Carole Nash, the UK’s favourite motorcycle insurance broker, is to introduce free security marking kits as a standard benefit not only on all new road and off-road policies, but also on renewals. The move comes after a successful trial of Carole Nash DNA+ at the end of last year, which saw thousands of satisfied customers apply the anti-theft measure to their cherished motorcycles.
As of 1 March 2012, every motorcyclist who takes out or renews a policy will receive a free Carole Nash DNA+ kit containing a liquid-based forensic coding solution together with high impact hologram decals designed to act as a theft deterrent. The DNA+ solution combines DNA and microdot technology that is registered exclusively to the policyholder. The clear liquid – which is harmless to the bodywork – is dabbed onto the main components of the motorcycle, creating a unique identity for the bike and its parts.
Currently, the only identifying marks on the majority of motorcycles are the frame and engine number, allowing thieves to dismantle machines and sell valuable parts. With Carole Nash DNA+, police can use UV light to read the forensic coding and trace individual parts back to the owner via an international database. The cost of a year’s subscription to the database is included as long as the motorcycle is insured through Carole Nash.
Over 15,000 Carole Nash bike insurance policyholders are already in possession of the DNA+ kit – which carries a retail value of £30 a year – as a result of the three-month pilot scheme last year. The response has so far been very positive: ”I found DNA+ very easy to use when I applied it to my scooter, and the instructions were simple to follow. Knowing that the identification marks are there does give me added peace of mind that, if the unthinkable were to happen, the bike would be easily identified by the police and returned to me,” said Gareth Jones from Llandudno.
Richard Bellamy from Grimsby agrees: ”I found this really easy to apply and didn’t take any time at all. Knowing that the bike has my unique code over the parts, I have added peace of mind that if it was to get pinched hopefully it can be returned in one piece, or at least have the parts returned to me.”
The launch of Carole Nash’s forensic coding initiative follows growing concern within the motorcycle community about the cost and impact of theft. Last year Motorcycle News launched a Mark Our Bikes campaign to encourage insurers to provide free security marking systems. “Security systems like DNA+ create for the first time a way of linking dozens of individual parts to the owner,” explains MCN senior reporter Steve Farrell. ”This helps the police identify them as stolen parts and catch the thieves trading in them. The Carole Nash DNA+ scheme is an excellent step in the right direction towards the reduction of motorcycle theft.”
Carole Nash’s director of products and marketing Nick Baker explains why DNA+ is so important: ”As a motorcycle insurance specialist, we fully understand the emotional and financial cost of theft to bikers. By introducing Carole Nash DNA+ as a standard benefit, we hope to not only add value to all policies but to reduce bike theft. The pilot scheme went extremely well and subsequent research has shown that customers are more than willing to take a few easy steps to protect their pride and joy from potential thieves.”
