Show me an example
Lets take a look at a common and typical scenario.
Lets assume for the purposes of this example that you have leased your vehicle under a Contract Hire or PCP plan. We use those circumstances as an example because the vehicle body condition at the end of the agreement is of paramount importance. Why ? Because if the vehicle is returned at the end of the agreement dented or scratched, the leasing or finance company will charge you for the repairs at a level which will be out of your control. It's important to cash buyers too who want to keep their investment in great condition.
Lets assume you have taken a three year agreement.
Six months into your agreement you return to your car after shopping at your local supermarket to find that the person you parked next to has opened his/her door on to yours and dented and marked your bodywork. You were astute enough to have purchased SMART Insurance so your feelings of anger are subdued by the comfort of knowing that the repair will be done quickly, professionally and at no cost. Without SMART Insurance a traditional vehicle bodyshop would probably have charged £250 - £300 to re-spray the entire door.
Later that day you call the SMART Insurance claims team and report the incident. They record the claim and instruct the SMART repair engineer to contact you to make a mutually convenient appointment for the repair to be carried out. The engineer arrives, agrees it is a repair that is covered by your SMART Insurance and completes the repair and gives you a three year guarantee on his repair work. Happy days !
Twelve months later whilst enjoying a weekend away a truck in front of you on the motorway picks up a stone in its tyre tread and hurls it backward - onto the bonnet of your car. Not a major dent, but a nasty looking chip too which if left unrepaired could affect the surrounding paintwork.
Having experienced the claims process a year earlier you call the claims team again and as before the SMART engineer arrives a few days later to restore your car back to its pristine condition.
Being a high mileage driver you are pleased you purchased SMART Insurance because you have already enjoyed two repairs and you are only half way through your insurance period. Your motor insurers have not been called upon no excess has been paid and your no claims bonus is still in tact. At renewal your insurer has no reason to load your premium because your repairs have been carried out under an independent policy.
SMART Insurance is purchased by motorists who know and understand the importance of keeping paint and bodywork in good condition. Used car buyers are more likely to buy a high mileage car in pristine condition than a low mileage car in a chipped, dented and scratched condition. It is a perception of how well the vehicle has been cared for. Appearance is everything when selling or part exchanging a vehicle.
1. Have you ever had a chip appear on your vehicle bodywork?
2. Have you ever had a small dent appear on your bodywork?
3. Have you ever had a small scuff appear on your bodywork?
If the answer to one or more of these is yes, you probably already appreciate the value of SMART Insurance !