New Sponsor for our Insurance Section: Comfort

[Martin]

We would like to welcome our brand new sponsor of our Insurance section.

Comfort Insurance http://www.comfort-insurance.co.uk/campervan-insurance/

As most of you are probably be aware, Comfort Insurance are one of the most popular insurers for the Cali and always offer very competive premiums, we now also have the bonus of a direct contact at their offices for any of your complex insurance questions on forum.

Also you are first people to see their brand new logo:
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[slowcoach65]

Could Comfort confirm whether or not their insurance covers repairs with VW parts? This was a sticking point for me when I was looking into insurance with several other companies. My understanding is that in order to maintain the VW warranty following an accident, original VW parts must be used.

Andy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[gatvol]

WARNING WARNING WARNING

I seem to recall that Comfort had a MAJOR exclusion whereby if your vehicle was left "unattended" for a really short period of time, perhaps as little as 36 hours ? That you were possibly NOT covered.

Sincere apologies if I am wide of the mark here, or this is perhaps old news and Comfort is now a better policy than I remember it as being. I am very happy to be contradicted if people want to update this thread accordingly

This was a total deal breaker for me at the time as it would have excluded my £45,000 vehicle from cover if I left it at an airport car park. For me the whole point of the Cali was the freedom that it offered and the reality is that the Cali is a "car on occasion", or indeed "only vehicle" for many owners, and it is not just a massive Winnebago.

Might I implore forum users to really look HARD into the exclusions associated from this policy as when I last spoke to Comfort, it was wholly inappropriate for my needs.

Looking briefly at the Comfort website just now ...

"If for any reason your vehicle will not be within your custody or control for a period in excess of 36 hours, then you must notify Comfort Insurance in advance. Please refer to Section I of this policy for information on security of stored vehicles." .....

"Section 1 Exclusions ...
13. Cover in respect of fire or theft whilst your motor caravan is in storage, unless
a) your motor caravan is stored at your private address; or
b) Your motor caravan is stored on the private driveway of a close friend or relative, provided that it forms part of their property (subject to acceptance of postcode)
c) your motor caravan is stored in a securely locked and alarmed building; or
d) your motor caravan is stored in a securely fenced and locked storage compound with the following minimum protection; or
i) security lighting
ii) mobile security patrols and/or a resident caretaker or operator of the storage compound whose private dwelling house is immediately adjacent to the sole access point to the storage compound.
e) Your motor caravan is stored at a CASSOA gold facility."

 

[calikev]

I believe this only applies abroad if you leave it at the airport in the uk you are covered
Again we will find out for you

 

[Martin]

Could Comfort confirm whether or not their insurance covers repairs with VW parts? This was a sticking point for me when I was looking into insurance with several other companies. My understanding is that in order to maintain the VW warranty following an accident, original VW parts must be used.

Andy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

ANSWER FROM COMFORT
If an Aviva Approved repair is used then manufactory parts are used and any repair will have a guaranteed period that id greater than any warranty period

 

[Martin]

WARNING WARNING WARNING

I seem to recall that Comfort had a MAJOR exclusion whereby if your vehicle was left "unattended" for a really short period of time, perhaps as little as 36 hours ? That you were possibly NOT covered.

Sincere apologies if I am wide of the mark here, or this is perhaps old news and Comfort is now a better policy than I remember it as being. I am very happy to be contradicted if people want to update this thread accordingly

This was a total deal breaker for me at the time as it would have excluded my £45,000 vehicle from cover if I left it at an airport car park. For me the whole point of the Cali was the freedom that it offered and the reality is that the Cali is a "car on occasion", or indeed "only vehicle" for many owners, and it is not just a massive Winnebago.

Might I implore forum users to really look HARD into the exclusions associated from this policy as when I last spoke to Comfort, it was wholly inappropriate for my needs.

Looking briefly at the Comfort website just now ...

"If for any reason your vehicle will not be within your custody or control for a period in excess of 36 hours, then you must notify Comfort Insurance in advance. Please refer to Section I of this policy for information on security of stored vehicles." .....

"Section 1 Exclusions ...
13. Cover in respect of fire or theft whilst your motor caravan is in storage, unless
a) your motor caravan is stored at your private address; or
b) Your motor caravan is stored on the private driveway of a close friend or relative, provided that it forms part of their property (subject to acceptance of postcode)
c) your motor caravan is stored in a securely locked and alarmed building; or
d) your motor caravan is stored in a securely fenced and locked storage compound with the following minimum protection; or
i) security lighting
ii) mobile security patrols and/or a resident caretaker or operator of the storage compound whose private dwelling house is immediately adjacent to the sole access point to the storage compound.
e) Your motor caravan is stored at a CASSOA gold facility."

ANSWER FROM COMFORT
This only applies to vehicle being left unattended in Europe for more than 36 hours not to the UK. It is never normally an issue unless they are living in the vehicle and want to fly home for periods and leave the vehicle unattended

I don’t have the details in relation to the cali being left at an airport but if this a European Airport for them to fly home for a period this may have been the issue

If you look at some other topics the 36 hour thing has been covered and played out. I think it just this one case we were not able to underwrite his requirements and I would say this is an isolated case not the rule .

 

[antonio buffa]

We would like to welcome our brand new sponsor of our Insurance section.

Comfort Insurance http://www.comfort-insurance.co.uk/campervan-insurance/

As most of you are probably be aware, Comfort Insurance are one of the most popular insurers for the Cali and always offer very competive premiums, we now also have the bonus of a direct contact at their offices for any of your complex insurance questions on forum.

Also you are first people to see their brand new logo:
-

View attachment 5614

Hullo,

I am afraid I have some negative feedback on this company: I am Insured with them and in the middle of a no- fault claim where they should activate a courtesy vehicle via a third party. They Communication is not great and progress after 5 days is non existent , I am being politely bounced from pillar to post with no replacement vehicle in sight. Even worse they at first denied one of the benefits applicable to my policy was applicable until I firmly reminded them of their obligation.
Not impressed to say the least

 

[Velma's Dad]

Hullo,

I am afraid I have some negative feedback on this company: I am Insured with them and in the middle of a no- fault claim where they should activate a courtesy vehicle via a third party. They Communication is not great and progress after 5 days is non existent , I am being politely bounced from pillar to post with no replacement vehicle in sight. Even worse they at first denied one of the benefits applicable to my policy was applicable until I firmly reminded them of their obligation.
Not impressed to say the least

I don't know about Comfort but I've just been through (well, nearly) a non-fault claim on one of our cars after I got rear-ended. Was referred by insurer to an 'accident management' company which turns out (of course) to be a credit hire firm wanting to get me to sign up to a rental car commitment at nearly £300 a day for weeks while my car got fixed - which 'should' end up being paid for by the third party but could just end up in my lap if they default, or if other insurer could say I hadn't fully mitigated my losses and want to fight it out in court.

Long story but they were very coy about the way the contract would work ("its like a courtesy car...") until after they'd delivered the hire vehicle and paperwork, and I then declined their terms and ended up sending the vehicle back to them.

Next time (hope that will be in distant future) I will make my own arrangements for a hire vehicle, at sensible rate, and recover it myself from third party's insurer.

I think pretty much all the insurers work that way, ie through referrals to credit hire operators... for which the insurer receives a massive back-hand 'referral fee'. So they are in effect profiting from the accident you just had, as are the credit hirers, and all hugely inflating the total claim which ends up being paid for by all of us through our premiums (Competition Commission estimated a £90 million a year cost to motorists from all this, but failed to recommend legislation against it).

Sadly, another confirmation for me of the way the insurance industry doesn't work in the consumers' interests. End of rant.

 

[antonio buffa]

W

I don't know about Comfort but I've just been through (well, nearly) a non-fault claim on one of our cars after I got rear-ended. Was referred by insurer to an 'accident management' company which turns out (of course) to be a credit hire firm wanting to get me to sign up to a rental car commitment at nearly £300 a day for weeks while my car got fixed - which 'should' end up being paid for by the third party but could just end up in my lap if they default, or if other insurer could say I hadn't fully mitigated my losses and want to fight it out in court.

Long story but they were very coy about the way the contract would work ("its like a courtesy car...") until after they'd delivered the hire vehicle and paperwork, and I then declined their terms and ended up sending the vehicle back to them.

Next time (hope that will be in distant future) I will make my own arrangements for a hire vehicle, at sensible rate, and recover it myself from third party's insurer.

I think pretty much all the insurers work that way, ie through referrals to credit hire operators... for which the insurer receives a massive back-hand 'referral fee'. So they are in effect profiting from the accident you just had, as are the credit hirers, and all hugely inflating the total claim which ends up being paid for by all of us through our premiums (Competition Commission estimated a £90 million a year cost to motorists from all this, but failed to recommend legislation against it).

Sadly, another confirmation for me of the way the insurance industry doesn't work in the consumers' interests. End of rant.

well... you are describing my situation exactly, I was initially sent to one of this credit hire agreement people and for the reasons you explain I declined as Comfort are supposed to offer a bolt on benefit where the pain is taken away by a legal protection company (DAS Legal ) that will arrange a courtesy car for you, or so I hope given I have been fobbed off for the last few days...I will obviously pursue till the end but will seriously consider my options when renewing next year

 

[Karlos]

I don't know about Comfort but I've just been through (well, nearly) a non-fault claim on one of our cars after I got rear-ended. Was referred by insurer to an 'accident management' company which turns out (of course) to be a credit hire firm wanting to get me to sign up to a rental car commitment at nearly £300 a day for weeks while my car got fixed - which 'should' end up being paid for by the third party but could just end up in my lap if they default, or if other insurer could say I hadn't fully mitigated my losses and want to fight it out in court.

Long story but they were very coy about the way the contract would work ("its like a courtesy car...") until after they'd delivered the hire vehicle and paperwork, and I then declined their terms and ended up sending the vehicle back to them.

Next time (hope that will be in distant future) I will make my own arrangements for a hire vehicle, at sensible rate, and recover it myself from third party's insurer.

I think pretty much all the insurers work that way, ie through referrals to credit hire operators... for which the insurer receives a massive back-hand 'referral fee'. So they are in effect profiting from the accident you just had, as are the credit hirers, and all hugely inflating the total claim which ends up being paid for by all of us through our premiums (Competition Commission estimated a £90 million a year cost to motorists from all this, but failed to recommend legislation against it).

Sadly, another confirmation for me of the way the insurance industry doesn't work in the consumers' interests. End of rant.

Tell me it wasn't the TR.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Tell me it wasn't the TR.

It wasn't the TR. Just a boring Audi. Phew.

 

[Velma's Dad]

W

well... you are describing my situation exactly, I was initially sent to one of this credit hire agreement people and for the reasons you explain I declined as Comfort are supposed to offer a bolt on benefit where the pain is taken away by a legal protection company (DAS Legal ) that will arrange a courtesy car for you, or so I hope given I have been fobbed off for the last few days...I will obviously pursue till the end but will seriously consider my options when renewing next year

Unfortunately I think pretty much all the insurers are the same on this (unless someone in the industry can reliably tell me otherwise). They all say in their advertising that you get a courtesy car if yours is off the road, blah blah blah. But actually they have no way of providing that, other than 'referring' you to a credit hire shark. It's another dirty little secret that you only find out about when you find you have to make a claim.

 

[Karlos]

It wasn't the TR. Just a boring Audi. Phew.

Don't tell Mrs K, I mean C that Audis are boring she loves hers and tried to persuade me to look at a new one this week. Hers was banished to park on the road for a short time, that didn't go down well.

Glad it wasn't the TR.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Don't tell Mrs K, I mean C that Audis are boring she loves hers and tried to persuade me to look at a new one this week. Hers was banished to park on the road for a short time, that didn't go down well.View attachment 66895

Glad it wasn't the TR.

Well that's one way to repair rear-end damage on a 13/60 Herald... (sorry, cheap shot). One of a kind, certainly. Does that thing still have a transverse cart spring at the back? if so, attached to what?

 

[Karlos]

Well that's one way to repair rear-end damage on a 13/60 Herald... (sorry, cheap shot). One of a kind, certainly. Does that thing still have a transverse cart spring at the back? if so, attached to what?

Spring was always independent of the body as its fixed to the diff in the middle, we call it Marmite and it's caused quite a stir when I first started going to shows with it and the TSSC wouldn't let me enter the concourse.

 

[antonio buffa]

Unfortunately I think pretty much all the insurers are the same on this (unless someone in the industry can reliably tell me otherwise). They all say in their advertising that you get a courtesy car if yours is off the road, blah blah blah. But actually they have no way of providing that, other than 'referring' you to a credit hire shark. It's another dirty little secret that you only find out about when you find you have to make a claim.

Interesting
I guess I will find out when I finally manage to get DAS to speak to me: there is a bit of a difference between providing a courtesy car and getting you to sign a credit hire agreement...

 

[Wogga]

Interesting
I guess I will find out when I finally manage to get DAS to speak to me: there is a bit of a difference between providing a courtesy car and getting you to sign a credit hire agreement...

I am still in a No fault claim with Comfort, never dealt with them at all, Aviva took care of vehicle related matters and currently the rest is being dealt with by DAS. No issues with communicating with either Despite the fact they are working from home. I have been allocated a solicitor who sorts everything, mind you I have not needed a replacement vehicle. In fact I never communicated with Comfort at all. I rang Aviva from the roadside excellent response, and once I had been treated I got in touch with DAS. All I can say is with the cover provided by Comfort everything is taken care of. I will go with them again with the Cali when it arrives, DAS cover is worth every penny.

 

[antonio buffa]

I am still in a No fault claim with Comfort, never dealt with them at all, Aviva took care of vehicle related matters and currently the rest is being dealt with by DAS. No issues with communicating with either Despite the fact they are working from home. I have been allocated a solicitor who sorts everything, mind you I have not needed a replacement vehicle. In fact I never communicated with Comfort at all. I rang Aviva from the roadside excellent response, and once I had been treated I got in touch with DAS. All I can say is with the cover provided by Comfort everything is taken care of. I will go with them again with the Cali when it arrives, DAS cover is worth every penny.

Again, interesting to hear of a different experience, I have no issue with Aviva who originally started the whole process, quite efficient lot who got the repair side of things started in a very short time, DAS however are a Comfort bolt on, it was only after I rejected the credit hire offer that I had to start chasing Comfort for a replacement vehicle.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Spring was always independent of the body as its fixed to the diff in the middle

Ah yes, memory playing up. A long time since I had Heralds and Spits, although I love 'em still.

Sorry for little thread hijack but let's face it it's more interesting than bloody insurance...