Soaring Thefts Leave London Range Rover Owners Struggling to Obtain Insurance
(But Insure Your Motor is still providing quotes)
Owners of Range Rovers in the London area are struggling to get car insurance after a sustained spate of thefts across the capital.
Thatcham Research, the research organisation for the motor insurance industry, reported that 294 Range Rover Evoque and Sport models were stolen in London between January and July 2014.
In 2015, the Sport gained notoriety for being the most stolen (and recovered) vehicle that year, with Range Rover’s Vogue and Autobiography models holding third and ninth places respectively.
And as recently as July 2016, a gang of car thieves operating in the London area were found guilty of stealing nine high-value vehicles, mostly Range Rovers, worth around £680,000.
Manufacturers are working hard to update their on-board computer software to stay one step ahead of thieves.
Blame has focused on the vehicles’ keyless ignition system. Hand-held electronic devices, intended for use only by mechanics, can be bought online by thieves and used to bypass the security system. 63 BMW X5s, which also use a keyless ignition system, have also been stolen from the London area.
In a shocking demonstration of the problem, this CCTV footage shows a thief taking just 23 seconds to drive away an £80,000 Range Rover Autobiography.
In the meantime, many insurers are said to be refusing cover for the luxury vehicles unless the owner can demonstrate underground or secure parking, leaving many Range Rover owners high and dry.
The problem has escalated so dramatically in the last three months that insurers and brokers have asked to meet Jaguar Land Rover, the maker of Range Rover, to discuss the issue.
A spokesman for Jaguar Land Rover has said, “Our line-up continues to meet the insurance industry requirements as tested and agreed with relevant insurance bodies.
“Nevertheless we are taking this issue very seriously.”
Insure Your Motor is still quoting for Range Rovers in London
If you’re based in London and struggling to get an insurance quote for your Range Rover, please get in touch with Insure Your Motor. We’re still able to provide rates for Range Rovers and other high performance vehicles with keyless ignition systems in high risk postcode areas.
