Tracking Unit Transfers: What to Do When Your Vehicle is Sold or Involved in an Accident

Being a vehicle owner comes with a lot of work. From making sure it stays in good condition, to dealing with accidents and insurance claims, then finally coming to terms to let it go. Once everything is sorted out you might realise that there's something you forgot about — your tracking unit.

Life happens and we understand, so today we look at what options Cartrack gives you when selling your car or if you are involved in an accident.
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In this article, you will:

• Learn the options you have when selling your vehicle

• Find out what happens to your tracking device if your car is in an accident

• See what the process is for commercial vehicles

• Get more information on how we protect your privacy

• Discover the benefits of being with Cartrack

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What happens to your tracking unit when you sell your vehicle?

Firstly, you need to inform your tracking unit service provider that you plan on selling your vehicle and ask what options you have. At Cartrack you have the option of doing a change of ownership, or de-installation and reinstallation (De-Re) of your unit.

Let’s have a closer look at the difference between the two, but to make this easier, we’ll break it down into three possible scenarios: 

• Scenario 1: You’re getting a new car after selling your current one
  You can transfer the device to your new one, all you need to do is notify us at least five days before the vehicle is sold. We’ll send you an email with the form you need to fill in, and then a technician will be sent to remove the device from the old car and transfer it to the new one — this is what we call a De-Re. Alternatively, the person buying your vehicle can keep your device and all we’ll do is update the details (change of ownership) and the new owner will continue with your contract from where you left off.
   

• Scenario 2: You inform us after you’ve sold the car
  If you have already sold your car to someone you can easily get hold of, and he/she agrees to the device being removed from that car to your new one, then the process is the same as in the above scenario. Should the person not agree then we will hard lock the device, then give you a new one for your next car. This option comes at an additional once-off charge, then you can continue with your normal subscription fee.
   
• Scenario 3: You’re not getting a new car anytime soon after this
  ‍If you sell your car, you are not getting a new one, and the buyer is not interested in keeping your tracking unit, you can cancel your contract. Just let us know within 20 working days, and the device will be deactivated. However, if you’re on a rental contract you'll have to pay the remaining balance or a cancellation fee depending on which is cheaper. The vehicle tracking device does not have to be removed but if that’s what you prefer then we will remove it free of charge at one of our service centres. Alternatively, we can send a technician to remove it for you in the comfort of your home, at an additional cost.  

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What to do with your tracking device if your vehicle is involved in an accident

In the unfortunate event that your vehicle is involved in an accident, the unit transfer process still applies. You need to notify us so we can send a technician to assess how severe the damage is. Some units come out unharmed, and others need to be repaired, but in some cases, the damage to the vehicle is so bad that the tracking unit is unretrievable. By sending a technician, we will know if we should give you a new device or repair the old one and place it in your new vehicle. If you are involved in a minor accident and are unsure if your device has been affected, just call us so we can test it. Warranty Ts&Cs apply.

• If your vehicle is under extensive repairs
  Your Cartrack device is built to last, its battery life can carry you for many years provided the vehicle is in motion. If your vehicle was involved in an accident and has been at the repair store for months, your battery will lose power. Normally when this happens we get a signal of the battery going low and call to ask what’s happening. Once you inform us of the situation, we will then put the device on “maintenance mode”. After the repairs, you’ll need to call us so we can deactivate the maintenance mode. The person deactivating it will reboot the device and check for faults.
   
• If your vehicle is written off
  In most cases, the tracking device of a vehicle that is declared a write-off is unretrievable. If there is a replacement vehicle, we will give you a new device at an additional cost. If the device is retrievable, we will conduct the De-Re process. Once again, all you need to do is let us know. Alternatively, if your vehicle is declared a write-off and there is no replacement vehicle, it will be treated as a cancellation.

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How the De-installation and Re-installation or change of ownership works for commercial vehicles

We usually assign an Account Manager (AM) to each of our fleet clients. If one or more of the vehicles need to be sold or get involved in an accident, then the fleet manager needs to inform his/her account manager. The account manager will then sort out the de-re or change of ownership process for each vehicle. 

Some companies buy their vehicles through hire purchases, while others take on a lease agreement. If you are leasing out your vehicles to a fleet business, they would need to have access to the fleet management system that you signed up for. At Cartrack, there is no need to do a change of ownership for that instance; you can go to our Fleetweb platform and create a sub-user account for the business to which you are leasing your vehicles. That way they will have access to the vehicle tracking services they need to manage their fleet.

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Vehicle tracking transfer costs and fees

For every de-installation and re-installation, there is a once-off charge, but if we are unable to retrieve the device from the old vehicle then there is an additional replacement fee. If your contract is 30 months or older, the labour is free and you’ll only pay for is the once-off replacement fee. Once that is out of the way, you can continue with your contract as per the normal agreement.

A change of ownership comes with an admin fee that can be paid by you or the buyer, depending on your agreement. Both parties need to fill in the form, once signed, the person taking over will continue from where you left off.

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Protecting your privacy after selling a car with a tracking device

The information of all parties involved in the device change of ownership process needs to be in safe hands and handled with caution. At Cartrack, we are obliged to follow the rules of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Once all data is loaded onto the system, your details will automatically be greyed out and only the new owner’s information will appear. The new owner will not be able to access any of your old information even on the mobile app. The same goes for you, if you ever want to access the mobile app or get certain details about the device after handing over your contract, it will not be possible. For those with more than one vehicle, you will only have access to information about those with tracking devices that are still under your name.

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Secure your vehicle with Cartrack and we’ll be with you every step of the way

Here are more Cartrack smart features that will make your life easier:

• Crash detection
  Get an immediate response to an emergency with Cartrack’s Crash detection feature that automatically sends a signal to our control room whenever your car is involved in an accident. Our agents will call you or one of your registered close contacts to notify them and send the help you need.
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• ‍Protector
  Cartracks Protector is a 24-hour service that gives you medical or roadside assistance at the flick of a button. Say for example you are stuck in the middle of nowhere, you can simply access your protector feature on the Cartrack mobile app and since we will know your exact location, help will get to you quicker.  
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• CarWatch
  Get extra parking security with our virtual car guard, Carwatch. Available on your mobile app, this feature gives you an alert the moment your parked car moves without your knowledge so our skilled air and ground team can act swiftly.
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• Geofence
  Create virtual boundaries around areas of your choice so you can get alerts whenever your vehicle enters or leaves the area. The geofence feature is there for you to know when your car is in an area that is high risk but can also be used by businesses to check when vehicles enter and leave job sites. 

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Let us give you vehicle-tracking solutions that you can rely on

Cartrack gives you vehicle solutions for any situation. With a recovery rate of over 90% and over 2 million subscribers, who else can you trust? Contact us for a free quote and see what drivers love us.