Challenges getting insurance as main vehicle

Caliburt · Nov 7, 2012

Not sure if this will be of help to people but requirements and situation I am in for seeking insurance made my search for a decently priced premium quite challenging and if anyone has similar needs this should save you some time.

I have a 2012 unmodified Cali 140. It is worth £36k, and I park it on the road in London suburb, need to use it for commuting, around 10k miles per year, have 3 points for speeding, and want to use abroad. I am 41, UK resident,13 years NCD, full UK driving license. Also named driver on partner's car.

Based on the above I found that all the usual suspects (Comfort, A-Plan, Choice) could not insure me. I was quoted by VW and Adrian Flux but all above or close to £1000. These were commercial policies rather than Motorhome also.

Anyway, I finally struck gold with Camping and Caravan Club (Vantage) who found me a policy with Groupama for sub £400 and meeting all requirements including up to 15k miles and 365 days in Europe. The excess is a bit higher than I would like £300, but overall way better than any other options.

Cheers!

choplee · Nov 7, 2012

Personally stay away from Adrian flux .. I don't have much to say about insurance companies ,but these guys I used 3 different times and never again

Andy · Nov 7, 2012

I renewed my policy with CC&C insurance this year. I had 10 years NCB that I wanted to perpetuate & Comfort are not interested. Premium was similar to Comfort renewal & unlimited mileage. I also told Comfort why I was not renewing with them, lack of NCB recognition & the away from van cover limit of 24 hrs. Didn't seem that interested.

MichaelB · Nov 7, 2012

jreid said:
Not sure if this will be of help to people but requirements and situation I am in for seeking insurance made my search for a decently priced premium quite challenging and if anyone has similar needs this should save you some time.

I have a 2012 unmodified Cali 140. It is worth £36k, and I park it on the road in London suburb, need to use it for commuting, around 10k miles per year, have 3 points for speeding, and want to use abroad. I am 41, UK resident,13 years NCD, full UK driving license. Also named driver on partner's car.

Based on the above I found that all the usual suspects (Comfort, A-Plan, Choice) could not insure me. I was quoted by VW and Adrian Flux but all above or close to £1000. These were commercial policies rather than Motorhome also.

Anyway, I finally struck gold with Camping and Caravan Club (Vantage) who found me a policy with Groupama for sub £400 and meeting all requirements including up to 15k miles and 365 days in Europe. The excess is a bit higher than I would like £300, but overall way better than any other options.

Cheers!

I had similar requirements except no speeding points and we wanted unlimited millage plus business miles and SafeGuard came up trumps with a sub £400 policy that included AA European cover.

Bjohnson · Nov 14, 2012

I'm trying to sort insurance now, so your info is well received.

Heres another point to add; I contacted Carole Nash insurance as I'd spotted them whilst browsing 'Practical Motorhome' in Tescos ( :lol

. Anyway, I called them because they insure my motorbikes with a very comprehensive and competitive policy.

However; I currently do not have a car, so the Cali is in my name, my wife has her own car. We share my wifes car and use the cali at weekends. Simple enough.

Carole Nash cant offer me a policy as their motorhome policy is only if the motorhome is a second vehicle. As i dont have a 'first' vehicle i cant get a quote. I cant get a quote in my wifes name either as the Cali is not registered in her name :crazy

sebking · Nov 14, 2012

Direct Line will cover it as a Car now. As for Flux don't touch them with a bargepole.

Brianmini · Nov 15, 2012

Never ever use Average Fux! Thats me personal opinion.

Oops I've done it again, no doubt they will send me a cease and desist letter like they did last time.

I had the misfortune of being insured with Fux many years ago with my classic mini. I was hit by an unisured driver and it took 3 months to get the car fixed, it was written off/written on/written off/written on......

At no point did Fux uplift my car, which was parked at the then In-laws, where the car was then broken into, and Fux wanted nothing to do with it, even though the car should have been in their care during decision making (i.e. stored at a coachworks safely).

So finally the car was fixed and returned to me with no MOT, which had lapsed whilst being repaired, and the repaired were not up to MOT standard (car failed), and they wanted nothing to do with it.

I even ended up sourcing parts for repair because Fux said they were no longer in production.

Madness, for a self proclaimed car insurance specialist they have no clue.

I swear by RAC, who are just a broker, I've been with them 12 years. That said get a requote every year, I switch between online (compare the market) and phoning RAC direct, and I get great quotes, albeit on a car.

sebking · Nov 15, 2012

I have a 12 seat Land Rover v8 Station Wagon. Flux are "experts" in Land Rovers. They never asked how many seats it had, and being I experts I assumed they would know it had either 10 or 12 as it's a station wagon. We were discussing something on the policy and I let slip this info, within 5 mins they had cancelled the policy and basically gave me sod all refund and left me stuck with no insurance, no grace period, just we don't cover more than 7 seats, end of.

Even when I supplied the "experts" the original sales brochures from LR describing the model range the said that they couldn't be experts in all variants. I gave up. LR experts my backside.

Muppets.

Caliburt · Nov 15, 2012

Try Safeguard as per follow-up post. Just before I signed on the line I checked with them and I got full business use cover, unlimited European cover including breakdown, £15k miles, £200 excess, and it came in right around £500, which for me was worth it for the business use as have to commute to multiple locations e.g. station carpark, office, customers etc. It is my only car, insured as a Motorhome and I have use of wife's car.

deedee · Nov 17, 2012

Brianmini said:
I swear by RAC, who are just a broker, I've been with them 12 years. That said get a requote every year, I switch between online (compare the market) and phoning RAC direct, and I get great quotes, albeit on a car.

I have insurance with RAC. It expires in January and it can't come too soon.
Never had to make a claim, but wanted to go to France. To my surprise, RAC won't extend comp cover whilst abroad. :crazy
Then, I phoned them a few months ago to ask if its OK to fit winter tyres? They checked with the underwriters, answer "No, its classed as a modification, no mods allowed" :headbang