Trackershop FAQ's
If you have any questions that are not answered here then please do let us know.
FAQ's
ARE ALL OF YOUR CAR TRACKERS INSURANCE APPROVED?
To satisfy your car insurer it’s important that you comply with their pre-set requirements when selecting the correct Car Insurance Tracker. More often than not, this will be a Thatcham approved tracker. Trackershop provide these for all vehicles and categories. All you need to do is confirm with your insurance company which category tracker is needed for your policy, and select it from our range of car insurance trackers section.
CAN YOU SHOW ME HOW EASY THE GPS TRACKERS ARE TO USE?
Yes we can. To see a film show how user friendly your GPS tracker is to use from the moment you receive it.
IS MY GPS TRACKER WATERPROOF?
Car Trackers are water resistant To IPX6 standard. Which means they will withstand being hosed and any rain/spray that they will encounter under vehicles. The Track-It Pouch is completely waterproof and will withstand being submerged. Personal Trackers are splash proof.
DO ALL OF TRACKERSHOP’S TRACKING DEVICES WORK OUTSIDE OF THE UK?
It’s always best to double check with us if you know of a certain country that your GPS Tracker will be going to. Generally our trackers work in most countries, with Japan being the only exception; this is because they run off a completely different cellular network to all other countries around the world.
DOES EVERY GPS TRACKER COME WITH A CHARGER SUPPLIED?
Yes, all tracking devices come supplied with the correct charger included.
CAN I TRACK MORE THAN ONE TRACKER ON MY PANEL?
Yes. You can track as many as you want on one panel at any time, and you can view from as many computers as you want simultaneously.
WHAT IS ‘ECO MODE’?
This is a facility on your mapping panel to conserve battery life and turn your tracker off for a period of time so that it wakes up at predetermined times, such as every 2 or 4 hours. It will then send a GPS location fix to your mapping panel and then goes back into Eco Mode. When you want your GPS tracker to resume live tracking mode, switch off Eco Mode, and when it next wakes up it will go to 30 second live reporting.
CAN I SELL MY CAR WITH MY INSURANCE TRACKER INSTALLED?
Yes that’s no problem at all. You simply need to contact the tracker company in writing that you have sold your vehicle. From here they will be able to deactivate the GPS Tracker remotely and update their systems.
WHAT ARE POSITION AND SMS CREDITS?
We do not charge a monthly fee or sign you into a contract to use all the tracking facilities and mapping that come with your live tracking device. We have a pay as you track system whereby you simply purchase credits. So you can monitor this, there is a counter on your mapping panel showing you how many credits you have and are using.Position Credits you will use for the live tracking.
You can instruct your tracker to update it’s position from every 5 seconds to 1 hour. Each time your GPS tracker updates it”s position on your map it uses a position credit. These credits are only used when your tracker starts tracking and then comes to a stop.
Whilst your tracker is stationary, and not sensing any movement, or switched off you will not use any credits.To give an example: If you set your GPS tracker to update it’s position every minute, and it is in motion for 30 minutes, you will use 30 position credits. For the same journey, if you set it to report every 10 minutes you will use 3 credits.
You can change the reporting time instantly by a click of a button.SMS credits are used if you send a command from your mapping panel to your GPS tracker to change its reporting time, or if you ask your tracker to send you an SMS alert to your phone.
To top up your credits there is a button on your mapping panel which you click and allows you to add credits online to your tracker. Our position credits are the most cost effective in the UK.
ARE MY TRACKERS BATTERIES RECHARGEABLE?
Yes, they are fully rechargeable Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries. Each GPS tracker is supplied with a battery charger, which you plug into a wall socket in the same way you would charge a mobile phone. To make it simple for you to know when it needs to be charged, your mapping panel will show you how much power is left in your trackers battery, and warn you when it needs charging by text message/email.
WILL MY MAGNETIC TRACKER FALL OFF THE VEHICLE?
No it will not. As long as you place it on a flat metal surface, then your magnetic car tracker will stay in position until you are ready to remove it again. The magnets have a minimum of 35kg pull, making it impossible for them to simply drop off the vehicle, no matter the speed or terrain it is traveling on. All vehicles are different, but we find the best position to place your car tracker is likely to be around the rear wheel arch of the vehicle- on the flat metal of the car’s chassis.
WILL MY CAR TRACKER AND PERSONAL TRACKER WORK STRAIGHT AWAY?
Yes, all of our Car Trackers and Personal Trackers are set up by us so that they are working straight away when they arrive with you. Your device will be configured to your own mapping panel, with a multi roaming SIM card inside. This means that all you will need to do is charge your gps tracker for a small amount of time and then it will be ready to use straight away.
WHAT’S THE BEST CAR TRACKER FOR ME?
Each of our car trackers come in different shapes, sizes and battery strengths. For our portable car trackers that don’t need to be wired to vehicles, you need to take into account how often you can get to the vehicle that you are tracking to recharge the GPS tracker. Obviously, if you can’t/ would prefer not to retrieve the device on a regular basis it’s important that you get a GPS Tracker with a long battery life.
DO I NEED TO DOWNLOAD ANY SOFTWARE?
No you do not need any additional software to monitor your GPS trackers from your private mapping panel. This year Trackershop launched a new, advanced and user-friendly mapping panel. From a desktop, laptop and tablet you simply visit www.login.trackershop.com and enter your login details. As long as you have an internet connection you can access your panel!
From an Apple or Android phone you can download the free Trackershop app to monitor your tracking device whilst away from your computer.
WILL MY GPS TRACKER WORK ABROAD?
Yes. Worldwide in 186 countries.
DO GPS TRACKERS HAVE TO HAVE PHONE SIGNAL TO WORK?
Yes all of our trackers use the GPRS phone network to relay the position of the device from the unit back to your mapping panel. Any Tracker that we provide the SIM for will be fitted with a multi roaming network SIM Card. This ensures that your tracker always gets the optimum network coverage in any area.
DOES A GPS TRACKER WORK INSIDE A BUILDING?
GPS trackers get optimum GPS signal when used outside. Inside buildings the signal can be restricted, which in turn gives restricted tracking. At the very least, your GPS tracker will show the tracking report to the building, and then begin reporting again when the subject leaves the building.
WHAT’S THE SAFETY ZONE FACILITY ON THE MAPPING PANEL, AND HOW DO I SET IT UP?
Safety Zone (Geo Fence) is an area you can ring fence on your mapping panel to alert you if your GPS tracker goes into or out of this geographic area. As well as showing an alert on your mapping panel, the tracker will also instantly send you a text message and/or email.
Geo-fences are extremely useful to alert you of a theft or unsanctioned removal/use of a vehicle/asset from it’s allocated area.
They are also used to help protect vulnerable individuals. If they were to leave a safety zone, you will be alerted immediately!
To set up the safety zone open your mapping panel on a desktop/laptop, click on Zones and a black box will appear on your screen. Select either ‘Polygon’ or ‘Zone’ to determine the shape of your area. ‘Add Polygon’ allows you to make a shape using straight lines by clicking on the map, and lines will join up. ‘Add Zone’ will create a circle on your map, by clicking on your map at the location you want it set. You can make it bigger or smaller by moving the bar marked ‘Size’. You must call each safety zone a different name so you know when you get an alert which one it is referring to. Add your mobile phone number, email address in the contact boxes and then click save. You can create as many safety zones as you wish.
Here’s an example of Safety Zones being set up
WHAT IF I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY GPS TRACKER?
In the unlikely event that you do have a problem, your tracker has a 12 month warranty. We have a help line open from 8.30am to 6pm every weekday and 10am to 2pm Saturdays which will advise and assist you with technical information.
If you have any questions that are not answered here then please do let us know.
Due to the rising levels of car theft in the UK, you may find your insurance company have either insisted that you install a car tracker or have quoted a much higher premium if you do not have one installed.
You may not know much about car insurance trackers, so you’ll be pleased to know that Trackershop have made the process as quick and easy as possible.
Here are a few of the more frequently asked questions about car insurance trackers to help you ensure you have selected the correct product.
FAQs on Car Insurance Trackers
WHAT IS A THATCHAM APPROVED TRACKER?
The Motor Repair Research Centre (based in Thatcham) are leaders in testing and classifying security and safety systems for vehicles. They have been testing, approving and categorising car trackers for 25 years. When you hear that a vehicle tracker is Thatcham approved it means that the trackers has passed their thorough, watertight testing process.
HOW DOES MY CAR INSURANCE TRACKER PROTECT MY VEHICLE?
Your Trackershop car insurance tracker uses a combination of the latest global positioning, mobile phone and motion sensing technology available.
Your tracking device is installed covertly by thatcham approved fitters, using the latest fitting techniques that will deter and prevent theft.
In the event of a theft:
Your insurance tracker’s motion sensor detects illegal movement (e.g. if the vehicle moves when the ignition is switched off), and sends an alert to the 24 hour control centre. They will then contact you to confirm the unauthorised use. You can also alert the control centre directly yourself.
Once theft is confirmed recovery of your vehicle will be actioned immediately.
WHEN DO I PAY FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION?
For your car insurance to be valid, all Thatcham trackers need to be fitted by a Thatcham trained engineer. The good news is the cost of fitting is included in the price of the device- so there is no additional charge for fitting, and you can rest assured knowing that your car tracker is fitted to the highest standard.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH CAR INSURANCE TRACKER IS CORRECT FOR ME?
It’s likely your insurance company will have advised you on the insurance tracker that you need. The type that you need will depend on the make, model and age of the vehicle. Other factors such as location of the vehicle may have an impact.
If they have not yet specified, contact your insurance company and ask them to confirm. It’s important to have the correct tracker fitted as the wrong one may void your insurance premium.
I KNOW WHICH TRACKER I NEED. HOW DO I ARRANGE GETTING IT FITTED?
Once your insurance company has confirmed which type of car tracker you need (Cat 5 or Cat 6), you can either go to Car Insurance Trackers and select the one that you need, or call us to order over the phone.
Once your order is complete our installation company will be in contact to arrange an appointment to fit your tracking device at a time, date and location convenient to you.
Fitting is quick and simple. Once installed we will then arrange the subscription with you.
WHY DO I NEED A THATCHAM APPROVED CAR TRACKER?
It may be that your insurance company has either advised (or insisted) that you have a Thatcham approved tracker installed.
The good news is that it now couldn’t be quicker and easier to have your thatcham tracker installed and protecting your car.
All you need to do is select the car tracker that you need. Once purchased our Thatcham approved mobile fitters will contact you to book your fitting at a time, date and location that is convenient to you.
We cover every postcode in the UK, so it doesn’t matter if you need your tracker fitted at home,work or anywhere else, we will come to you!
You do not need to be present for the fitting, as long as there is someone present with access to the car.
DO I GET A CERTIFICATE TO PROVIDE TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY?
Yes, once the tracker has been fitted you will be sent a Certificate of authenticity via email that you can supply to your insurance company.