On May 28, Alex Brummer discovered his Porsche 911 4S had been stolen from outside his suburban home in southwest London. Brummer noted that car theft in Britain had increased significantly over the past decade but was surprised his older vehicle was targeted.
His initial contact was with the Metropolitan Police via the non-urgent number 101. After a lengthy recorded message, he was placed in a queue and eventually connected. Brummer described the police interaction as brief, lacking empathy, and devoid of any immediate investigatory intent. He received a crime number for insurance purposes and was informed an officer would contact him within a week.
Insurance Claim Process
Following the police report, Brummer contacted his insurer, Admiral. Despite having a multi-car policy, he was informed he was not entitled to a hire car as it had not been specifically requested when the policy was arranged. While a claim number was issued, Brummer found the subsequent process to be "an Orwellian farce." Admiral requested a significant amount of information, some of which Brummer deemed irrelevant, leading him to feel as though he was being held responsible for the theft.
Among the documents requested were the DVLA driving record codes for all named drivers, registration documents, a bill of sale, and proof of payment. As his own records were incomplete after seven years, Brummer contacted the car's seller, who provided bank statements and cheque copies from their private bank. However, Admiral's demands escalated, requiring copies of Brummer's own bank accounts to verify the £70,000 payment.
Brummer managed to provide most payment records from his Santander account but had to request a statement from his NatWest account to trace a £10,000 payment, a process that took approximately ten days. This extensive administrative burden left him feeling that Admiral suspected a scam.
Police Response and Claim Resolution
The Metropolitan Police, according to Brummer, appeared to deprioritize car crime. Four days after the theft, an officer contacted him, showing no interest in examining available CCTV footage or advising the neighborhood about the thieves. Instead, the officer lectured Brummer on preventative measures such as using Faraday boxes and trackers, and advised him not to accept the insurer's initial payout offer, suggesting it would likely be below market value.
The police subsequently declared the case closed. Brummer reported that his low-mileage Porsche, which had been meticulously serviced, was valued at approximately £55,000 in the current market. Despite the arduous process, Admiral eventually made a payout offer of £61,209.50, after deducting the policy's £750 excess.
Brummer concluded by advising others to keep thorough records of significant purchases to potentially mitigate the administrative challenges in the event of a claim.