Just sent the following mail to the ABI, it is my opinion that their legal dept will be flapping over this!
As the email I sent is my property I am within my rights to psot it in the public domain:[^]
Http://www.chesterfield.plus.com/Report.htm
Ill wait for a reply now - I shouldn't think it will take too long!
As the email I sent is my property I am within my rights to psot it in the public domain:[^]
I attached a copy of my report, shown here:quote:
Written without prejudice
Dear Sir,
It is my personal opinion that the Volkswagen Golf DT TDI PD (130PS) has been incorrectly placed into the insurance group of 14. In fact this vehicle has been placed into the same insurance group as the higher performance/specification and more expensive GTI model.
Information published on the Association of British Insurers web site shows how an insurance group rating for a vehicle is achieved, the specific area of the web site quoted from is as follows:
http://www.abi.org.uk/Public/Consumer/Motor/motoins.asp
Under the section entitled "How the system works" it states that "The factors used to calculate group ratings are:"
1. Damage and Parts Costs
2. Repair Times
3. New Car Values
4. Body Shells
5. Performance
6. Car Security
Using these "factors" to compare the two vehicles in question highlights what I personally believe to be a questionable decision to place the GT TDI PD (130PS) into the same insurance group as the higher specification GTI model.
With regard to points one and two, the vehicles are identical as they use the same body panels and structure. However should the engine need to be replaced in a vehicle, the GTI model would be more costly.
With regard to point three, the GTI is over £1300 more expensive (some 7.7%) than the lower specification GT TDI PD (130PS).
With regard to point four, the cars have the same body shells.
With regard to point five, the GTI model is far more powerful than the lesser specification model; the 0-62mph figure is over 11% faster in the GTI model.
With regard to point six, the cars have the same security devices fitted as standard and are therefore identical.
After reviewing the above, the only discernable differences with regard to those six points are that the GTI model is more expensive and more powerful. Yet the ABI has grouped the two vehicles into the same insurance group.
I have constructed a report detailing the clearly distinguishable differences between the two models of Volkswagen Golf in question. This report contains photographs of these differences - including the extremely distinguishable rear badges (TDI and GTI respectively).
It is my independent view as the author of this report that the ABI should return the GT TDI PD (130) vehicle to its original insurance group of ten with immediate effect.
As a member of a UK internet forum having over one thousand members, and an estimated two hundred owners of the GT TDI PD (130PS) I can say that this view is shared by all the owners I have spoken to thus far.
Keeping the vehicle in this current insurance group will not only be unfairly victimising the owners of this vehicle model by forcing them to pay unnecessarily high premiums, but will also presumably be affecting current and future Volkswagen sales of this vehicle model.
Should the ABI not take action and return this vehicle to its original insurance group (10), as the author of this report, I reserve the right to take action against the ABI in order to obtain such a result. This report shall also be made available to any other parties wishing to take action against the ABI or any other parties, in a recovery of all or part of the additional insurance premiums incurred as a result of this change of insurance group rating.
Volkswagen may wish to use information contained within this report in any action they may wish to take against the ABI in order to recover potential lost revenue as a result of the decision made by the ABI to increase the insurance group rating on this vehicle.
Yours Faithfully
Christopher L. Ball.
File attachment: (this file is in Microsoft Word 2000 format. If this format is not compatible with your systems please contact myself in order to obtain the file in a format compatible with your systems.)
Http://www.chesterfield.plus.com/Report.htm
Ill wait for a reply now - I shouldn't think it will take too long!
] as there will be a few.
