Classic car insurance

[Bren]

Any hints?

 

Lancaster quoted me £105 for the SD1.

 

I want to insure the car so I can get it MOT'd.

 

I would imagine you get what you pay for.

 

Anybody ever had to claim?

[Uncle Jimmy]

I've been using Lancaster- partly because someone seems to always answer the phone pretty quickly. Seem good value to me.

[New POD]

I would want to know how the agreed value is agreed, how the low miles is verified, how often you can take it to work, how many days in Europe you get, and whether the optional breakdown cover is worth the paper it was written on.

[MarvinsMom]

I've been with Lancaster for years, it costs me £110 pa for the Metro, though in that time ive not had to make a claim. had no problems at all been picked up from the M18 Doncaster services when the OMGHGF let go on the motorway. and the mini is with adrian flux, again, i had no probs getting recovered from Woodall services on the M1 after the exhaust fell off......

 

when the Metro got nicked a couple of years ago, once the CSI lot had done their thing i got it delivered home and put it right myself, a broken ignition lock and panel damage to the drivers door would have been enough to right the car off, and trusting insurance as far i could shit them, i would have gotten next to nothing for it. i think the excess is a couple of hundred quid, so after they have had their cut on a £500-ish car i'd have ended up with a couple of hundred quid tops.

 

the milage thing can be checked off of the MOT, i dunno about the agreed value thing, i've not tried using that.

 

otherwise, i've not had any complaints with them.

[catsinthewelder]

I used them for a few years when I was only insuring one classic and found them perfectly acceptable.  I can't remember ever needing to claim though and had seperate recovery at the time.

[Junkman]

Do you intend to smash it up?

[AlabamaShrimp]

I have the Frontera with footman James. Think it was about £120 for the year and that's with cover to take it to work for both me and Mrs Alabama Shrimp.

 

They agreed price was just accepted with no questions (can't remember what it was) and I forgot to tell them the mileage so they rung a few days later and asked, again no problems.

 

Don't think it came with any kind of breakdown cover though

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I've been with Classicline for 4-5 years. They're quite good but like being with Aviva since 1998 for house insurance I just find a decent firm and stick with, pulling them up if I get a sniff of pisstaking. I used Flux once for that reason.

[Leyland Lawrence]

Lancaster and Footman James good. I made a claim on an MG Midget and they were decent and honourable

 

£105 for the Dolomite. Think that's about as low as you get.

 

Only insurer I wouldn't touch is MSM Insurance. Had a staggeringly rude email from one of the (presume) owners and wouldn't touch them again. Given I have 4 vehicles to insure it's their loss.

 

I also used Adrian Flux once and wouldn't do so again.

 

What about Peter Best?

[Volksy]

I currently in a battle with Lancaster, I renewed my insurance with them after the first year, and they took the opportunity to add loads of extra cover on I didn't request. when i cancelled the policy about six months later, they want payment in full (for the year) for the extra cover (key/legal/breakdown). Granted I should have checked my documents, however on a renewal I expected everything to stay the same as the previous policy.

 

[nacho man]

Yeah they always try and add lost keys insurance something like 12 quid ask them to take it off as I reckon they try and sting everyone with it, also they always add extra legal cover when it already comes with some.

 

But I have been with them a while for old crocks and there always pretty cheap but I am sure there just brokers anyway.

[alf892]

Lancaster seem ok......I have two with them now.

Rover 12 is £80 and pickup is £108......both prices seem ok and I always hesitate to renew which gets a couple of quid off.

 

I don't take any extras as I think they just rob you by trying to unsettle you. I don't take agreed value anymore as they want to charge £15 every two years......not much I agree but quite a % given all they do is take a quick glance at some photos. Also I would be ok with 'market' value on either as this is not as free and easy on old stuff as they would have you believe.

[HillmanImp]

I took out a policy with them about 12 years ago which included free breakdown cover. When I eventually broke down and rang the recovery number, their system did not show breakdown cover as apparently I rang up after I took the policy out and cancelled it 'as I had cover elsewhere'. 

 

Explaining that as I did not have cover elsewhere, that I would not do this, they explained that it showed on their system that I had cancelled it and that was it. I was in correspondence with them for the best part of a year to try and get the £350 I had paid to get trailered home back from them before I gave up and just decided never to use them again.

[alf892]

I should have made one point clear

 

All insurance companies are robbing fuckers and are painful to deal with.

 

I just try to find one that is cheap with as few 'security' questions as possible. I have an irrational hatred of security questions. Especially when they ring me.

[spike60]

I insured a 924 with Footman James in July and then called to cancel the insurance 3 months later when I sold it. My complaint isn't the % I get back, but the time it takes. I sent the docs back 1st class on Oct 27 and am still waiting for my refund.

" Cheques have to go through the Leeds branch and there is a backlog of at least a month" says the woman, a bit strange when I paid by Direct Debit. I was a cynic I would assume they an account for refunds and hang on till the last moment for the interest......

As luck has it, they've sent me a customer questionnaire in association with one of the classic car mags! Fucking right I'll fill it in, thanks.

[DVee8]

I have the Daimler insured with Gott and Wynne

[oldcars]

I use Bridle they are a broker. Need to shop about as the Reliant renewal is a bit steep.

[beko1987]

How does this work for 20 year old NuShite?

 

IE, if I sack Aviva multicar off on renewal, get SWMBO set up on a nice sexist wummins only policy and got myself a classic (over 20 year old) policy on the ZX, with commuting included at about 12k p/a

 

Would that work, or should I continue with the normal multicar? It's only £123 a month for both of us fully comp with some extras (of which I forget about now)

 

My car is my insurance policy. In the event of a write-off style accident, presuming I'm fine etc the other party (if not a complete cock) will be given the option of either cash up to £350 (what I paid for the car) and no more said, or take the hit, buy another Zx and part swap/weighbridge for the rest or just anouther £3-400 car. I hope they take option A, my excess is £350 iirc! If I bin it into something stationary and not a car, only you guys will hear about it as I either carry on driving it, or repair it etc.

[DVee8]

A £123 a month .Bloody hell my multicar is £302,in total.

[beko1987]

Yep, both cars, me with 5 years ncb swmbo 3, no claims, my points will be declared on it still, fully comp etc

 

Its why I never bother changing. I look around, find something maybe £20 cheaper per month then think what's the point, I'll have to pull a few hundred £ out my arse to set up a new policy etc, so just hit renew!

[Volksy]

I think Dvee8 Was saying that the annual cost for his multicar was £302!

[DVee8]

^^yep £302 a year fully comp with business cover for both

[danthecapriman]

I've got Adrian Flux classic cover on my Mercury. They came in cheapest when I was phoning around so went with them. Also got full recovery/breakdown cover with them. I think I pay £130 or thereabouts for it all (insurance + breakdown)

I wasn't going to bother with the extra breakdown/recovery but since it seemed cheap I went for it. Turned out a good move as the car broke down on the way home from collecting it. I rang Flux up and expected a load of shit about not having the cover for long so your not getting recovered etc etc but they said, no bother a trucks on the way to get you and the car home!

Both times I've spoke to them they seemed very polite and helpful so I have no complaints about them.

 

My Granada is with Lancaster on classic policy. Has been with them for a few years, and again it's always a good price and I've no complaints.

 

The only insurer I've had trouble with was Direct Line. I got rear ended, not my fault and should have been an easy claim to deal with. the other driver kicked off and basically Direct Line (my insurer!) for some unknown reason admitted liability on my behalf (without my consent!) this cost me several years no claims and made my insurance for the next few years more expensive than it should have been! Needless to say I changed insurer straight after they did it and never have or will use the tossers again.

[Hertz]

Think you can't grumble for £105 quid. Check what's included and the excess.

 

I have just renewed the VW Camper for £125 and that included full homestart, uk and european break down cover.

 

I'm with Classicline too, always match any other quote if I can find cheaper and always speak to a human being quickly on the phone. Had a claim a couple fo years ago for £6k to repair my previous Alpine which they paid out on no problems.

[mrcitroen]

My BX is with Adrian Flux and the GS is with Footman James. Both on agreed value and limited mileage. I have never claimed so can't say how they are in a crisis. AF can / are arsey over the agreed value wanting photos and statement each year. GS is sub 100 but BX just over.

[MarvinsMom]

One insurance  lot that i will never EVER use again are Admiral/Diamond/Elephant/Sheila's Wheels. i've lumped them all together as they are the same mob, and they are the biggest pack of thieving, useless twats ever in the whole of human history.

 

i had the Mini insured with them when i first bought it, about 8-9 years ago. i had a bump in it, as i ran into the back of another car. it was at the end of october, the road was wet and muddy and it was dark. the other car stopped unexpectedly, and i sadly did not.

 

the car got recovered to Turners in Balby, where the furry dice, umbrella, tire pressure gauge, a couple of CD's and my spare specs (?) all got pinched.

 

the car was then to be written off, and the insurance lot wanted my permission to dispose of it BEFORE telling me how much i would get for it. thins went on for a couple of weeks before they finally came up with a £800. that became £500 after the excess.....

 

oddly enough i told them to go and get bent, and that i wanted the car back. they then turned around and said that they couldn't tell me where they had moved my own car too.

 

at that, SWMBO father got involved and threatened them with all hell, including the FSA and watchdog, the car was then miraculously returned to me within the hour of Bas putting the phone down (it had been at Copart, which isnt far from theirs)

 

when taking the insurance out, the call centre staff were all english, but, if you needed to call them, then you had to queue for an age before b een put through to some sod in india who couldn't speak english, and certainly didn't understand me. i have a northern accent, but not that strong. they where just fookin' useless, and since then i've refused to use them again. i've taken great delight in telling the drones who have called me since at renewal time that i'm not interested, and also what i think of their employer.