Sick of insurance companies!!

[s2bear]

Hello,
Trying to insure my New LHD Cali Beach Edition is proving so difficult.
Why can’t insurance companies just quote for the risk and get on with it - why all the caveats.
CARAVAN GUARD quoted me £653 yesterday, in writing. Today when I called them, they said they’d listened to the call from yesterday and decided I didn’t have enough experience driving ‘motor homes’ and added around £140 to the quote (I hadn’t changed my story, was up front and have driven LARGE and American 4x4s & LHD’s most of my life) Then it transpired that if I went to stay at a friends house or at my in laws but didn’t stay in the Cali I would have to tell them every time I did something like this.... absolute shysters. I’m a 48 year old bloke with 12 years NCB living in West London and want it as my daily driver for 12k miles per year max. NFU Mutual said they won’t quote me as they’re uncompetitive in my postcode. A-Plan 8k per annum max miles. Comfort sounded good at £326 but they have a 10k miles per annum max and reading on here sounds like they have the same rules about telling them if you’re away from home but not kipping in the van (I offered them more money for the 2k extra miles but they said no). Adrian Flux wanted a £970 and a CAT1 and a Tracker (slipped in at the end) , Clubcare said £972 - I’m wondering if they have the ‘not at home’ rule too and it’s a lot of dough. LV and AA don’t do LHD, Brentacre £740 but need a tracker and it’s underwritten by ‘MarkerStudy’ who are only Defaqto 2 Star and don’t care if it’s modified (you don’t even have to tell them) - is that good or bad? Doesn’t seem the best value considering the underwriter. I’ve tried so many others including CaravanWise (won’t insure me at all as it’s not a second car) and Scenic - didn’t Instil confidence as refused to put the car down as in a secure underground car park or garage, instead insisting I put it down as ‘on street’ (what the dickens!?!?!) and then wanted a tracker and CAT1 etc... so the long and short of it is that I’m sitting at home and can’t drive the car as I can’t get a quote and it’s Saturday and it’s half term week.... What’s wrong with these people!?!? I’m not even trying to go with the cheapest - I want to pay for decent quality insurance with someone who’s not trying to trip me up with unreasonable loopholes. I give up and feel like selling the sodding thing before it’s turned a wheel.

 

[Kevthegas]

I used to use Aplan insurance for my kombi's and Cali Beach, usually helpful and you can discuss things with them!! The guy I used to deal with is Dan on 01635 879905, he does a lot of shows and deals with clubs ect.
I now insure with Admiral multi car paying about £170 a year for the beach but we do now live on the South Coast.
Best of luck

 

[Meoncoast]

Have you tried the Camping Club or Caravan and Motorhome Clubs. Always found the latter good value and helpful when claimed last year.

 

[larrylamb]

Safeguard?

 

[GrannyJen]

Hello,
Trying to insure my New LHD Cali Beach Edition is proving so difficult.
Why can’t insurance companies just quote for the risk and get on with it - why all the caveats.
CARAVAN GUARD quoted me £653 yesterday, in writing. Today when I called them, they said they’d listened to the call from yesterday and decided I didn’t have enough experience driving ‘motor homes’ and added around £140 to the quote (I hadn’t changed my story, was up front and have driven LARGE and American 4x4s & LHD’s most of my life) Then it transpired that if I went to stay at a friends house or at my in laws but didn’t stay in the Cali I would have to tell them every time I did something like this.... absolute shysters. I’m a 48 year old bloke with 12 years NCB living in West London and want it as my daily driver for 12k miles per year max. NFU Mutual said they won’t quote me as they’re uncompetitive in my postcode. A-Plan 8k per annum max miles. Comfort sounded good at £326 but they have a 10k miles per annum max and reading on here sounds like they have the same rules about telling them if you’re away from home but not kipping in the van (I offered them more money for the 2k extra miles but they said no). Adrian Flux wanted a £970 and a CAT1 and a Tracker (slipped in at the end) , Clubcare said £972 - I’m wondering if they have the ‘not at home’ rule too and it’s a lot of dough. LV and AA don’t do LHD, Brentacre £740 but need a tracker and it’s underwritten by ‘MarkerStudy’ who are only Defaqto 2 Star and don’t care if it’s modified (you don’t even have to tell them) - is that good or bad? Doesn’t seem the best value considering the underwriter. I’ve tried so many others including CaravanWise (won’t insure me at all as it’s not a second car) and Scenic - didn’t Instil confidence as refused to put the car down as in a secure underground car park or garage, instead insisting I put it down as ‘on street’ (what the dickens!?!?!) and then wanted a tracker and CAT1 etc... so the long and short of it is that I’m sitting at home and can’t drive the car as I can’t get a quote and it’s Saturday and it’s half term week.... What’s wrong with these people!?!? I’m not even trying to go with the cheapest - I want to pay for decent quality insurance with someone who’s not trying to trip me up with unreasonable loopholes. I give up and feel like selling the sodding thing before it’s turned a wheel.

I am surprised at Comfort. I have 25,000 miles a year with them.

 

[WelshGas]

Hello,
Trying to insure my New LHD Cali Beach Edition is proving so difficult.
Why can’t insurance companies just quote for the risk and get on with it - why all the caveats.
CARAVAN GUARD quoted me £653 yesterday, in writing. Today when I called them, they said they’d listened to the call from yesterday and decided I didn’t have enough experience driving ‘motor homes’ and added around £140 to the quote (I hadn’t changed my story, was up front and have driven LARGE and American 4x4s & LHD’s most of my life) Then it transpired that if I went to stay at a friends house or at my in laws but didn’t stay in the Cali I would have to tell them every time I did something like this.... absolute shysters. I’m a 48 year old bloke with 12 years NCB living in West London and want it as my daily driver for 12k miles per year max. NFU Mutual said they won’t quote me as they’re uncompetitive in my postcode. A-Plan 8k per annum max miles. Comfort sounded good at £326 but they have a 10k miles per annum max and reading on here sounds like they have the same rules about telling them if you’re away from home but not kipping in the van (I offered them more money for the 2k extra miles but they said no). Adrian Flux wanted a £970 and a CAT1 and a Tracker (slipped in at the end) , Clubcare said £972 - I’m wondering if they have the ‘not at home’ rule too and it’s a lot of dough. LV and AA don’t do LHD, Brentacre £740 but need a tracker and it’s underwritten by ‘MarkerStudy’ who are only Defaqto 2 Star and don’t care if it’s modified (you don’t even have to tell them) - is that good or bad? Doesn’t seem the best value considering the underwriter. I’ve tried so many others including CaravanWise (won’t insure me at all as it’s not a second car) and Scenic - didn’t Instil confidence as refused to put the car down as in a secure underground car park or garage, instead insisting I put it down as ‘on street’ (what the dickens!?!?!) and then wanted a tracker and CAT1 etc... so the long and short of it is that I’m sitting at home and can’t drive the car as I can’t get a quote and it’s Saturday and it’s half term week.... What’s wrong with these people!?!? I’m not even trying to go with the cheapest - I want to pay for decent quality insurance with someone who’s not trying to trip me up with unreasonable loopholes. I give up and feel like selling the sodding thing before it’s turned a wheel.

Caravan and Motorhome Club. Insure LHD. You don’t have to be a member but you get a Discount if you are.

 

[s2bear]

Thanks guys, I went with Comfort in the end and will just try and keep the miles down. I liked it because it’s underwritten by Aviva but nothing I can do about the Mileage allowance apparently - That’s specific to the Beach model - no mileage restrictions with The Ocean model. Safeguard don’t insure Beaches - their sister Co is Scenic who were a bit odd with insisting I go along with saying it’s parked in a street rather than a secure underground car park. Clubcare (camping and caravanning club) were the ones coming in at around £972 which seemed steep given I could insure a new Discovery for around 1/2 that price and it costs 10k more. In the end, what I bought was not ideal but my choice felt extremely limited and I lost count of the amount of companies I spent 15 minutes on the phone with, only to find out at the end of the call that they couldn’t insure me for some obscure reason such as Sum insured, Mileage required, wrong postcode, it’s not a second vehicle, I’ve limited experience driving a Cali, someone in the same street got a pig stuck up a chimney, blah blah. I Really appreciate the responses and do apologise about my ranting on (and on), it’s not much help to anyone else so I’ll try and post something useful next!

 

[DAN@ADRIANFLUX]

Hi,
I'm sorry we could offer a more competitive quotation for you.
Regards,
Dan.

 

[GrannyJen]

Thanks guys, I went with Comfort in the end and will just try and keep the miles down. I liked it because it’s underwritten by Aviva but nothing I can do about the Mileage allowance apparently - That’s specific to the Beach model - no mileage restrictions with The Ocean model. Safeguard don’t insure Beaches - their sister Co is Scenic who were a bit odd with insisting I go along with saying it’s parked in a street rather than a secure underground car park. Clubcare (camping and caravanning club) were the ones coming in at around £972 which seemed steep given I could insure a new Discovery for around 1/2 that price and it costs 10k more. In the end, what I bought was not ideal but my choice felt extremely limited and I lost count of the amount of companies I spent 15 minutes on the phone with, only to find out at the end of the call that they couldn’t insure me for some obscure reason such as Sum insured, Mileage required, wrong postcode, it’s not a second vehicle, I’ve limited experience driving a Cali, someone in the same street got a pig stuck up a chimney, blah blah. I Really appreciate the responses and do apologise about my ranting on (and on), it’s not much help to anyone else so I’ll try and post something useful next!

You are welcome to your rant. I'm sure we have all had them at one time or another

Welcome to the forum. I'm glad you are sorted, at last!

 

[s2bear]

I used to use Aplan insurance for my kombi's and Cali Beach, usually helpful and you can discuss things with them!! The guy I used to deal with is Dan on 01635 879905, he does a lot of shows and deals with clubs ect.
I now insure with Admiral multi car paying about £170 a year for the beach but we do now live on the South Coast.
Best of luck

Thanks - A-Plan have an 8k miles per annum limit. Stu

 

[s2bear]

You are welcome to your rant. I'm sure we have all had them at one time or another

Welcome to the forum. I'm glad you are sorted, at last!

Thanks - it’s been a journey but I’m glad to be here!

 

[s2bear]

Reading the policy documents, some things that make me feel uneasy are:
‘Your policy does not cover the following:
Loss or damage covered under section 1 if your camper van is stored for a period in excess of 48 hours anywhere other than the storage location disclosed to us in your statement of fact’....
So I asked Comfort if I would still be covered if I drive to my in-laws’ house on the south coast, park outside and stay there on vacation for a week, using the car when I’m there. OR scenario B, drive to the alps to go skiing and the car is parked outside a friends’ chalet - I was told that YES I would be covered. This statement seems to indicate otherwise.

Further reading reveals that one is not covered for loss or damage which is caused by or is a result of, Earthquake. Riot or Civil commotion outside England Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Not sure where this last point leaves you if you’re at a site in France or Spain, minding your own business and an angry mob of youths decides to trash a few things in their path or a group of protestors / individuals get serious with their roadblock in Calais and throw a brick at you, causing a stack as you’re trying to get to the Eurotunnel. This latter scenario might have seemed a remote possibility in the past but is entirely feasible in the current climate.

I just want to be covered, comprehensively and I get that I’ll pay for the privilege. I just don’t understand why this has to be so complicated. I’m not done with this.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I have been covered with admiral for the last 5 years with our Beach.

 

[Lloydfred]

Onesure insured me on my 2010 California for £256

 

[2into1]

I had a similar run around due to my non standard needs....business use, no access to another vehicle, not a great postcode. The only sensible conversation I had (where I would have asked the same questions to properly understand the risk) was with Lifesure (.co.uk). May be worth trying for others with similar needs.

 

[s2bear]

Onesure insured me on my 2010 California for £256

Thanks very much - I’ll take a look. S

 

[s2bear]

I had a similar run around due to my non standard needs....business use, no access to another vehicle, not a great postcode. The only sensible conversation I had (where I would have asked the same questions to properly understand the risk) was with Lifesure (.co.uk). May be worth trying for others with similar needs.

Many thanks. I’ll check this out too! S

 

[Velma's Dad]

Further reading reveals that one is not covered for loss or damage which is caused by or is a result of, Earthquake. Riot or Civil commotion outside England Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Not sure where this last point leaves you if you’re at a site in France or Spain, minding your own business and an angry mob of youths decides to trash a few things in their path or a group of protestors / individuals get serious with their roadblock in Calais and throw a brick at you, causing a stack as you’re trying to get to the Eurotunnel. This latter scenario might have seemed a remote possibility in the past but is entirely feasible in the current climate.

I haven't checked recently but as far as I recall it most insurance has standard exclusions for those types of risks.

I recall from somewhere that a 'riot' has a pretty specific definition in English law (at least twelve people, with certain implied violent intents, isn't it?) so if some random parent chucks a rock at your van when the school run parking turns ugly, you're probably covered insurance wise. But in France, well who knows and probably there's something in the Napoleonic code that covers it.

I bet the definition of 'civil commotion' would be something that would keep insurance underwriters awake at night, but would be a good cure for insomnia for the rest of us.

 

[s2bear]

I haven't checked recently but as far as I recall it most insurance has standard exclusions for those types of risks.

I recall from somewhere that a 'riot' has a pretty specific definition in English law (at least twelve people, with certain implied violent intents, isn't it?) so if some random parent chucks a rock at your van when the school run parking turns ugly, you're probably covered insurance wise. But in France, well who knows and probably there's something in the Napoleonic code that covers it.

I bet the definition of 'civil commotion' would be something that would keep insurance underwriters awake at night, but would be a good cure for insomnia for the rest of us.

Ha - that’s so funny and spot on! I think I googled Civil Commotion at around midnight and it’s defined as 3 or more people here in the UK.... according to one website that I fell asleep whilst reading!