Lancaster Insurance

[fairkens]

The car insurance industry has only made a profit in one year (2012?) since 1994. Individual insurers may have done better over that period, but the industry as a whole struggles for profit.

 

That's why you see extra charges and admin fees, only way for them to make any money. Pay more for your insurance and you will likely see better cover, less in the way of admin charges and will have more flexibility.

[jonny69]

Sad to see Lancaster has gone this way. I had my Pop insured with them years ago and the only reason I didn't add the Anglia was that they didn't allow modifications.

 

I've had a good overall experience with Hagerty. They fixed up my Anglia when it got smashed up, no quibbles at all and at the garage where I wanted it to be done (i.e. where I was confident the work would be done properly). I had my hotrod insured with them too and they were quite helpful when I wanted insurance to cover the car while I was selling it but not driving it. The only problem is they insist the car is garaged overnight and they have a pretty strict no-commuting policy, so I didn't qualify at my new address. Thus, when I moved, I got stung with charges because I was halfway through my cover...

 

Peter James seem to be pretty good. Got the Anglia with them at the mo and they are accommodating for everyday use. Breakdown cover is included, if a little slow when I had to use it, but I guess you get what you pay for. The trad hotrodders like them, since they have a guy there who knows those sorts of vehicles and seems to be into them himself. I can't comment on charges or claims because I don't know anyone who has tried yet.

 

I think what we can learn from this is we probably ought to come up with a list of everyday changes that we generally make to our insurance policies and we can ask them upfront what they are going to be. Things like: change of address; change of engine/wheels/etc; cancellation; change of vehicle.

[dollywobbler]

Well you learn something new all the time, never knew classic insurance was like this.  Should have just kept it under the Direct Line other policy I had - it was only £50 dearer.  (And they will suspend policies, and it would have accrued NCB).

 

Classic insurance ISN'T like this. Footman James can be a bit hit and miss with customer service, but I've no real complaints. Peter James have always been excellent - and sadly I've had to test their service with a claim. I've no experience of Lancaster, which is why I didn't post initially. It's very unfair to tar all classic insurers with the same brush though.

[alf892]

I think the genuine specialists remain pretty good........the likes of Peter Best and Hagarty

 

The problem comes when these smaller firms get swallowed up by the big boys eager to get into the (probably lower risk) classic market who then apply their 'customer care' systems/policies and cock it up

[Wilko220]

Just had this with Flux. I have asked for a refund. Yeah, let's see if that happens...

 

It seems that my cynicism was unfounded. Just had a call back from Adrian Flux and they've agreed to cancel the policy and give me a full refund.

 

I still think these automatic renewals are pretty outrageous but, in fairness to them, I only had to ask once and they sorted the refund straight away.

[carlo]

Just cancelled this policy after 7 weeks - £6.52 refund out of £146 premium paid.  I had to fight for that, was promised £21.52 last week but that person had "forgotten" an extra administration fee. Having got slightly aerated over the course of the phone call I was left with a nice sarcastic "Have a wonderful day."

 

Absolute shower, glad to see the back of them.  Direct Line are the virtually the same price on a proper policy, with proper customer service.

[Sigmund Fraud]

[Autoshite economics]

 

You would have been so* much* better* off buying something featured in the £200 topic and transferring the insurance to that !

 

[/Autoshite economics]

[Micrashed]

Cancelled my policy with Lancaster yesterday and they charged me a £50 cancelation fee on a £200 policy, I actually ended up owing them £11 odd.

 

They do however insist I send them the certificate back, which I am doing, in a small envelope with every other single bit of paper that tehy have sent me - its about 10mm thick and weighs 70gm - a second class stamp is about right isnt it? 

[Anglevan]

I had same issue last year with Adrian flux. I'd sold the wife's XR2. Was going to cost me to cancel so I just left it. Did get a renewal 6 months later. I think the new owner was planning to strip and repaint it so I don't think it was used in that time.

I never heard any more about it

[mat_the_cat]

They do however insist I send them the certificate back, which I am doing, in a small envelope with every other single bit of paper that tehy have sent me - its about 10mm thick and weighs 70gm - a second class stamp is about right isnt it? 

 

Make sure the stamp is well stuck down, as it may fall off in transit.

[Micrashed]

I also made sure all the paper was well held together with several over large jumbo paperclips which might have tipped the weight a little bit.

[SambaS]

Spoke too kindly of Lancaster a few weeks back on here.

 

Cancelled my Polonez insurance last week and they are asking for £137 to cancel it, about £20 less than the full premium. Why?

 

'well we work it out on how many months you've used it and calculate the remaining balance'

 

Well that's clearly not 3 months of insurance is it, I was paying £23 per month.

 

'yeah but we work it out on how many months you've...'

 

Ok I wont cancel it then

 

'too late we cancelled it when you sent the letter'

 

Twats

[Inspector Morose]

Lancaster and Sureterm Direct share a call centre on the outskirts of St Ives, Cambs. Now a little googling found the address and as it was close to where I was working (I'm with Sureterm), I parked the bus outside and knocked on the door! Strangely enough, face to face they become a bit more pliable and issues were sorted relatively quickly.

On their website the address is on contact us. I doesn't say you can't visit, so I did!

Okay, I was lucky, I was in the area. Both companies have a dismal reputation for customer service. I'm only with them as they were the cheapest and it's a legal requirement for insurance but I'm no way going to claim for anything.

[SambaS]

^yeah this

[overrun]

No opinion on this?  I thought some of you guys might have had dealings with this company.

Half a million additional miles is quite a lot.

[carlo]

I was hoping they'd send me my £6.59 refund by cheque, that way I could frame it on the toilet wall to remind never again to use them in my more drunken moments.

[HillmanImp]

I once had a policy with them which had free RAC cover. However the douchebag I had set it up accidentally removed this option and I never checked the paperwork when it arrived. My car then broke down on the M1 and I had to pay £160 to get towed home as Lancaster said 'I specifically asked for this free extra service to be removed'. 

 

Er, no I didn't. I might like to live dangerously but that is one step too far.

[fordperv]

My renewal has come in at £202 for these without any other car on which I was quite confused about, so called them to question and the sales person looked and said if you wanted it on it goes up to £252 I laughed and told him the quote was well out and pointed out that if I leave them with this policy I'll also change at renewal time for my Capri, some how the quote then plummeted to £180 with any other vehicle cover, I'm still thinking of changing companies in march with my Capri