INSURANCE NEWS - Toyota Security Devices Substandard

INSURANCE
1	Fill In Your Details
2	Let The Insurance Companies Call You
3	Choose The Better Insurance Deal & Save

Save Money on Insurance

Short-term brokers reject Toyota Hilux and Toyota Fortuner clients

Friday, 20 August 2010 09:58

Many insurance brokers around the country are refusing to insure Toyota’s range of Hilux bakkies and Fortuner 4X4s because of the poor security and large number of these vehicles being stolen. Brokers might not be the only problem as short-term insurers begin to contemplate the level of security on Toyota’s vehicles.

The South African Insurance Association (SAIA)–the body that represents most short-term insurers in South Africa–has been putting pressure on Toyota to step up the security on their vehicles, yet nothing has been done about it. Not only are owners at a high risk of theft and hi-jacking as a result of the poor security, but are now at the risk of becoming uninsurable.

Toyota SA claimed, though, that they are constantly improving the security of their vehicles as criminals are using increasingly sophisticated tools for theft. These newer security devices, though, were not in response to complaints about the poor level of security, but market demands.

The South African Independent Accreditation Services (Saias) has been working with Toyota to develop a security device that is up to standard. The SAIA and National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa have developed a measure for determining the level of vehicle security for insurance purposes.

These VESA standards were created to ensure that factory-fitted security devices meet certain standards in order to eliminate the use of inferior security systems. Often though, an insurer will use their discretion and require that a security device be upgraded. At the moment, Toyota owners have to pay more for security after purchasing their vehicles to apply for insurance.

< Prev		Next >

More Articles