I was looking at reviews for the new Golf GTI the other day for a friend and saw somewhere that the new Golf is significantly lower insurance rating than the previous model due to driver assistance systems.  It made me think about insurance and disabling driver assistance.

 

If you have a car with a driver assistance system such as lane assist or front assist the insurance company should know as it's either standard fit or you'll have declared it as an upgrade.

 

I'd imagine if there was an accident and it turned out you'd knowingly been driving around without ABS there would be some questions raised by your insurer.  How long before a similar issue arises if you drift into another lane which causes an accident and it turns out you'd disabled lane assist for example.

Edited 26 December, 201312 yr by gullyg

This is only my thoughts, I don't work for an Insurance company, so can't speak for them but:

 

If you disable something like ABS by pulling a plug off, then I believe they would have issue with that.

 

If you turn a switch off, surely that is an option on the car and therefore it shouldn't be a problem, unless of course it is written into the policy that all driver aids must remain on.

If you are driving in very wet roads and adverse weather conditions, you should not use 'Cruise Control',

 

If you are trying to free a car in snow, rocking back and fore, you should probably switch off the Traction Control.

If it is not Visibility less than 100 meters you should not switch on Fog Lights.

 

??

Are you going to have Lane Control/Warning on & expect it to operate in Adverse Weather Conditions, Ice or Snow, or roads or any place without Road and Lane Markings?

As you drive through Diversions, contraflows etc, is it better to have 'Lane Assist' off to have more concentration on you controlling the vehicle, 'Driving with due care and attention', ie Driving as taught to drive, almost,' Naked of Electronic Assistance.'

 

Drivers are still responsible for their actions and should be in control of the vehicle.

You insure the car and make the Insurance Underwriter aware of the Model, that should show standard fitments, optional fitments and should declare any non Manufacturer options fitted.

It does not mean that they all need to be getting used, just because you have them on the vehicle.

 

Then the controls can be used as the Drivers judges as are needed,

If they get it wrong, then maybe they have the Law to answer to and then Any Crash Investigator or Loss adjuster.

They might consider you switched something on or off as designed to be. Drivers Choice. Thought put into when to have the function active.

That is Different from 'Disabling' or 'Inhibiting' a function built into a vehicle, or not Maintaining it Correctly to function when designed to.

 

More buttons and choices on cars, and Auto Function items,

More should read the Owners Manuals and see what the car can and can not do.

 

What some Manufacturers give as Standard Fitment or Tick a Box and have operating might be Legally Required in some Countries and a function not required or on with a car Delivered in the UK.

eg, Both Fog Lights on to the rear in the UK, 1 Fog to the Off Side is all required here.

 

eg, Type Approved Cars after Feb 2011, must have DRL's fitted as Standard.

Drivers in the UK do not need to have them Enabled though.

They are not yet in the MOT to be checked to see if they even still work if enabled.

 

New EU Type Approved cars after November 2012 must have TPMS fitted as standard,

How many never set or reset, or even check or adjust tyre pressures, and how few do it in the changing seasons.