Author Mark Eyles-ThomasPosted on Format GalleryCategories Security
Responding to an article, regarding the published Vehicle Thefts statistics, Mark Eyles-Thomas, IVP’s Managing Director said:
It’s such a shame to read but inevitable all the time the Insurance Industry pay lip service to the (after-market) devices that could be fitted to really tackle these figures and reduce the currently acceptable trend of ‘aeronautical’ 🚀 premiums whether the insured has had a claim in the last 12 months or not 😡
“A more integrated and strategic approach is needed…”
Of course the Insurers are not the only ones that could impact these figures and a more integrated and strategic approach is needed from the Insurance Industry, Car Manufacturers, Telematics Companies, Law Enforcement Agencies, UKAS Accredited Certification Bodies and, dare I say it, the Government but Insurers offering a meagre reduction in Insurance Premium (if any) will not incentivise the car owner to fit a decent, top quality after-market theft prevention and tracking device (or to continue with the subscription to their vehicle manufacturer’s/car showroom’s offering).
Car manufacturers could and should of course do more to have more robust immobilisation (and tracking) technology fitted as standard but without the Insurance Industry truly demanding such basic measures this upward spiral is inevitable and will continue to cost car users in the future substantially in ever-increasing premiums.
JLR, “Our Range Rovers are not the most stolen vehicle …”
Recently we saw Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on the offensive refuting the claim that their Range Rovers were the most stolen vehicle in the UK 🤔 it is said that all advertising is good advertising but really 😱 however inaccurate the rumour may be if you were CEO would you want such a prestigious vehicle (once a national icon) to be associated with such a claim and, if you were, who would you be meeting with (Vehicle Theft Taskforce [VTT] where are you when you are needed) and what exactly would you be doing about it?
(It is said that the Vehicle Theft Taskforce has not met since that initial meeting in 2019).
UKAS Accrediting Body scrap ‘Thatcham’ SOC Scheme …
A few years ago a leading UKAS Accredited Body scrapped its ‘SOC’ accreditation scheme, which was linked to the Thatcham ‘SOC’ standard/recommendations, meaning anyone with a mobile phone (criminal or non-criminal) sitting in a field, pub or portacabin could receive car device alert signals and act (or not) as the conduit from car device > owner/user > Law Enforcement Agency – 🤯 can you believe it, a leading institution that’s raison dêtre is to oversee and champion the British/European Standards didn’t believe one was necessary for the vehicle market when (IMHO) over the past four decades it has totally over-governed the alarm industry standards – it’s crazy and short sighted.
I think I also read that approx. only 4% of containers leaving ports are searched prior to sailing 🤔 organised criminals at those odds will happily roll the dice 🎲 if only 1 in 25 containers are being selected for a spot check & even then please remember we are talking organised crime whose influence (unfortunately) is far reaching 💷.
Changes obviously need to be implemented and spot checks increased dramatically to shift the odds against those who are willing to take the risk.
Call to action …
In the interim, and in the absence of any effective ‘independent or coordinated’ measures being implemented, it appears to me, that if you own a nice car and don’t want to see it stolen you personally need to ensure that you have a tracking device on your vehicle as an absolute bare minimum (preferably an immobilisation device to stop it being pinched in the first place). Also ensure that it is connected to an approved ARC/SOC who’s operatives care about your car and will do everything in their power to protect it 💪
There is no absolute guarantee of course but by taking such measures you are reducing the risk significantly.
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