Insurance Time Again (new + classic)

[Ian.Lindsay]

I'm sure it's been covered before but didn't have much success with the forum search.

I've just acquired my first Ariel and it happens to be close to my insurance renewal date. I had it added on to my current insurance (Bennetts). I have a Triumph Street Triple and the Ariel Huntmaster I've just bought. Which insurers will recognise club membership and which insurers are good for both modern and classic bikes on the same policy?

At the time of adding the Ariel to the policy I wasn't a member of AOMCC (I am now) and Bennetts didn't list TOMCC as a qualifying club for premium discount. I think they mentioned VMCC and maybe AOMCC and one or two others though.

I know it's a boring subject but could do with a few pointers from a club perspective. Cheers all.

Ian

[MarkO]

Insurance is just a game and to an extent a rip off. All insurance companies I have ever dealt with will simply try and squeeze as much money as possible from you for as little as possible by way of return. There is no logic to their premiums and certainly little comprehension of classic bikes. My advice is to shop around and go with whoever provides you with the lowest premium for your set requirements. Do not under any circumstances accept automatic renewal, and come renewal time, don't take any BS from them if your premium rises and you have not claimed.

[JohnnyBeckett]

HI welcome to the forum, have you joined AOMCC OR just joined the forum , you need to be a member AOMCC to get a discount you need to have a membership number ( if you have joined the club you will need to get onto the club and get registered )

[Ian.Lindsay]

HI welcome to the forum, have you joined AOMCC OR just joined the forum , you need to be a member AOMCC to get a discount you need to have a membership number ( if you have joined the club you will need to get onto the club and get registered )

Yes John. I've been a member or AOMCC for about a week. Member #7930. My renewal notice with Bennett's doesn't have me affiliated to any MCC. I am a member of TOMCC but they didn't have that on their list. I think the AOMCC was so I'll ring them back tomorrow and give them my membership number and report back here. I'm betting it doesn't reduce the premium. I suspect it's something they claim you get a discount for but actually don't. Like MarkO says, it's just a game to them. I've got a few days yet so can shop around a bit. I just wondered if some were better than others when it came to a policy with both modern and classic bikes on the same policy.

[MarkO]

The least worst I have found for classic bikes are Peter James. Fairly sure they do multi cover for both modern and classic, but beware that it may be cheaper to separate the two. The one for my modern car is Direct Line. Direct Line underwriters are exactly the same as many other brokers, but their premiums are 20% cheaper for like for like cover. The most I have ever got for being a member of any sort of club is about 5% off. Shopping around should get you far more than that, though do be prepared for the infuriating torture of dumb questions by the droid on the other end of the 'phone and the tedious constant attempts to try and sell you stuff you don't need. Good luck.....

[JohnnyBeckett]

hi Ian , there is a lot of posts by members on the forum about the best insurance brokers , i have got a traders insurance to cover everything etc old or new that covers work or play

[Ian.Lindsay]

Just for the record, Bennetts will ask you if you are a member of any clubs and AOMCC is on their list. However, it makes no difference to your premium, as I suspected. Why bother asking then?

[MarkO]

Maybe because AOMCC does not promote Bennetts as an insurer? As I say, it's just a game....For around 10 years at renewal time, Churchill always used to charge me @20% more than last year's premium despite no claims and no change in risk. I always used to 'phone them up and refuse it. They then went away to "consult their superior" which I always sniggered at, then caved in and reduced it to pretty much what it was the previous year. They were simply trying it on of course. This year, they did not reduce it as they must have taken umbrage at my sniggering, so I waved them a tearful adieu and went to Direct Line. Their premium was what I paid last year so fine. Interestingly all the paperwork was exactly the same as Churchill's - right down to the same font and layout. In my book, insurance is simply a legalised unregulated scam.

[robjameson]

Peter James have insured my classic bikes for a number of years and I know a lot of other people use them. They will give you the same level of discount as an AOMCC member as you would get as a VMCC member as far as I am aware. They used to allow you to insure modern bikes too, but usually will not insure high powered bikes, and they are sometimes not as competitive as running a modern bike and classic bike policy.

Sadly, any insurance company only proves its merits when you need to use them, and from what I have heard I am left a little cold regarding the claims process.

With that being said, I am currently dealing with Admiral for a modern car insurance claim, who are utter bastards.

[jim.haydock]

Rob, I've been using RH Specialist Insurance for a number of years as has Ducky and we've both been very happy with their quotes and service. I did put the Ace on the policy for a couple of years as they will add a modern bike to the classic policy. It was convenient but quite expensive, though to be fair the Ace is worth a bob or two. A couple of years ago on renewal I used the MCN comparison site and decided to insure the Ace on a separate policy which saved significantly reduced the overall cost. Jim