Value Versus Peace of Mind

[YorkshireHeathen]

This forum has been very helpful to me in understanding what I want with insurance for my new Cali when I get it on the 1st of September.

It alerted me specifically to a couple of worrying small print and other issues with some underwriters. Things such as cover when, say, you leave your van on a foreign campsite and hike into the hills for a few days, or the potential need for gap insurance if you want to get a like for like replacement van in the event of a total loss, or the degree of cover you get when in Europe not being as good as in the UK. So, a big thank you for everyone who has contributed to the various insurance threads on here.

In the end I decided that for me complete peace of mind is worth more than a hundred quid saving on a policy that somehow falls short of offering that. The gap insurance thing because some underwriters short change you on the actual cost of replacement in the event of loss or write off was a real worry to me. I also wanted the same cover in Europe as when I'm in the UK.

I've gone with VW's own insurance. If my van is written off it gets replaced with a brand new one, I have full cover in Europe including loading and disembarking from ferries etc, I can leave the van on a foreign campsite and go hiking for a few days without loss of cover if I want, and it also covers for anything I'm towing. Plus, any necessary repairs are at a VW shop with genuine parts, which I'm not sure you can insist on with all policies.

All in all I thought if I'm spending nearly £50K on my van it's a false economy skimping on insurance cover only to find I don't get what I expect in the unfortunate event of a claim. I took a voluntary excess of £750, because I haven't claimed on any insurance in the last 10 years and because I think I can afford that on a van which will be cared for with an obsessive degree of vigilance! The policy cost me £330, which I think is excellent value for the cover provided on such an expensive vehicle.

Thanks again for all the useful information on here folks.

Paul

 

[Martin]

Thanks for the post Paul, you are right that price is very competitive and comparable to Comfort and you are getting more for your money. Who is it underwritten by?

 

[YorkshireHeathen]

I didn't ask who underwrites it Martin, sorry. I just highlighted all the concerns I had as a result of reading on here and they were all answered plus there were a few other features that sounded good. New for old though is fantastic I think. I don't live in a high risk area though so I guess that helps a lot, along with a clean licence and being 51.

Paul

 

[choplee]

I got new for old with comfort insurance and was cheaper than Vw and seems to be setup for motorhomes .. I had a nightmare with both my new vw commercials and the Cali 7 day insurance ,so wouldn't personally use them myself .. The insurance itself maybe ok ,but support and service bad for me ...

 

[Stu]

VW Insurance is with Allianz this year I think.

Interesting that you got insurance from them, and of course you should as they should stand by the product, however when I called them they (before taking any of my details so it's not location or driver related) told me they wouldn't insure a California without a tracker device.

 

[YorkshireHeathen]

Very strange :? No mention of that with me and before they took my money they read everything back to me including the vehicle name, model etc. I just phoned the freephone number 0800 316 7892 and they were under no illusion about the vehicle as we discussed the issues around leaving it on campsites etc. Thanks Stu, I will go through the documents with a fine toothed comb when they arrive just in case.

Paul

 

[choplee]

The more security u have on the Cali with comfort the lower the premium ,but you only had to have basic factory spec alarm fitted . Cat 1 took 5% off and if u had tracker it was another 5% or more off

 

[Stu]

You can put those tracker things where the sun doesn't shine in my opinion.

 

[coordinated]

How so, Mr Stu?

 

[choplee]

You can put those tracker things where the sun doesn't shine in my opinion.

I agree .. I wouldnt want my Cali back after a thieves body had been in it driving it and damaged it ... So a tracker fruit bar is the only tracker that will be in Beth the Berg ...lol

 

[Stu]

How so, Mr Stu?

What's to be gained?? You pay upwards of £400-£500 to have one installed and then fees of several hundred a year to get a 5% discount off of a circa £300 insurance policy.

So far as I can see if it goes and doesn't come back I'm better off as my new for old will cover me.

I had one years ago, RAC Trackstar. Cost me best part of a grand to have it installed and then £39/month iirc to keep it online. Granted it was in 2002 but they are still costly to subscribe to.

Here you go, randomly googled -

http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/trackstar-tariff/

£410 - £759 for the kit installed plus £147 - £189 per year

Takes a lot of 5%'s to make that viable IMHO.

 

[jhgf]

Have read with interest all of the posts about insurance. Having obtained several quotes We have gone with Comfort for our new California we are picking up next week. Interestingly I was told that under no circumstances can the vehicle be left out on the road overnight unless "not in use" i.e. away from the home address. I was lead to believe that this was nothing to do with our address but was a 'new ruling'. We can keep it on our own property every night but it it will mean we will appear unfriendly when people come to stay as our visitors' cars will have to stay outside.

I was given the same piece of information by Saga Isurance too

Have others been told the same with Comfort?

Jonathan and Anne, Poole, Dorset

 

[coordinated]

Hi, Jonathan/Anne

That's odd - and a bit worrying :-/

I'm with Comfort and explicitly stated that I'd be parking on the street. It increased the premium slightly but they said it wasn't a problem.

Best wishes,
Steve

 

[Hubert]

Some interesting points raised.
I am currently in the process of getting insurance quotes, due end of August.
I am currently with Saga, had a quote from Comfort which was nearly half the price of Saga BUT I am a little uneasy about them not recognising my No claims bonus. Yes they will give me a letter regarding claims etc should I change insurers but the advisor mentioned this would be acceptable to MOST insurers up to a couple of years. Would be great insurance if the Cali was not my only vehicle but it is and I don't want to lose my NCB.

VW insurance messed up my 7 day cover, I never actually got the cover note and the garage had to ask several times to get it in order to tax my new van. So I don't think I'll be going with them. if they can't get the basics right I dread to think I would have to make a claim.

Most insurers will not cover the vehicle when parked on the road outside your property IF you stated on the proposal that it would be parked on the drive or in a garage. My motorbike is not covered during hours of darkness at my property unless it is in the garage. If you have said that it will be parked on the street then you will be covered.

Hubert

 

[calikev]

Good point about the nc bonus I have just re insured with comfort. I then sold my car this week
I phoned up comfort to ask if I can put my 13 years NBC onto the policy I was told no
I then said I'm not looking to use it to gain a reduction in premium they still said no.
I rang vw and got a quote with the NBC of £750. Comfort was£250. All I can do is next year see if I can find a company that is reasonable to transfer my NBC to as they are valid for 2 years
By the way. A plan couldn't offer me a quote as I don't own a second car :headwall :headwall

 

[Martin]

Kev, so A-plan won't cover anyone if the Cali is the only vehicle in the household?

 

[calikev]

That's the impression I got Martin I am a fairly low risk I would say I explained I had the NBC
To use when he rang back the next day he asked me if I have access to any other car I said no
He then said in that case I can't quote this time :headwall

 

[MickyBlue]

Good point about the nc bonus I have just re insured with comfort. I then sold my car this week
I phoned up comfort to ask if I can put my 13 years NBC onto the policy I was told no
I then said I'm not looking to use it to gain a reduction in premium they still said no.
I rang vw and got a quote with the NBC of £750. Comfort was£250. All I can do is next year see if I can find a company that is reasonable to transfer my NBC to as they are valid for 2 years
By the way. A plan couldn't offer me a quote as I don't own a second car :headwall :headwall

Try the Caravan Club, they will match/beat renewal quotes and log NCB.

I will probably use them next year when I get my Comfort renewal.

They will only match/beat quotes for renewals NOT new business which seems a bit bizarre, but may give you another option.

 

[calikev]

Ok thanks I will try them next time

 

[MickyBlue]

No worries.

I think it used to be Devitt who underwrote the CC policies, but I think they may now be Aviva, just for reference (who underwrite Comfort :doh ).

 

[Andy]

My insurance is also up for renewal this month. Renewal quote from Comfort is £399 for unrestricted mileage. That is £50 more than last year ! Gone up much more than inflation !

I think it used to be Devitt who underwrote the CC policies, but I think they may now be Aviva, just for reference (who underwrite Comfort)

My sister 's Cali is insured with CCC & is underwritten by Equity Red Star.

A plan couldn't offer me a quote as I don't own a second car

A-plan couldn't give me a quote either, because of hi annual mileage due to being my only car.

VW insurance quote was just under £600.

Adrian Flux could not get near renewal quote.

Am going to try CCC & NFU when I'm off work on Friday.

 

[Silverfox]

Can't beleive I've had the Cali for 11plus months, well I can now! the renewels have arrived, last year with VW £320.00(price match), this year quoting £426.00!!!!! just had one qoute from Comfort £298.60, very nice lady rang me back, this has a maximum of 10000milespa, ample for me, couple of trips to France each year and maybe couple of trips to Scotland, does £298.00 sound about right, no additional drivers and 3 points(gained when I had just put the deposit down on the car last year and drove out of the garage)

Any other recommendations or do you think this is a good deal.

Cheers

Kevin

 

[choplee]

Same price as mine from comfort fella

 

[Martin]

Hi Kevin, we have been with Comfort for 5 years now and that price is roughly what we pay using it as full time vehicle. They appear to have good customer service but yet to hear from anyone that has made a claim, would be interesting to hear from anyone that has?

 

[KernowLad]

I tripped a red light camera in Glasgow (DOH! Been points free since I passed my test!) so that'll test how much they hike our premium by!

I don't buy this "pay more, get better service" nonsense with insurance.

We had a VERY sneaky endorsement on renewal of our BMW policy stuck in (main summary said "parked on driveway" yet on page 11 in small print, it said "must be parked in a garage") with BMW insurance so I went to Swiftcover. Almost half the price, similar cover.

If you have an issue your insurance will stuff you anyway so you may as well pay minimum costs for the potential nightmare. After all, it appears that claiming is a serious crime that must be punished. :headwall :headwall