Officially recorded vehicle theft statistics show that there have been huge reductions in the numbers of vehicles stolen over the past ten years across Europe. This is largely attributed to the increases in fitment and sophistication of security systems by vehicle manufacturers mainly in response to legislation, but also to gain benefits from insurance discounts by meeting performance criteria set out by insurance associations.

Whereas theft used to be a major claims concern for the motor insurance industry, the proportion of claims costs due to theft has decreased to under 5% and it is fraud that now occupies the insurers attentions. As a result, many insurers across Europe are no longer providing the drive for increased security that they did in the past.

In reality though, vehicle theft is not solved and there are clear indications that organised vehicle crime is increasing. Insurers therefore need to react today to help protect the vehicles that will be stolen tomorrow, before the cost of theft becomes an issue once more.

In Holland, SCM have already acknowledged the situation and moved to raise the bar for vehicle security with an update to their insurance approval criteria. AA04 is SCM’s latest criteria for immobilisers and alarm systems which was introduced from 1st April 2011. It replaces the AA03 criteria, and has been fully updated for modern vehicles facing the latest threats from thieves. This is unlikely to be the last pro-active step from SCM, who recognise that the industry must strive to stay one step ahead of the thieves. If criteria and security performance remain the same for several years, thieves will continue to develop new or improved methods of stealing vehicles.

Whilst it is difficult to accurately predict how thieves will steal vehicles in the future, this is the first step in trying to counteract the issue. As the theft situation continues to change, it remains to be seen if any others will follow SCM’s lead to tackle the threat, rather than reacting once the official statistics confirm the problem.

Want to learn more about new requirements in Holland what you need to do to comply?

SBD’s ‘Spotlight on Holland’ is a crisp and concise mini-report that focus on vital vehicle security trends. You might also be interested in ‘Spotlight on’ reports covering China, UK, Russia, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Germany and South Africa. To learn more about these reports or to buy please contact Kavitha at kkuppuswamy@sbd.co.uk