Insurance Query

[smartfart]

Today we sold our old 2002, 450 coupe Smart that we've owned since 2008. She was a great car. But I wanted to buy a newer one. We landed ourselves a 2010, 998cc 84 series coupe...Every thing went well till my Mrs rang our insurers to do a change over. They said err,"Theres no such thing as a Coupe." They said there's only for that year a Cabriolet. In fact all reg Nos show as Cabriolet soft tops. Now then , you and I know that's rubbish. A coupe is hard topped. A Cabriolet is soft topped. The bod at the RAC looked on their data base and said that For twos were listed as Cabriolet.. Now then readers, both you and I might never want a Cabriolet because of higher premiums. Guess what, we've been clobbered with Cabriolet insurance. Our selling dealer took the phone from me and offered to draw a picture of the differences. Basicaly because the idiot at the end of the phone didnt know the difference. Anyway we've ended up witth our 4/2 Hard top coupe registered with the RAC as a soft top..
Oh yes, we test drove the new 4/2 and 4/4 at Smart Cheltenham and Gloucester Smart last week.. Had both for a day with a view of buying one or the other. Neither of us likes them. The characture has gone. Hense the decision to buy our 2010 84 bhp.

[Ocracoke]

I think insurance companies base it off the DVLA information. Does the V5 say it is a Cabriolet?

[smartfart]

Absolutly , quite catagoicaly no. The Reg Doc shows COUPE. It makes me wonder how many other COUPE owners are being charged for Cabriolet insurance...The bod at the RAC addmitted that any cabriolet is of more risk than any hard top. He claimed the DVLA had NO catagory for COUPE.

[Ocracoke]

I would say a letter along with a photograph of the car with the registration plate clearly visible is the easy way to prove it.

[smartfart]

I would urge every Smart owner to check their policy. I would bet that every coupe, is a cabrio as far as insurance is concerned. And as a result, owners are charged over the odds in premiums. Its an easy way for insurance companies to rip off coupe owners. I RANG A SELLER OF A SMART LAST NIGHT, ASKED HER IF SHE OWNED A CABRIO. YES SHE REPLIED. WHEN SHE SENT ME A PHOTO, IT WAS ACCTUALLY A HARD TOP COUPE. NO DOUBT SHE HAD BEEN SCREWED BY HER ISURANCE COMPANY TOO.

[Ocracoke]

I would urge every Smart owner to check their policy. I would bet that every coupe, is a cabrio as far as insurance is concerned. And as a result, owners are charged over the odds in premiums.

Never been an issue for me. MSM Insurance (the company I am with) hasn't ever said that my 2001 CDI or my 2002 is a Cabriolet. This sounds more like a RAC problem.

[tolsen]

Yours is listed on gocompare as a 3 door hatchback. No coupe listed though.

[smartfart]

Thanks Tolsen. Ive always understood at Hatch Back to be one lifting door at the blunt end. Maybe this is a technicality that can be forgotten.

[tolsen]

Whoever writes those vehicle descriptions is stupid. How come a Smart 450/451 Cabrio is 2 door and a hatch back is 3 door?

[smartfart]

Its mad.