then use that as your basis for following up with the phone call.

Be prepared to make a number of phone calls as you are realy only dealing with a spreadsheet/database operator with limited scope to think outside of the box (we get more like America everyday - thank you John Howard) and not a qualified risk-assessor.

That way you will eventually get what are are factory-fitted accessories that do not impact or influence the performance of your car correctly recorded as accessories leaving the option for injectors, Unichip and say second CAI to appear correctly under the 3 allowable modifications.

The only awkward ones I imagine are things like suspension mods where you might try and argue that they are not performance mods but in all honesty did you not fit them in the hope of driving faster around the twisty bits.

I had to arue that trans oil cooler is fitted as an accessory as a part of the towing package and not a performance mod.

AAMI have been our insurers for years for a range of vehicles and their service in the event of a prang has been faultless and very well managed.

Dingah

[ktford]

There is a member here currently that uses AAMI & is making a huge claim & has more than 3 mods, go figure.

Scotty

[siccar]

Hey nighteve,

I am not currently with AAMI but I got a quote off them the other week and they were pretty nice(except they won't insure me for an XR8 or XRT until I'm 30 and they won't insure me for even an XR6 N/A until I turn 25!).

I got the quote sent out and there was an info book that came with it.

I love the terms and conditions!

[Falchoon]

Those terms and conditions suck a fair bit (even though they are pretty standard). So if Bin Laden and his mates crash some planes into your office block and your car is totalled you are left without a car and probably a huge debt left to pay. WTF is the point of insurance if there are all the exclusions? But if the office block falls down on your car because Dodgy Bros Builders built it then you are covered.

[turb06]

I am with RACQ insurance in queensland, they are the only compamny that would put my wifes name on the policy (she is under 25) they listed everything that came on the car as standard, and anything that is fitted by the ford dealership in the future as a factory fitted option, and anything that is not fiitted by them goes towards the point accumulation scheme that insurers use to limit mods. Also in relation to wheels I am allowed to go up one wheel size without it being classed as a mod and if I get new wheels that are the same size as standard they dont class that as a mod at all.

Dazza.